Nominations open for Citizens Awards

Award Categories

• Best Civic Engagement Program
  • The Citizen Award for this category will recognize an outstanding business or chamber of commerce that has demonstrated exceptional dedication to elevating civics as a top priority.
  • The Citizen Award for this category is dedicated to those that have created and implemented innovative civics programs and/or resources that empower their employees and communities to gain knowledge, skills, and disposition vital to participating in civic life. By actively promoting the importance of civics, these applicants are making a significant and lasting impact on their communities and fostering informed and engaged citizens poised to shape the future of their communities and society.
• Best Community Improvement Program
  • The Citizen Award for this category is dedicated to a single strategic initiative focused on community improvement. Eligible initiatives could focus on global or domestic topics including (but not limited to): housing, poverty, economic development, community safety, green space, arts and culture, youth development, nonprofit capacity building, or infrastructural improvement.
• Best Community Resilience and Disaster Response Program
  • The Citizen Award for this category is dedicated to a single strategic initiative focused on community resilience and disaster response. Eligible initiatives could focus on global or domestic topics including (but not limited to): individual and community preparedness, pre-disaster mitigation, immediate response (especially for those most vulnerable), or long-term recovery.
• Best Economic Opportunity and Empowerment Program
  • The Citizen Award for this category is dedicated to a single strategic initiative focused on economic empowerment. Eligible initiatives could focus on global or domestic topics including (but not limited to): financial inclusion and literacy, entrepreneurship, diversity and inclusion, and workforce development.
• Best Education and Workforce Program
  • The Citizen Award for this category is dedicated to a single initiative focused on improving education and/or employment outcomes for learners and workers. Eligible initiatives could be domestic or global with example focus areas including (but not limited to): upskilling, reskilling, STEM, soft skills, early education, career guidance and placement, credentialing, and access to technology and resources.
• Best Health and Wellness Program
  • The Citizen Award for this category is dedicated to a single strategic initiative focused on health and wellness. Eligible initiatives could focus on global or domestic topics including (but not limited to): workplace wellness, community wellness, nutrition and obesity prevention, food security, disease prevention, and improved access to health care services.
• Best Sustainability Program
  • The Citizen Award for this category is dedicated to a single strategic initiative focused on environmental stewardship, sustainability, and the circular economy. Eligible initiatives could focus on global or domestic topics including (but not limited to): climate solutions, circular economy, conservation, energy efficiency and clean energy, fleet and transportation, manufacturing design and innovation, resource stewardship, sustainable procurement, sustainable supply chain, or waste and materials management.
• Best Corporate Steward
  • A corporate steward is a company that conducts its business in a way that creates “shared value.” This means creating value for shareholders, delivering high quality products and services to customers, providing a great place to work for employees, supporting the wellbeing and development of communities near and far, reducing environmental footprint, and helping suppliers to deliver shared value too. A corporate steward follows the letter and spirit of the law and goes well beyond this to contribute actively to enhancing the communities in which it operates and care for the environment in a way that supports the long-term success of business.
  • The Best Corporate Steward award recognizes companies that are responsive and responsible members of society, whose overall values, operational practices, and decision-making exemplify “shared value.”
  • This year, the U.S. Chamber of Commerce Foundation will present two Best Corporate Steward awards:
    • Best Corporate Steward: Small and Middle-Market Business—Companies with revenue of $1 billion or less will be eligible for the Best Corporate Steward: Small and Middle-Market Business award.
    • Best Corporate Steward: Large Business—Companies with revenue more than $1 billion will be eligible for the Best Corporate Steward: Large Business award.

Eligibility Criteria

• The Citizens Awards signify the power of business to create stronger communities in the U.S. and around the world.
  • Businesses of all sizes, chambers, and trade associations are eligible to be nominated for the Citizens Awards.
  • An entity may nominate itself or be nominated by a third party. They welcome nominations that represent a member of the business community operating as a solo entity or operating with partners. Given the public format of finalist information, third-party nominators should ensure the nominated entity is aware of the application and prepared to participate in awards activities.
  • If multiple companies/chambers/trade associations would like to submit a nomination on behalf of their partnership, they may apply as a group so long as there is a primary entity that will be recognized as a potential finalist and is the single point of contact. Multiple businesses cannot be named a finalist for a single category.
  • Non-business partners may nominate their work with a member of the business community, so long as the business is the primary entity that will be recognized as the potential finalist and is the single point of contact.
  • Entities can be nominated for more than one category, and a separate application is required for each category. Additionally, while a nominee can submit the same work in multiple categories (if it is relevant to more than one category), they are eligible to be a finalist in only one of the categories, which will be determined by scoring (the category with the highest score for that program will be the finalist category).
  • Past winners are not eligible to submit an application for two years in the category for which they won.
• Additional Eligibility Requirements: (Please meet all of the criteria before submitting a nomination)
  • Nominee is able to go on record publicly about the work or program being showcased.
  • If chosen as a finalist, nominee is able to submit high-res multimedia assets to support digital and print materials produced by the U.S. Chamber Foundation to recognize finalists.
  • If chosen as a winner, nominee commits to judging in that category for the following year’s “winner round.”
  • Each category’s submission form will provide additional guidance, such as the time periods that are eligible and the information/content that each category is based on.

For more information, visit U.S. Chamber of Commerce Foundation.