Nominations due soon for fourth year of civic collaboration prizes

Nominations are open until the end of next week for the fourth annual American Civic Collaboration Awards, known as the Civvys.

The awards, established by the Bridge Alliance and Big Tent Nation in 2017, honor nonprofit efforts to "strengthen communities and empower citizens" while bridging ideological divisions, partisan politics, narrow parochial interests and other gridlock-producing barriers.

The most recent winners, chosen a year ago, included groups that crowdsource civic engagement across the country, introduce students to North Carolina politics, combat chronic school absenteeism in the Black community of Oakland, Calif., and promote civic education in low-income parts of Colorado.

Awards will be given for national, local and youth projects. Entries will be judged on the collaborative practices involved, the impact of the project and its scalability – whether the effort can be replicated for greater impact.

"In the wake of a historic election week, we're reminded of the people all around us who make our democracy work," said the contest's organizer, Caroline Klibanoff. "Given this year's context, the 2020 awards will also focus on efforts by and for communities of color, and those that support a more diverse, equitable and inclusive America.

More information and a short nomination form can be found here. The application deadline is Nov. 20. The awards will be presented at a livestreamed ceremony in March.

Sign up for The Fulcrum newsletter