American Climate Leadership Awards 2024
5th Annual American Climate Leadership Awards
People in the US are making progress on climate leadership. They are moms, faith leaders, nurses, local communities, conservatives and progressives alike, students, seasoned climate advocates, and others who can no longer sit idle. They are compelled to make a difference on the issue, every day. We can learn from their inspiring examples of successful climate action. View their How-To Guides HERE.
Watch the American Climate Leadership Awards 2024. The ACLA broadcast features the winner, runner-up, climate scientist Katharine Hayhoe, and other VIPs.
ecoAmerica’s American Climate Leadership Awards (ACLA) was created to recognize, reward, and amplify climate change activation and advocacy in the United States.
Individuals and organizations selected as finalists have demonstrated success in engaging a broader diversity of people nationwide for climate preparedness, resilience, action, and advocacy at local, regional, and national levels, in ways that are replicable.
Meet the Judges!
Christopher Barnard
American Conservation Coalition
Maddy Kohlberg
MBA Student, NYU, STERN
Chip Giller
Grist
The Rev. Canon Stephanie Spellers
The Episcopal Church
Bill McKibben
Third Act
Geof Rochester
GRC Advising
Laura Turner Seydel
Capital Planet Foundation
Learn More About the Awards
+What will the winners receive?
Semifinalists will be recognized with cash awards.
- Semifinalists will receive $1,000 each in recognition of their efforts.
- 8 finalists will receive a total of $10,000 each to further their work.
- One runner-up will receive a total of $25,000.
- One winner will receive a total of $50,000.
The finalists, runner-up, and winner will also receive prominent recognition in key communications before, during, and after the event including social and traditional media.
+How do you apply?
- Apply – Any eligible individual or organization can submit an application using this form by the December 15 deadline. Whether you are deepening your work in one community or scaling your program nationally, we invite you to apply to showcase your climate leadership.
- Nominate – If you know of someone who you believe qualifies for this award, please nominate them, and we will invite them to apply.
- After reviewing all applications, the most promising submissions will be named semifinalists, and invited to submit more detailed proposals for finalist consideration. The top semifinalists will be promoted in ecoAmerica communications and online, receiving recognition for their progress thus far in the awards process.
- Top 10 – Semifinalist submissions will be reviewed, and from this group, ten finalists will be selected, notified, and promoted as Finalists for the Climate Leadership Awards 2024. The winner and runner-ups will be announced in Spring 2024.
+What are the eligibility requirements?
The American Climate Leadership Awards seeks submissions from initiatives that have:
- Demonstrated leadership and success in engaging a broader diversity of Americans to build public support and political resolve for climate preparedness, resilience, sustainability, and mitigation solutions.
- A strong track record of effective climate action, including clear program objectives, tactics, and measurable results.
- Successful programs or initiatives on a local, regional, or national level that can be replicated by others on a local level.
- Reached new audiences: We welcome applications from across the country, from all communities and in particular applications from local communities. We encourage applications from people or organizations working to bring in or include audiences who are new to climate action.
- Current programming (plans for future programs will not be considered).
+How will my application be evaluated?
The Selection Committees for ACLA24 is comprised of climate experts and leaders from across a diversity of sectors and constituencies, who will score the submissions based on the following criteria:
- Impact and a track record of success, including measurable key success metrics.
- Replicability, in other words, how easily another person or organization could follow your example and recreate a similar program for another region or constituency. Please share your effective tactics.
- Innovation, including new, novel or uniquely effective tactics.
- Effective storytelling, including demonstrating the success of how your program built public support and/or political will to slow and/or stop climate change or prepare or build resilience to it.
- How the initiative is broadening participation in climate action by engaging new audiences not typically involved in the climate movement.
+Who should apply?
The Selection Committees for ACLA24 is comprised of climate experts and leaders from across a diversity of sectors and constituencies, who will score the submissions based on the following criteria:
- Transformational individuals/leaders who are employing innovative methods to broaden the participation of Americans in climate change solutions locally, regionally, and/or nationally.
- Outstanding nonprofits that have demonstrably moved their communities, organizations, or constituencies to effective climate action, advocacy, preparedness or resilience including community, health, faith, youth, conservation, rural, conservative, and other organizations.
- For profits with initiatives to build support for climate action with their stakeholders.
+Where can I learn more about past winners?
Please visit the virtual event showcasing the 2023 ACLA finalists.
High school students, learn about our High School Student Awards HERE
For more information: acla@ecoamerica.org
Please Share on Social Media — Click HERE for the ACLA 2024 Social Toolkit