Submissions
August 15, 2026
Prepare your project and submit your entry for consideration in the EDGE Awards.
Submission Deadline
September 30, 2026
All entries must be completed and submitted by the official deadline.
Winners Announced
November 4, 2026
Award recipients will be recognized and celebrated as leaders in the industry.
Submissions
August 15, 2026
Prepare your project and submit your entry for consideration in the EDGE Awards.
Submission Deadline
September 30, 2026
All entries must be completed and submitted by the official deadline.
Winners Announced
November 4, 2026
Award recipients will be recognized and celebrated as leaders in the industry.
Now Open — Call for Submissions
Your best work deserves the industry's highest recognition.
The EDGE Awards are ISFA's national recognition program for the countertop and surfaces manufacturing industry. Across 15 categories, we honor the shops, fabricators, projects and partners setting the standard for what this trade can do — and we put that work in front of the whole industry.
Entries are open to ISFA members nationwide from August 15 through September 30, 2026. Winners are announced live at the ISFA Annual Conference on November 4, 2026.
01
Categories
13 core awards plus two national Product Innovation Awards covering projects, materials, people, safety and innovation.
View all 15 →
02
Judging Criteria
Four published rubrics weighted to 100 points. See exactly what judges score before you prepare your entry.
See the rubrics →
03
Submission Guides & Tools
Step-by-step entry guide, photo standards, narrative prompts and a pre-submit checklist.
Get the tools →
04
Past Winners
2026 is the inaugural year. The first names in the EDGE Hall of Winners will be written this November.
Be the first →
Why Enter
Recognition that travels further than a trophy.
An EDGE Award is third-party validation of your craft — earned through an independent, published judging process and amplified through every channel ISFA has.
Credibility you can point to
The EDGE Awards carry the Awards Trust Mark, administered under the standards of the Independent Awards Standards Council (IASC). A majority-independent panel, published rubrics and managed conflicts of interest mean a win here means something to clients, specifiers and partners.
Visibility across the industry
Winners are announced at the ISFA Annual Conference and recognized through ISFA's communications platforms. Associate Partner winners receive a full media recognition package including Fabricators Edge Magazine, ISFA Now newsletter recognition, a dedicated blog post and social recognition across ISFA channels.
A benchmark for your team
Preparing an entry creates a photographed and written record of your best work and gives your team a clear way to measure it against the national standard.
Award Categories
Fifteen ways to be recognized.
Thirteen core categories are open to all eligible ISFA members. Two national Product Innovation Awards are reserved for Associate Partners. You may enter the same project in more than one category using a separate form for each.
Core Categories — Open to All Eligible Members
1
Countertop & Surface Manufacturer of the Year
Grand Prize
The program's highest honor. Recognizes the manufacturing operation that best represents excellence across craftsmanship, customer service, professionalism and contribution to the industry. Three semi-finalists and two runners-up are also recognized.
2
Fabricator of the Year
An individual excellence award for the fabricator whose personal skill, professionalism and contribution set the standard for the craft.
3
Associate Member of the Year
Associate
Recognizes the supplier, distributor or service partner that has most strongly supported fabricators and advanced the industry through partnership, education, product support and engagement.
4
Residential Excellence — Over $20K
The finest residential fabrication and installation project above $20,000. Judged on design execution, fabrication quality, seam work, fit, finish and overall impact.
5
Residential Excellence — Under $20K
The finest residential project at $20,000 or less. Exceptional craftsmanship is not defined by budget — this category rewards quality, creativity and detail at a smaller scale.
6
Commercial Excellence — Over $100K
The standout commercial project above $100,000 in total value. Judged on scope, complexity, technical execution and the quality of the finished installation.
7
Commercial Excellence — Under $100K
The standout commercial project at $100,000 or less — rewarding precision, problem-solving and finish on more contained commercial work.
8
Material Mastery — Quartz
Celebrates the project that best demonstrates mastery of engineered quartz: handling, seam placement, edge detail and showcasing the material's strengths.
9
Material Mastery — Solid Surface
Outstanding work in solid surface, with particular attention to thermoforming, seamless joinery, integrated features and the design freedom the material allows.
10
Material Mastery — Natural Stone
Excellence in natural stone fabrication — veining and slab layout, bookmatching, edge profiles and the craftsmanship required to work a natural, variable material.
11
Material Mastery — Ultra Compact
Mastery of ultra-compact surfaces such as porcelain and sintered stone — cutting, handling, large-format installation and durable, precise finished detail.
12
Outdoor Project Excellence
The best outdoor application — kitchens, bars, fireplaces and living spaces — judged on material selection for the environment, durability and design execution outdoors.
13
Shop Safety & Excellence Award
Peer-Nominated Only
Recognizes the shop that sets the standard for a safe, well-run, professional operation. This award cannot be self-nominated. A sponsoring company submits on the nominee's behalf, documenting the shop's safety program, training practices, shop conditions and safety record.
National Product Innovation Awards — Associate Partners Only
A
Product Innovation Award — Materials
For an Associate Partner that has introduced an innovative surfacing material — or a meaningful advancement to an existing one — that improves performance, sustainability, design possibility or fabricator workflow.
B
Product Innovation Award — Tools
For an Associate Partner that has introduced an innovative tool, machine or equipment solution that improves fabrication quality, efficiency or safety.
Not sure where your project fits? Enter under the category where the work is strongest — and remember you can enter the same project in multiple categories using a separate form for each. For Residential and Commercial, confirm your total project value falls in the correct tier. For Material Mastery, enter under the material that is genuinely the star of the project.
Judging Criteria
We publish the scorecard before you enter.
Every entry is scored against a defined rubric so judging is consistent and defensible. Judges score each criterion on a 1–10 scale, multiply by the listed weight and sum to a total out of 100. The highest total wins the category.
Tie-breakers: If two entries finish with the same final weighted score, the higher score in the designated criterion will determine the winner: Craftsmanship & Finish for Project Awards, Impact for Member Awards, Safety Record & Culture for Shop Safety & Excellence, and Impact on the Trade for Product Innovation Awards. If entries remain tied after the applicable tie-breaker is applied, the judging panel will conduct a final comparative review of the tied entries.
Who judges the EDGE Awards
Five independent industry judges score every entry. Judges are carefully selected and invited by ISFA based on their industry expertise, experience and ability to provide fair, unbiased evaluation. ISFA’s Committee Chair and CEO serve in a process-oversight role only and do not score entries. Any potential conflicts of interest are disclosed and managed to protect the integrity of the judging process.
What reviewers actually see
Judges receive each entry as a standardized packet: the category, your written narrative, the value tier where applicable, and your image set. Because every entry is presented in the same format, a complete, well-documented submission always reviews better than an incomplete one — regardless of who submitted it.
Submission Guides & Tools
Everything you need to build a winning entry.
Judges score against the published rubrics, so the strongest submissions speak directly to those criteria. Work through the five steps below, then run the pre-submit checklist before you hit send.
STEP 01
Choose the right category
Pick the category that best fits the entry, then decide whether it also belongs somewhere else. The same project may be entered in multiple categories using a separate form for each. For Residential and Commercial, confirm the correct value tier. For Material Mastery, select the material that is truly the star of the project.
STEP 02
Tell the story judges need
Be specific and concrete. Judges reward evidence, not adjectives. Your project description and technical narrative should answer:
- What was the design goal? What was the client or space trying to achieve?
- What makes this stand out? Identify the single thing you most want a judge to notice.
- What was technically hard? Explain seams, spans, radii, large-format handling, thermoforming, layout, veining or other challenges and how you solved them.
- Why this material? Explain how the material's properties were used to advantage.
- What was the outcome? Describe fit, finish, client result or measurable impact.
STEP 03
Photograph it well
Submit 3–8 high-resolution images in JPG or PNG format, with a minimum of 1920px on the long edge. Include at least one wide hero shot and one tight detail shot of a seam, edge or feature. Shoot in good, even light, remove clutter and make sure surfaces are clean. Optional before and in-progress images can help demonstrate the difficulty and transformation. You must hold the rights to every image submitted.
STEP 04
Handle member, safety and innovation entries differently
- Member Awards: Focus on contribution, professionalism and measurable impact, with references or testimonials where possible.
- Shop Safety & Excellence: This award must be submitted by another company on the shop's behalf. The sponsoring company documents the nominee's safety program, training practices, shop conditions and safety record.
- Product Innovation: State clearly what is new, what concrete benefit it provides to fabricators and include supporting images or data.
STEP 05
Run the final review
Five minutes reviewing your entry before submission is worth more than another paragraph of copy. Use the checklist below.
Pre-Submit Checklist
✓ Correct category and value tier selected
✓ Description answers all five narrative questions
✓ Technical challenges clearly explained
✓ 3–8 high-resolution photos attached
✓ Hero shot and detail shot included
✓ Photo rights confirmed
✓ Membership in good standing confirmed
✓ Conflict-of-interest confirmation completed
✓ Sponsoring company named for Safety entries
✓ Submitted before 11:59 p.m. September 30, 2026
Entry Tools & Downloads
Everything below is free to ISFA members. Download what you need before you start the form — the entry form does not save partial drafts.
Guide
Entrant's Guide (PDF)
The full step-by-step guide, including all four scoring rubrics.
Worksheet
Narrative Worksheet
Prompts for drafting your project description and technical narrative offline.
Reference
Photo Standards One-Sheet
Resolution, shot list, lighting and staging requirements.
Reference
Scoring Rubrics (PDF)
All four rubrics with criteria, definitions and weights.
Checklist
Pre-Submit Checklist
A printable version of the checklist above.
How-To Guide
Peer Nomination Guide
How to sponsor a shop for the Shop Safety & Excellence Award, including requirements, scoring criteria and preparation tips.
Eligibility & Rules
Who can enter, and what you need to know.
Before preparing your submission, review the eligibility requirements and category-specific rules below to make sure your entry is ready for consideration.
Eligibility
General Requirements
- The entrant and company must be an ISFA member in good standing.
- One entry is required per form. Entrants may submit to multiple categories using separate forms.
- All submitted work must have been completed within the program's eligibility window.
- Entrants must hold the rights to all submitted photographs and grant ISFA permission to use those images in awards-related promotion and communications.
- Entries must be received by 11:59 p.m. on September 30, 2026.
- Entrants may not serve as judges and must confirm they have no conflict of interest affecting the judging process.
Important Details
Category-Specific Rules
- Shop Safety & Excellence: This award may not be self-nominated. A sponsoring company must submit the nomination on the shop's behalf.
- Product Innovation Awards: These national honors are open to ISFA Associate Partners only.
- Residential & Commercial Excellence: Entries must declare total project value so the submission can be placed in the appropriate award tier.
- Material Mastery: Entries should be submitted under the material that most clearly defines the project's technical difficulty and finished result.
Planning to enter more than one category? You may submit the same project in multiple categories when appropriate, but a separate entry form is required for each category. Make sure each submission addresses the judging criteria for the specific award being entered.
Program Timeline
Key Dates for 2026
August 15, 2026
Submissions Open
The entry form goes live to all eligible ISFA members across all 15 award categories.
September 30, 2026
Submissions Close
Entries must be submitted by 11:59 p.m. No entries will be accepted after the deadline.
October 2026
Judging Period
The independent judging panel reviews and scores eligible submissions using the published award rubrics.
Late October 2026
Winners Finalized
Judging is completed, scores are reviewed and category winners are confirmed ahead of the Annual Conference.
November 4, 2026
EDGE Award Winners Announced
The inaugural EDGE Award winners are announced and recognized at the ISFA Annual Conference.
Questions
Before you enter.
How much does it cost to enter?
Entries are free for ISFA members in good standing. To qualify for free entry, your ISFA membership must be current and in good standing at the time of submission. Please review the entry form for complete eligibility and submission details. If you have any questions regarding your membership status or entry requirements, contact Marc at 816-330-7049 before submitting your entry.
Can I enter the same project in more than one category?
Yes. A project may be entered in multiple categories using a separate entry form for each. Each entry is judged independently.
Do I have to attend the conference to win?
Yes. Attendance at the ISFA Annual Conference is a condition of entry or winning.
Who sees my entry?
Entries go to the independent judging panel as standardized packets containing the category, narrative, applicable value tier and images.
How is the judging kept impartial?
The program uses a minimum five-judge panel, a majority-independent voting structure, published rubrics, declared conflicts of interest and recusal where required.
Can I nominate another shop?
Yes — and for the Shop Safety & Excellence Award, another company must submit the nomination because the award cannot be self-submitted.
What if my photos aren't professional?
Professional photography is not required, but presentation quality is part of the project-award rubric. Clean, well-lit, uncluttered images are important.
Can I still apply to be a judge?
The 2026 panel is confirmed. Professionals interested in serving on future panels may register their interest with Mikaela at mikaela@isfanow.org. Judges may not enter the program.
Submissions Close September 30, 2026
Put your best work in front of the industry.
The EDGE Awards are open to ISFA members nationwide from August 15 through September 30, 2026. Fifteen categories. Published rubrics. An independent panel. One inaugural class.
Ready to Enter?
Choose the appropriate submission form:
Questions? Contact ISFA at 888-599-4732.