You may nominate yourself or someone else. Cox, its affiliated companies and their immediate families are not eligible. Previous Cox Conserves Heroes and finalists are not eligible. A volunteer or nonprofit can enter from anywhere in the U.S. Nonprofits are encouraged to enter a single completed project that focused on carbon, water or waste reduction.

We want to honor the work of volunteers and nonprofits that are actively working to make progress in environmental sustainability while inspiring others to do the same. To be eligible, nominees must show their activities fall within the following criteria:

• Inspiration: Activities must inspire others to engage in environmental sustainability.
• Conservation: Activities reduce or reuse carbon/energy or water, or minimize waste sent to landfills.
• Volunteerism: Activities are done on a volunteer basis and not part of paid employment.

Volunteers born on or before Aug. 31, 2007, who have made considerable contributions to carbon, water and/or waste reuse or reduction on behalf of an environmental 501(c)(3) nonprofit organization.

Volunteers born on or after Sept. 1, 2007, who have made considerable contributions to carbon, water and/or waste reuse or reduction on behalf of an environmental 501(c)(3) nonprofit organization.

* Nominees who are minors (under age 18) must have a parent or legal guardian’s (“parent”) permission in order to be nominated and parents will be required to sign a permission form.

A 501(c)(3) organization that has developed a unique program, project or effort to reduce or reuse carbon/energy or water or eliminate waste sent to landfills.

Between August 11 and August 24, Cox issues a call for nominations during which anyone can nominate volunteers and nonprofit organizations using the nomination form. Three finalists are selected by an internal council for each category of volunteers. Each finalist profiled on this site will have an image, bio and video to share their story. The public votes between October 6 and October 12 for the nominee they feel is most deserving of the grand prize.

Finalist judging will be administered by Cox; the nine finalists will be voted on by the public. The volunteer or nonprofit in each category with the most votes wins.

There will be one winner in each of the three categories of volunteers and nonprofits. Each first-place winner will receive $30,000 to be donated to an environmental nonprofit of their choice courtesy of the James M. Cox Foundation.

The second-place and third-place finalists in each category will receive $15,000 and $5,000 respectively to also be donated to an environmental nonprofit of their choice. A total of $150,000 will be awarded from the James M. Cox Foundation to 6 individuals and 3 nonprofit organizations.