The Premier Award honors Accredited Providers that demonstrate outstanding excellence in nursing continuing professional development (NCPD). Awardees distinguish themselves by consistently performing at a higher level than their peers, serving as role models and exemplars for the field. This recognition, presented annually to one or more Accredited Providers, is valid for a two-year period. Organizations may apply each year unless they are currently award recipients. Eligibility is limited to accredited organizations in good standing.

ELIGIBILITY REQUIREMENTS

• The Premier Program Award is granted only once per calendar year.
• The Premier Program Award will be awarded to Accredited Providers that meet eligibility requirements and demonstrate qualifications for the award.
• Eligibility requirements include organizations that are currently accredited or accredited with distinction, are not provisionally accredited, and/or have not had progress reports required within twelve (12) months before the application.
• Organizations must be in good financial standing with the ANCC.
• Organizations that receive the Premier Program Award are recognized for a two-year term.
• Organizations that have received the Premier Award may not use previously submitted evidence in their 2025 submission.
• Organizations must demonstrate iterative growth and that initiatives have been expanded within the last 18 months.
• Of note: Organizations that received the 2026 Premier Award are not currently eligible to reapply.

RESPONSIBILITIES OF PREMIER PROGRAM AWARD RECIPIENTS

• Publish, present, and/or disseminate best practices in Program Updates and/or at the PDP Summit.
• Collaboration at the following year’s ANCC NCPD Accreditation Workshops will be strongly encouraged.

BENEFITS TO PREMIER AWARD RECIPIENTS

• Recognition at the annual ANCC PDP Summit, where the ANCC presents an award and a trophy.
• Recognition on the ANCC website and a press release from the ANCC.
• Premier Program Award recipients will receive recognition for a two-year term.

TIMELINE

• Applications open October 5, 2026.
• Deadline for application submission is January 10, 2027.
• Decisions will be made by February 2027.
• Winner(s) will be notified of the decision by February 2027.
• Premier Program Award recipients will be publicly announced at the PDP Summit in San Antonio, TX, April 16-18th, 2027.

APPLICATION PROCESS

Submission requirements

• Applicants will choose 3 of the 4 Premier Award criteria 
• Applicants must demonstrate evidence of achievement of three of the Premier Award criteria in order to be granted the Premier Award
• Decisions are made by consensus of the review panel, with final decisions confirmed by the Commission on Accreditation.
• Applicants submitting more than 3 of the identified Premier Award criteria will be disqualified. Applicants may not submit evidence for more than three criteria.

PREMIER AWARD CRITERIA

 

1. Describe how the Accredited Provider creates a culture of empowerment that engages nurses in shared decision-making or interprofessional collaboration within the Accredited Provider and its educational activity.
2. Describe strategies used by the Accredited Provider to identify and address a culture of dignity, empowerment, accessibility, and respect (DEAR™) within the accredited provider and its educational activities.
3. Describe how the Accredited Provider leverages nursing continuing professional development to impact human, material, and/or financial resources in alignment with the organization’s strategic goals.
4. Describe how the Accredited Provider creates and sustains a culture of evidence in alignment with public health initiatives and the organization’s strategic goals.

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DEAR (Dignity Empowerment, Accessibility, and Respect)™ Model

The DEAR (Dignity Empowerment, Accessibility, and Respect)™ Model is a framework developed by the American Nurses Credentialing Center (ANCC) Commission on Accreditation in Nursing Continuing Professional Development (NCPD) to promote inclusive, equitable, and human-centered approaches to continuing education and professional development (Graebe, Sellars, DuBois, 2026).

DEAR stands for: 

D - Dignity 

• Recognizing the inherent value and worth of every learner, patient, and stakeholder.
• Creating educational environments that foster psychological safety and a sense of belonging.

E – Empowerment

• Supporting learners in developing confidence, competence, and the ability to apply knowledge in practice.
• Encouraging shared decision-making and professional growth.

A – Accessibility

• Ensuring educational opportunities are equitable and available to all learners.
• Addressing barriers related to technology, disability, geography, scheduling, language, or other factors that may limit participation.

R – Respect

• Valuing diverse perspectives, experiences, backgrounds, and identities.
• Promoting meaningful engagement and inclusive dialogue.

How the DEAR Model Relates to NCPD Accreditation

The DEAR Model is not a stand-alone accreditation criterion. Rather, it provides a lens through which accredited providers can design, implement, and evaluate NCPD activities that align with ANCC's expectations for quality, inclusion, and learner-centered education. The model has also been integrated into the ANCC NCPD Accreditation Premier Award framework, helping organizations demonstrate excellence beyond basic compliance with accreditation standards Graebe, Sellars, DuBois, 2026).

Practical Examples for an Accredited Provider

DEAR Element	Example
Dignity	Creating a safe environment where all learners feel comfortable participating and sharing experiences.
Empowerment	Designing activities that help nurses implement evidence-based changes in practice.
Accessibility	Providing closed captioning, multiple learning formats, and flexible access to content.
Respect	Including diverse faculty and ensuring multiple perspectives are represented in educational content.

Why It Matters

For NCPD providers, the DEAR Model helps move educational planning beyond simply meeting accreditation requirements and toward demonstrating a commitment to equity, inclusion, learner engagement, and professional growth. It provides a framework for operationalizing ANCC's values throughout educational planning, delivery, and outcomes assessment. For organizations involved in ANCC NCPD accreditation, DEAR can also serve as a useful framework for reviewing policies, committee processes, speaker selection, needs assessments, learner engagement strategies, and quality improvement initiatives Graebe, Sellars, DuBois, 2026).

References:
Graebe, J., Sellars, B., & DuBois, S. (2026). Integrating the ANCC DEAR Model™ Into ANCC NCPD Accreditation Premier Award Criteria™. The Journal of Continuing Education in Nursing, 57(3), 101-103.