The nomination window has now closed. Submissions were accepted Thursday, November 14 through Monday, November 25, 2024.
Thank you to all who submitted a nomination, we will be in touch in February 2025 to let you and the nominee know if this entry wins.
2025 Award Categories
Government Changemaker Award
The Government Changemaker award goes to an individual or group that applied a digital solution to a government system that improved their community access. The award winner will have used Code for America’s human-centered principles to deliver a solution that improved the quality of life for their community. At least a portion of this work must have occurred in the 2024 calendar year.
Community Partnership Award
The Community Partnership award goes to an individual or group that has leveraged lived experience and partnered with government to address barriers in service delivery. This individual or group is passionate about addressing systemic issues with technology-based government solutions. At least a portion of this work must have occurred in the 2024 calendar year.
Eligibility requirements and criteria
The Innovator Awards honor individuals and teams that exemplify our human-centered approach to government work. Our winners will demonstrate that they are working to build equitable systems and put people first. Award winners do not need to be government employees, but the work that is being recognized must touch government technology and/or civic innovation.
In your entry, we want to hear about the impact you, your organization, or your colleague has made to improve government services and pioneer a new vision for how people interact with technology. We also want to see how this work builds trust in government.
For our Government Changemaker and Community Partnership Awards, at least some of the work or delivery must have occurred in the calendar year prior to when Code for America’s Summit is taking place. For example, for Summit 2025, the nomination should contain information on what occurred with the project in 2024.
Nominate a team or colleague for an Innovator Award
Want to recognize a peer, colleague, or your own team with one of the top honors in civic tech? We want your input on our 2025 Code for America Innovator Awards. Winners will receive a complimentary ticket to Summit and be recognized as part of our mainstage programming.
Nominations will be open from November 14–25, 2024 at 11:59 p.m. PT.
Winners will be selected through ranked-choice voting conducted by our Summit Content Committee, who will review and rate each eligible nominee based on the award criteria for each category.
We aim to send invitations to the winners to accept their award in person at Summit in February. Code for America Summit will be hosted May 29–30, 2025 in Washington, D.C.
Questions? Please refer to our FAQs, or get in touch at summit@codeforamerica.org
How to submit your nomination
- Choose a category that best describes the nominee, then fill out the submission form to include their information and a blurb about their work, along with any supporting materials that will be helpful to our Content Committee.
- We encourage you to provide any press releases, news stories, design concepts, testimonials, and other collateral that will give us a better sense of the nominee’s work. These documents will not be shared publicly.
- Complete our nomination form by November 25, 2024 at 11:59 p.m. PT to be considered for our Innovator Awards.
The nomination window has now closed. Submissions were accepted Thursday, November 14 through Monday, November 25, 2024.
Thank you to all who submitted a nomination, We will be in touch in February 2025 to let you and the nominee know if this entry wins.
Past winners
2024
Legacy Achievement Award
Kara Swisher
Government Changemaker Award
CODE PA
Community Leadership Award
Tamika A. Williams, Program Manager, City of Memphis Office of Community Affairs
Gerald J. Joyner, Strategic Partnerships Coordinator, Opportunity R3, City of Memphis, Office of Community Affairs
2023
Legacy Achievement Award
Jennifer Pahlka
Government Changemaker Award
Louisiana Department of Children and Family Services
Community Leadership Award
Adams County Community Safety and Wellbeing Department
Frequently Asked Questions
Where and when is Summit 2025?
Summit will be held in Washington, D.C., May 29–30, 2025.
When will I find out if I’ve won?
Nominations for our Innovator Awards are open from November 14–25, 2024. Someone from Code for America will reach out to the nominee and submitter in February informing them that they have won. Either the individual that won or one representative from the organization that wins will be invited to accept the award during one of our Summit Mainstage sessions on May 29 or 30, 2025.
What do award winners receive?
Award winners will be invited to join us in person at Summit. Each winner will receive a trophy and recognition both as a part of our mainstage programming and on our website.
For each award, Code for America will comp two tickets to Summit and two hotel rooms. The winner will also have the opportunity to submit travel expenses within certain guidelines. The winner should inform Code for America if they are not allowed to accept reimbursement.
How are winners determined?
Winners will be selected through ranked-choice voting conducted by our Summit Content Committee, who will review and rate each eligible nominee based on the award criteria for each category.
If I am selected for this award, am I allowed to publicize it before Summit?
Code for America is happy to coordinate press releases and social media posts with our award winners in advance of our event. We typically work with our winners to draft and release these announcements two to three weeks in advance of Summit.
Is there an entry fee?
There is no fee to make a nomination for our Innovator Awards.
Is the winner required to accept their award in person?
We would love you to join us in person at Summit to accept your award, but if for some reason you are unable to travel, we could coordinate other options with you. We will still acknowledge you on our website and on our social channels.