The National Design Awards, founded in 1997, is funded and awarded by Cooper-Hewitt, National Design Museum. Awards are given to designers and innovators in twelve categories:
- Lifetime Achievement
- Design Patron
- Design Mind
- Corporate Achievement
- Architecture Design
- Communications Design
- Fashion Design
- Interior Design
- Landscape Design
- Product Design
- Special Jury Commendation
- People's Design Award (created in 2006)
Some years, the category "American Original" is specially created by the jury. In 2005, beyond the awards described below, the jury awarded the new "Design Mind" award to Katherine and Michael McCoy, an Interior Design award to Richard Gluckman, and a Special Jury Commendation to Sergio A. Palleroni. In 2006, the first ever People's Design Award was created in order to give the general public a chance to nominate and vote for their favorite design.
