MPSA sponsors 10 awards for outstanding papers presented at the Annual National Conference. Nominations are made by conference discussants, panel chairs, and section heads after the conference. Award committees select the winners. Awards are announced at the MPSA business meeting, held during the Annual National Conference, the following year.

• Best Paper by an Emerging Scholar. A $250 award for the best paper, regardless of field or topic, by a scholar or scholars who has or have received the terminal degree(s) within six years of the year in which the paper was presented.
• Best Paper in International Relations. A new $250 award for the best paper on the topic of international relations.
• Herbert Simon Award. A $500 award, co-sponsored by the Midwest Caucus on Public Administration, for a scholar who has made a significant contribution to the scientific study of bureaucracy.
• Kellogg/Notre Dame Award. A new $250 award for the best paper in comparative politics.
• Lucius Barker Award. A $250 award for the best paper on a topic investigating race or ethnicity and politics and honoring the spirit and work of Professor Barker.
• Patrick J. Fett Award. A $250 award for the best paper on the scientific study of Congress and the presidency.
• Review of Politics Award. A new $250 award for the best paper in normative political theory.
• Robert H. Durr Award. A $250 award for the best paper applying quantitative methods to a substantive problem.
• Sophonisba Breckinridge Award. A $250 award for the best paper on the topic of women and politics.

Two new awards for best poster presentations will be offered by the MPSA for posters presented at the 2010 conference.

• Best Poster Award. A $250 award for the best poster presentation.
• Best Undergraduate Poster Award. A $250 award for the best poster presentation by an undergraduate.

In addition to the awards sponsored by MPSA, three awards are sponsored by other organizations and presented at the MPSA Annual National Conference:

• AJPS Best Article Award. A $1,000 award for the best article appearing in the volume of the American Journal of Political Science published in the year preceding the conference. Sponsor: Wiley Blackwell Publishing
• Pi Sigma Alpha Award for Best Paper. A $250 award for the best paper presented at the MPSA Annual National Conference. Sponsor: Pi Sigma Alpha, the national political science honor society.
• Westview Press Award. A $250 award for the best paper by a graduate student. Sponsor: Westview Press.