Nominations are now open for Cox Enterprises’ 2026 Cox Conserves Heroes program. Through Aug. 16, anyone can nominate a volunteer or nonprofit making a positive environmental impact in their community.
Cox Conserves Heroes recognizes individuals and nonprofits whose environmental efforts advance the goals of Cox Conserves, Cox Enterprises’ sustainability program. Those goals include saving energy and water, reducing waste, and protecting and restoring natural habitats and species.
How to participate:
- Nominate your Hero by Aug. 16. Visit CoxConservesHeroes.com and fill out a brief nomination form. A Cox council will select three finalists for each category: Groundbreaker (adults 18+), Planet Protector (youth under 18) and the Jim Kennedy Conservation Award (nonprofit organizations).
- Vote for your favorite Hero Sept. 28-Oct. 4. Return to the Cox Conserves Heroes website to view videos about each finalist and cast your vote.
- Celebrate the winners in October. First-place winners in each category receive a $30,000 grant from the James M. Cox Foundation for the environmental nonprofit of their choice. Second- and third-place winners receive grants of $15,000 and $5,000, respectively. The winner of the nonprofit category receives The Jim Kennedy Conservation Award, named in honor of Jim Kennedy, chairman emeritus of Cox Enterprises, chairman of the James M. Cox Foundation and an environmentalist who started the Cox Conserves sustainability program in 2007.
A legacy of environmental impact
Since 2008, Cox Conserves Heroes has honored more than200 volunteers nationwide who have made a significant impact on sustainability and environmental protection in their communities.
Visit CoxConservesHeroes.com to nominate your Hero or to learn more about the program and previous winners.
