The Just Brooklyn Prize, presented by The Social Justice Fund in partnership with Brooklyn Org, is awarded annually to five changemakers who are dedicated to strengthening and building power within Brooklyn’s communities.
Leaders are submitted for consideration through a public nomination process. All nominees are then invited to complete an application to tell us more about themselves and their work. Interviews will be conducted with select semi-finalists, and winners will be chosen by a Selection Committee of distinguished Brooklynites.
The $20,000 prize is awarded without restrictions, in honor of winners’ contributions to the borough in the pursuit of racial and social justice.
Nominations for the 2026 Just Brooklyn Prize are open!
Frequently Asked Questions:
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Nominations are open to the public between January 15 – February 28, 2026. Once the nomination period closes, all nominated individuals will be contacted via email with an invitation to complete a written application to tell us about themselves and their work. Applications will be reviewed by Brooklyn Org, and semi-finalists will be selected for an interview. A subset will be shared with the Just Brooklyn Prize committee who will determine the five winners.
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The prize is for leaders who have made noteworthy contributions to Brooklyn's communities. Leaders from across all sectors are eligible.
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Yes, anyone can nominate themself for The Just Brooklyn Prize. Simply fill out the nomination form with your own name and information. Type of nomination (self-nomination or nominated by others) will not be considered in decision-making.
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Yes, there is no restriction on how many people you can nominate. Please fill out a separate form for each nominee.
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No; the number of nominations will not be considered for any decision-making. Please only submit one nomination per person.
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Yes, to be considered, individuals must be nominated before the deadline of January 10, 2025 at 5:00 PM. You may nominate yourself.
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Yes, all nominees must complete their application to advance in consideration for the prize. An application form will be sent to all nominees via email after the nomination period closes.
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You do not need to live in Brooklyn to apply, but we will be prioritizing those who live and work in Brooklyn.
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No, the prize money is unrestricted, however we will follow up with winners to understand how funds were used or plan to be used.
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Prizes are subject to taxes. Please refer to your tax advisor on how to report the grant.