The Charles E. Merriam Award was established by the Association to recognize a person whose published work and career represent a significant contribution to the art of government through the application of social science research. First presented in 1975, the award was revived in 1995 and is presented biennially. The award is given biennially and carries a prize of $500.

Charles Merriam's career exemplified a combination of innovative political and social science scholarship and practical service to the community and nation. The department he chaired in the 1920s-1940s set the agenda of the political science profession in the post World War II decades. He was the key figure in the founding of the Social Science Research Council, and chaired it in its first decades. His public service included membership in the Chicago City Council, and President Roosevelt's National Resources Planning Board, and the Committee on Administrative Management.   
 

List of All Charles E. Merriam Award Recipients