Introducing a Simpler Way to Nominate Leaders for the 2026 Leadership Awards

We are thrilled to announce we are making it easier to nominate a leader for a James Irvine Foundation Leadership Award. In line with our commitment to inclusivity, we’re introducing a two-step nomination process that simplifies the initial nomination form and empowers nominees to share their stories in their own words. We are excited to share a preview of the upcoming changes and will release additional details, including the nomination form questions, in January 2025. We will also host a webinar to explain the new system on January 27, 2025

Register for the Webinar

HOW IT WILL WORK:

  • Step 1: Nomination. Nominators will submit basic information about the nominee, such as their name and contact information, along with a brief description of the nominee’s work and the nominator’s experience with the leader. If an individual chooses to self-nominate, we will request the name and contact information of external validators to ensure a fair evaluation process.
  • Step 2: Nomination Acceptance & Detailed Submission. Nominated candidates will be invited to accept their nomination and provide more detailed information about their work.

REASONS FOR THE CHANGE:

Past nominators have told us they dedicated at least three and upwards of 11 hours to complete a nomination. While we deeply appreciate the commitment and care nominators have demonstrated over the years, we also believe the current process is too burdensome and, frankly, too much to ask of nominators. We also believe that simplifying the process will make the Leadership Awards more accessible to a wider range of Californians. Therefore, we are streamlining our approach to reduce the upfront effort, making it easier for nominators—especially those who may not have extensive information about the nominee—to participate.

Second, nominees often have more reliable and up-to-date information about their work and its impact than nominators. Asking nominees to provide detailed information allows them to articulate their achievements and showcase how they align with the Award criteria in their own words.

2026 NOMINATIONS TIMELINE

Step 1: Nomination January 27, 2025 Two-Step Nomination Process Webinar: Register
February 10, 2025 Nominations Open
March 12, 2025 Nominations Close
Step 2: Nomination Acceptance & Detailed Submission March 14, 2025 Nominees are notified and accept or decline their nomination.
March 26, 2025 A webinar will be held providing guidance to nominees on how to effectively complete their detailed submissions to bolster the initial nomination.
April 30, 2025 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 new process, please contact us at hello@irvineawards.org.