Current Awards

Nominations are no longer accepted for the Spring 2025 B. H. Rowland Award


​Assistance from Supervisors requested in identifying EC Professionals – see details below.

The B. H. Rowland Foundation, Inc. is a non-profit organization dedicated to recognizing and supporting the work of Early Childhood Professionals in North Carolina. It was established to honor Bobbie H. Rowland, a long-time leader in the field of early care and education. Each year the Foundation grants awards in her honor to recognize the efforts of EC Professionals in North Carolina and to share their stories with others.

The B. H. Rowland Foundation’s 2025 Award for Excellence will be awarded to EC Professionals recognized for providing exceptional services to children and families in their care during the challenging times following the devastation of Hurricane Helene in western North Carolina. We request your assistance in identifying these professionals in your area.

Based on the understanding that trauma-informed care is relational care, we are specifically focused on relationships developed in creating safe and secure spaces, providing care that is healing, warm and welcoming, and providing effective and compassionate care to those affected by the traumatic aftermath of the hurricane.

A trauma-informed care approach prevents further trauma and creates a safe and supportive environment for children who have experienced trauma. It improves learning outcomes and fosters social-emotional development when implemented effectively in the immediate natural environment of the young child. This approach also promotes resilience in children by helping them develop skills to cope with and overcome adversity.
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Early Childhood Professionals must have worked directly with young children, Birth through Kindergarten, and/or families in the aftermath of the disaster and provided services in one of the following western counties: Alexander, Alleghany, Ashe, Avery, Buncombe, Burke, Caldwell, Catawba, Cherokee, Clay, Cleveland, Gaston, Graham, Haywood, Henderson, Jackson, Lincoln, Macon, Madison, McDowell, Mitchell, Polk, Rutherford, Swain, Transylvania, Watauga, Wilkes, Yancey.

EC Professionals must be identified and nominated for consideration by a lead agency representative. A maximum of two professionals per county may be nominated for consideration. Send the name, job title, county(ies) and place of employment, and contact information (day and evening phone numbers) of each nominee to the Awards, Grants, and Scholarships Committee at: [email protected]

Deadline has passed

All nominees will be interviewed virtually to share their practices and to provide ideas for other professionals to consider in similar situations of trauma. Selection of finalists will be based on descriptions and examples of relevant practices provided during each interview, guided by the following universal principles:  
  • Create a safe and positive learning environment for infants/young children and families (in home and/or community).
  • Demonstrate working collaboratively with children, families, and other professionals when appropriate.
  • Empower children and families by providing them with the knowledge and resources they need to make decisions about their lives.
  • Foster social-emotional development in infants/young children.
  • Build resilience in children by helping them develop skills to cope with and overcome adversity.
  • Lessons learned and suggestions for other Early Childhood Professionals to consider in disaster/traumatic situations.

Applicants selected for the Award for Excellence will receive a monetary award, as well as a certificate of recognition. In addition, award recipients will be invited to share their stories and have their work showcased on the B. H. Rowland Foundation website.

Deadline has passed

Visit the Award Recipients page to learn more about who has been previously honored.