2026 Prebys Leadership Awards

The Prebys Leadership Awards recognize leaders with a track record of promoting well-being in San Diego County. 

Nominees may work in any sector (nonprofit, public or private) but must: 

• Be individuals (not an organization, group or pair of leaders) 
• Be living and current residents of San Diego County 
• Work in health and well-being, medical research, youth success, and/​or arts and culture 

Nominators are strongly encouraged to review the selection criteria and the nominations questions carefully before nominating. 

The Prebys Leadership Awards aim to recognize both the leader and their work. The following criteria are used to evaluate both elements within a nomination. 

About the Leader 

• Purpose. The leader has a clear vision, the drive to achieve their goals, and the ability to inspire others to take action toward meaningful change. 
• Belonging. The leader and their work promote welcoming and respectful spaces where everyone feels valued. They uplift diverse voices, engage in and encourage meaningful participation and strengthen collaboration across San Diego’s communities. 
• Opportunity. The leader actively works to remove barriers and expand access so all San Diegans can achieve well-being and thrive — regardless of their background. 

About the Leader’s Work 

• Innovation. The leader advances a creative and culturally relevant solution(s) to address a widespread or deeply rooted challenge within existing institutions, practices, or systems. 
• Impact. The leader has made substantial progress in addressing challenges facing San Diego; and their work does or will enhance the well-being of a significant number of San Diegans. 
• Scalability. The leader’s work addresses a timely and significant issue and public recognition could expand its impact, support replication, or inspire others.

April 30, 2025 

• Nominations open for the 2026 Prebys Leadership Awards. 

May 15, 2025 at 1:00 p.m. 

• Informational webinar for nominators. Click here to register for the webinar.
• Optional, only need to attend one.

May 27, 2025 at 1:30 p.m. 

• Informational webinar for nominators. Click here to register for the webinar.
• Optional, only need to attend one.

June 13, 2025 

• Nominations period closes. 

July – September 2025 

• All nominations are carefully reviewed by Prebys Foundation staff and consultants. 

October 2025 

• An independent selection committee comprised of diverse San Diego leaders meets to discuss nominations and selects a group of finalists. 

October – November 2025 

• Foundation staff and consultants take extra steps to learn more about each finalist, including checking their public online presence and calling references to better understand their work and impact. 

November 2025 

• The selection committee utilizes findings from the due diligence efforts to identify five recipients of the 2026 Prebys Leadership Awards. 

Mid November 2025 

• Award recipients are notified. All nominators are notified about the status of their nomination. 

January 2026 

• Award recipients are announced. 

Anyone can submit a nomination. The nominator should be familiar with the nominee and their work and be able to describe how they meet the selection criteria. We encourage the nominator to have a well-rounded understanding of the leader and their work, and we ask that you disclose your connection to the nominee. 

Nominating a leader is a powerful way to honor someone who makes a real difference in their community. Each of the five leaders who are selected for the Award receive a $100,000 grant to accelerate their work, along with public recognition for their leadership and impact. Even being nominated can be meaningful — it gives leaders a chance to reflect on their journey, feel seen and appreciated, and connect with others who believe in their work. Your nomination could open new doors for them and amplify the change they’re creating. 

Yes; however, the strength of the information provided in a nomination, not the number of submissions, will affect whether the nominee moves on to the next stage. In cases where we receive multiple nominations for the same leader, we may select only one to advance for further consideration. 

The official nomination form asks nominators to provide basic information about themselves and their nominee — including contact and demographic details — and to explain how their nominee meets the selection criteria for the 2026 Prebys Leadership Awards. You’ll also need to include contact information for two references. 

Please note: the nominations questions and character limits provided below pertain to the 2026 Awards and are subject to change for future years. 

Click here to view the nomination questions

Yes, we ask for contact information for two references as a part of the nomination. During the review process, we may interview references to better understand the nominee’s leadership and impact. 

References should be people who can speak to the nominee’s work and leadership — such as beneficiaries or clients, board members, volunteers, or community partners. Ideally, these individuals should be able to offer different perspectives — for example, one might be a colleague, partner, or community member, and the other a beneficiary or collaborator. They should be able to speak to the nominee’s qualifications, character, and impact in the San Diego community. 

If we’re unable to reach the listed references, we may contact the nominator to suggest others. 

Nominations for the 2026 Prebys Leadership Awards will open on April 30, 2025. 

You can submit a nomination by filling out the official online nominations form here. We recommend that you review the eligibility requirements, the selection criteria, and the nominations questions before you submit a nomination. 

You may wish to draft your answers in a Word document first, then copy them into the official nominations form when you’re ready. 

You can also save your progress at any time by selecting the ​“Save” button at the bottom of the form. This allows you to return and edit your nomination before submitting it. When you save, you’ll receive an email with a link to pick up where you left off. 

Once you submit your nomination, you’ll receive a confirmation email with a copy for your records. 

Click here for the official online nomination form

Completing a nomination may take several hours, depending on the level of detail you provide and on how much information you already have prepared. 

All nominations are carefully reviewed by Prebys Foundation staff and consultants. The nominations most closely aligned with the selection criteria are submitted to an independent selection committee of diverse San Diego leaders. The selection committee reviews nominations materials and identifies 10 – 15 finalists. Foundation staff and consultants take extra steps to learn more about each finalist, including checking their public online presence and calling references to better understand their work and impact. The Selection Committee utilizes findings from the background research and reference phone calls to identify five Award recipients. 

Receiving an Award means being recognized for your leadership and impact — and getting a $100,000 grant to accelerate your work. Award recipients will be announced in January 2026 and celebrated publicly through the Foundation’s communications and events. 

Recipients may also be invited to participate in optional promotional opportunities that highlight their story and impact. From time to time, the Foundation may also call on recipients to share their insights or help advise on future efforts, drawing on their lived experience and expertise. Additionally, events offer a chance to connect you with a cross-section of community and vice versa. 

You can explore past award recipients and learn more about their incredible work by visiting our grants page and clicking on the 2024 or 2025 Prebys Leadership Awards pages. Each story highlights the impact these leaders are making across San Diego communities. 

Once you submit a nomination, you’ll immediately receive a confirmation email letting you know it’s been received. In mid-November 2025, the Foundation will follow up with email updates about the status of the process. Award recipients will be announced publicly in January 2026. 

Nominees will only be notified if they are selected as a recipient of the 2026 Prebys Leadership Award. Foundation staff will personally call all Award recipients in mid-November 2025 to share the news. 

If you have questions or need support with the nomination process, feel free to reach out to us! You can contact Crystal Page at crystal@​prebysfdn.​org or Tess Karesky at tess@​prebysfdn.​org, and we’ll be happy to help.