Thanks to the generosity of the members of the NAC Orchestra and of additional organizations and individuals, laureates will be chosen from the semi-finals to compete in the finals for the following prizes: The NAC Orchestra Bursary, The Crabtree Foundation Award, The Friends of the NAC Orchestra Award, The NAC Orchestra Vic Pomer Award, The Dorothy M. Horwood Award, The Friends of the NAC Orchestra Evelyn Greenberg Award, The Piccolo Prix, The Sturdevant Prize for Orchestral Excerpts.

The first NAC Orchestra Bursary Competition was in 1981. The Bursary provides recognition and financial support to help further the development of young Canadian orchestral musicians with connections to the National Capital Region. The first year, one prize of $1,000 was awarded. Thanks to the generosity of additional organizations and individuals, other prizes have been added for a total in 2026 of over $31,000.