The nomination period for the 2021 Colin Higgins Courage Awards is OPEN.
Please do not contact the Foundation via phone or e-mail regarding your nomination. Only those nominations selected will hear back from the Foundation.
In February 2021, the Colin Higgins Foundation is inviting a select group of nonprofit organizations to submit a nomination of an outstanding LGBTQ+ youth activist in your community to be considered for the 21st annual Youth Courage Awards.
Three LGBTQ+ youth activists will be awarded $15,000 each by the Foundation for the courage they have demonstrated in their respective communities. In addition, the Foundation will award a $5,000 grant to the 501(c)(3) nonprofit organization that submits the winning nomination. The awards are unrestricted funds and can be used in any manner the winners see fit.
For more than two decades, the Colin Higgins Foundation salutes and celebrates courage in the face of adversity and discrimination by awarding individual grants to Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual, Transgender, Two Spirit, Queer and Questioning youth activists (who are 20 years old or younger).
Nominate an LGBTQ+ Youth
To nominate an LGBTQ+ youth, please fill out the form below.
Zoom Q&A Session
The Colin Higgins Foundation will host a Zoom Q&A Session on Friday, March 12 at 12 PM Pacific. Please email calvin@goodpr.com to RSVP and to get log-in information. The session is not mandatory to submit a nomination.
An email letter of intent is appreciated by March 15. The email can be sent to info@colinhiggins.org or the contact person that invited your organization to submit a nomination.
The nomination deadline is Friday, March 26 at 6 PM Pacific.
Winner Selection
The winners are selected based on how they have transformed their experiences with bigotry and discrimination into opportunities to inspire others by taking action, rallying support, building community, and working to change the systems and institutions that impact their lives. Learn more about previous Youth Courage Award winners over the past twenty years here: https://colinhiggins.org/yca/honorees/
Youth finalists will be interviewed beginning in April, with the winners notified and announced in mid-late May.
Timeline
| Select LGBTQ+ organizations invited to send in nominations | February |
|---|---|
| Zoom Q&A Session (not required) | March 12 at 12PM Pacific |
| LGBTQ+ organizations Letter of Intent deadline | March 15 |
| Nominations deadline | March 26 at 6PM Pacific |
| Finalist Interviews | April |
| Winners Announced | Mid-May |
