This award honors higher education institutions for successfully integrating racial equity and social justice with sustainability. It seeks to foster and highlight collaborations between on-campus entities (e.g., departments focused on sustainability and diversity, equity and inclusion), as well as between the institution and the community, that advance racial equity and social justice. One award is given annually.
Application Process
Institutions can apply for a Racial Equity and Sustainability Collaborations Award by submitting a case study to AASHE’s Campus Sustainability Hub. You will need to log in to the Hub with an AASHE Account in order to submit.
Submissions are accepted on a rolling basis and are due on the last Friday in May. Your application will be considered in the 2023 award season if you submit it by the deadline. Submissions received after the last Friday in May will be considered for the next award season. If you have any questions, please email awards@aashe.org.
Timeline
| Submission/Nomination Deadline | Last Friday in May |
| Judging Underway | May – July |
| Submitters/Nominators Notified. Finalists Announced. | Mid-August |
| Winners Notified and Announced | Mid-September |
Prizes
The Racial Equity and Sustainability Collaborations Award winner receives:
- Recognition via a live virtual awards ceremony
- One complimentary pass to AASHE’s annual conference
- One plaque provided by Rivanna Natural Designs
- Recognition in Sustainability and Climate Change
Criteria
Applications will be evaluated by a panel of judges on the following criteria:
- Overall impact – How much of an impact did the project make?
- Innovation – To what extent is the project innovative?
- Racial equity and social justice – To what extent does the research reflect racial equity and social justice, and how significant is its potential contribution to racial equity and social justice?
- Replicability – To what extent is the project a model for others?
- Breadth of impact – Did the project advance sustainability in many dimensions or only one?
- Stakeholder Involvement – Did the project engage multiple campus stakeholders (students, faculty, staff, community members, etc)?
- Clarity and coherence – How easy is it to follow the case study?
Eligibility
To be considered for a Racial Equity and Sustainability Collaborations Award, the first author of any case study must be affiliated with an AASHE member college or university. Please note that case studies that appear designed primarily to sell a particular product or service will not be considered.