Nominations Now Open for the 2027 Awards

Nominations Now Open for the 2027 Awards

The 2027 Leadership Awards will follow the two-step nomination process that was introduced for the 2026 Awards last year. This process that simplifies the initial nomination form and empowers nominees to share their stories in their own words. This cycle includes a couple key changes, detailed below.

 

HOW IT WORKS:

The nomination process is designed in two steps to ensure every nomination reflects both an internal and external perspective on the nominee’s work — providing reviewers with a consistent, well-rounded picture of each candidate.

• Step 1 is completed by the nominator. External nominators — those nominating a leader outside their own organization — submit a brief form that includes basic information about the nominee and two short narrative questions about their impact. Internal nominators — colleagues nominating someone within their own organization or leaders nominating themselves — initiate the process, enter basic info, and identify an external “validator” to answer the short narrative questions. The validator should be someone outside the organization who knows the nominee and their work.

  Step 2 is completed by the nominee and their organization, and consists of more detailed narrative questions about the nominee’s work and impact. Step 2 does not need to be completed by the nominee alone — staff are encouraged to support their leaders in preparing this portion.

NEW CHANGES FOR THE 2027 AWARDS:

• Nominators and validators will be asked just two questions:
  • What makes this leader’s work essential to California’s future?
  • How does this leader create meaningful, positive change?
• Staff and Consultants will be directed to start an internal nomination. To ensure the nomination includes an external perspective, staff can initiate an internal nomination and ask for a validator to contribute. The staff member nominating can collaborate with the nominee in answering the questions asked in Step 2.

NOMINATIONS TIMELINE FOR THE 2027 AWARDS

Dates subject to change for future cycles. For the most current timeline, visit the nominations page.

Step 1: Nomination	February 18, 2026	Nominations
	March 5, 2026	Informational Webinar for Nominators: Watch Now
	March 23, 2026	Nominations close at noon (after an extension)
Step 2: Nomination Acceptance & Detailed Submission	March 26, 2026	Nominees are notified and accept or decline their nomination.
	April 1, 2026	A webinar will be held providing guidance to nominees on how to effectively complete their detailed submissions to bolster the initial nomination.
	April 30, 2026	Final Deadline for Detailed Submission

 

We believe these changes will simplify and improve the nominations process and pave the way for a broader range of inspiring leaders to be recognized and celebrated. If you have any questions about the process, please contact us at hello@irvineawards.org.