ICF Foundation and ICF Coaching Education Recognized for Coaching Impact and Leadership by American Society of Association Executives

– Gold and Silver Power of Association Awards Earned for Collaborations with Special Olympics, HumRRO, and XLNC –

Lexington, Kentucky, USA — The International Coaching Federation (ICF) Foundation and ICF Coaching Education won Gold and Silver Power of Association Awards from the American Society of Association Executives (ASAE). The awards honor programs that deliver measurable results, address critical societal challenges, and demonstrate unique value to the broader community.  

“ASAE’s recognition is a powerful demonstration of our global commitment to coaching excellence and meaningful societal impact,” said ICF CEO, Magdalena Nowicka Mook. “As we celebrate ICF’s 30th anniversary, these awards affirm our mission in motion — to elevate the coaching profession and harness its potential to drive both individual growth and lasting, positive change in communities around the world.”  

ICF Foundation, the philanthropic arm of ICF, was recognized with a Gold Award for providing personalized coaching opportunities to support Special Olympics’ Leadership Academy curriculum. Since 2019, ICF Foundation has helped Special Olympics foster a culture of inclusion, empathy, and resilience among educators working with students with intellectual disabilities.  

“At ICF Foundation, we believe in the power of coaching — and associations — to be a positive force in the world. The Foundation’s work with Special Olympics and its inspiring team of leaders are helping to build more inclusive, empathetic communities —one educator at a time,” said ICF Foundation Vice President, Coura Badiane, MBA, CAE. “Our work wouldn’t be possible without the unwavering commitment of our talented volunteer coaches, and of course, our valued partners at Special Olympics, whose leadership and advocacy continue to inspire lasting impact in schools, on the field, and beyond.” 

Throughout ICF Foundation’s work with Special Olympics, 180 educators and coaches were coached by 70 ICF-credentialed professionals, who assisted them in developing action plans with SMART goals — a framework for setting effective objectives. As a result of the program, educators reported measurable transformations, including 67% of participants who found significant growth in their leadership capabilities, as well as growth in their communication skills, empathy, and authenticity. Additionally, ICF-credentialed coaches have dedicated 389 low bono coaching hours to Special Olympics — valued at more than $91,000 — over a five year span.  

ICF Coaching Education (CE) received two Silver Awards recognizing its commitment to advancing excellence in preparing new coaches for a wide variety of roles in business and personal development. One award honored its Coach Educator Competencies, a structured framework developed with HR research organization, HumRRO, which emphasizes skills such as facilitation, experiential learning, communication, ethics, and adaptability. The second Silver Award recognized both its Mentor Coaching Competencies and its Coaching Supervision Competencies, developed in collaboration with HumRRO and coaching consultants, XLNC. Together, these frameworks provide a comprehensive foundation to elevate coaching education and supervision across the coaching profession.  

“More than 800 volunteers from around the world contributed to the development of these models, as did experts from the Credentials & Standards and Academic Research groups at ICF,” said ICF CE Vice President, David Jennings, CAE, SPHR, SHRM-SCP. “These models promote quality and consistency, and advance our commitment to upholding coaching excellence, a cornerstone for the future of the profession.” 

Shaped through broad global input, these frameworks define clear expectations and benchmarks across the coaching profession — enhancing professional development, equipping coaches to meet evolving client and organizational needs, and guiding the next generation of coaching professionals toward greater effectiveness and integrity. 

“Congratulations to ICF CE and ICF Foundation for exemplifying the impact associations have on the industries and professions they represent, and on society at large,” said ASAE President and CEO, Michelle Mason, FASAE, CAE. “It’s always satisfying to see associations going above and beyond their everyday mission to change the world. We’re very proud to spotlight their combined award-winning initiatives.” 

About The Power of Associations Awards 

ASAE’s Power of Associations Awards recognize the association community’s economic and societal contributions locally, nationally and globally. ASAE will celebrate The Power of Associations Award recipients during its annual Summit Awards Dinner on September 25, 2025, at the National Building Museum in Washington, DC. 

MEDIA CONTACT
Emily Wenstrom
(202) 594-6358
ewenstrom@stantoncomm.com