The Balling Award is granted annually to the member who has made the greatest contribution to the Society in the previous year. Consideration is given to points earned within the Fellowship program, but other matters may be considered as well. Thus the award is not automatic, and may not be granted every year.
A member who has been granted the Balling Award five times, and is again felt to have made the largest contribution, is instead granted the [[Metzler Awards|Metzler Award]], and is ineligible for both awards thereafter. To date, only one person — Dame Evelyn herself — has been granted that award.
Neither award was granted from 2003 to 2006 due to the general inactivity of the Society. From 2007 thorough 2013, these awards were made part of the Fellowship program, but no grants were awarded during that period. The [[Board]] decided to resume granting these awards beginning in 2014.