This year’s program drew more than 130 submissions from NASCIO member states and territories, with over 60 NASCIO members stepping in as volunteer judges to evaluate projects. The recipients were announced by Katrina Flory, Ohio state CIO, and David Edinger, Colorado state CIO, who co-chair the organization’s Awards Committee. Awards were presented Wednesday in Denver during NASCIO’s Annual Conference.
Together, they revealed winners in 10 categories. Among this year’s standout performers was Minnesota, which earned recognition in two categories. Its “AI Tool Revolutionizing Legislative Review” was named the winner in Artificial Intelligence, while “State Agencies Unite to Feed Minnesota’s Children” took the top spot for Cross-Boundary Collaboration.
In the Cybersecurity category, Ohio received honors for “Ohio’s Defense-in-Depth Approach to Fraud Prevention.” Massachusetts earned recognition for Data Management, Analytics and Visualization with “Emergency Shelter Response: Shared Data Enabling Smarter, Compassionate Support.”
The awards also spotlighted how various digital experience initiatives are improving the way residents interact with state services. Kansas was recognized for “Taking Kansas Unemployment Insurance from Disco to Digital,” modernizing its unemployment insurance system, while Connecticut won for “Smart Scheduling: Elevating the DMV for a Smoother Experience.”
In Enterprise Technology Management, Washington was honored for “Disrupting the Norm: How Washington Turned Procurement into a Platform for Innovation.” Washington also received the State CIO Office Special Recognition Award for “Modernizing the Mission: Washington’s Innovation and Modernization Program Paves the Future of Statewide Services.”
Other honorees include North Carolina, recognized in Information and Communications Technology for its next-generation 911 implementation, and Arizona, which received the Operational Efficiency award for “SOLVE AI: Smart Operational Learning for Vulnerable Engagement.”
Find more details on the 2025 NASCIO State IT Recognition Awards here.
