As of 2022, the president of the board of directors of the NMAF is Melony Ward, publisher of Canada’s History and Kayak.
MacFarlane together with John S. Crosbie, president of the Magazine Association of Canada, secured the participation of the Canadian Periodical Publishers Association (CPPA), representing 193 Canadian magazines, and CPPA's former president Michael de Pencier.
MacFarlane reached out to his counterpart at Université Laval, Roger de la Garde, Alan Edmunds, head of the Periodical Writers Association of Canada (PWAC), and veteran newsman Pierre Berton, among others.
As the collective effort began to take shape across the country, by the spring of 1977 the National Magazine Awards had developed a clear mandate.
Pierre Berton emceed the event, where the 660 guests dined and danced to Jack Collins and his five-piece band.
"[5] If any winner started to talk on stage, Berton reportedly waved a large hook in the speaker's direction.
The NMAF also honoured outstanding achievement by a magazine: L'actualité (French) and Harrowsmith (English) took the awards.
The winners since 1990 are: The submissions process for the National Magazine Awards is generally open from December until the second week of January.