The Alberta Emerald Foundation (AEF) is a registered charitable organization with the unique mission of accelerating environmental excellence by identifying and celebrating Alberta's visionary leaders and by sharing best practices through the power of compelling educational narratives. We achieve this mission through AEF's various programs, which include the Annual Emerald Awards and the Sharing Stories program.
In today’s social landscape, where bad news about the environment is so prevalent, our work is more important than ever. We’re here to share celebrate and share positive stories and inspire acceleration toward environmental excellence. Through our educational narratives and celebrations of Alberta’s environmental leaders, we can build a future where all Albertans advance environmental excellence where they live, work, and play.
We use Submittable to track and facilitate our various programs. If you have any questions about the platform, please refer to the Submittable Help Center. If you have any questions about the AEF or our programs, please refer to emeraldfoundation.ca or contact us directly.
The deadline to submit your nomination is February 10, 2025, at 11:59 PM MST
Please refer to our nomination guidelines for a comprehensive overview of eligibility requirements, the nomination process, and Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs)
About the Alberta Emerald Foundation
The Alberta Emerald Foundation (AEF) is a registered charity with the unique mission of accelerating environmental excellence by identifying and celebrating Alberta’s visionary leaders and by sharing best practices through the power of compelling educational narratives.
With a legacy spanning over three decades, our work is amplifying. Through our educational narratives and celebration of Alberta’s environmental leaders, we’re building a future where all Albertans advance environmental excellence where they live, work, and play
About the Emerald Awards
The Emerald Awards showcase organizations, projects, and individuals from across Alberta who are working to address environmental and climate change issues.
Since 1992, the Emerald Awards have showcased nearly 400 recipients and 900 finalists who are raising the bar in addressing environmental and climate change issues. These environmental awards are incredibly unique, as they’re the only program in Canada to recognize environmental excellence across a diverse range of sectors.
Check out our full list of past Emerald recipients here.
Emerald Award recipients receive:
- Provincial Recognition: Your work will be highlighted across Alberta through our website, social media channels, and at the Emerald Awards ceremony increasing visibility for your project or organization
- A Sustainable Trophy: Recipients are awarded a sustainable and locally crafted Emerald Award trophy
- A $1500 Grant: Recipients receive a grant to further support and expand their environmental initiatives or donate to the environmental charity of their choice
- A Feature in the Emerald Documentary Series: Your story of environmental excellence will be featured in the Emerald Documentary Series, highlighting the impact of your work
Nomination requirements:
- Your organization, project, or initiative must be based in or directly impact Alberta
- Nominations must be first-party, except for our Lifetime Achievement Award
For example: If you think ‘Non-Profit A’ is doing great work in the community and you want to nominate them in the Community Group or Nonprofit Category, you cannot do that, as it would be considered a third-party nomination. However, if Non-Profit A’ were to nominate themselves, that would be acceptable, as it would be considered a first-party nomination
- Nominations must include a third-party reference letter
We define a third party as any group or person who is not directly involved in the administration or operation of a project or organization nominating for the awards. We encourage nominees to get references from people, groups, or organizations who have benefitted from your work and can speak to the impacts.
How nominations are reviewed
After you submit your nomination, it will be reviewed and scored by our third-party panel of volunteer judges. The scoring will focus on the environmental and social impact demonstrated through your answers in sections 3-7 of the nomination form. Please note: While only these four sections are scored, the judges will evaluate and consider your entire submission during the review process.
After each nomination is reviewed and scored, the judges will choose up to three nominations to be shortlisted in each category. The shortlisted nominees will be announced March 21, 2025.
The Emerald Awards ceremony will take place on June 6, 2025 at the Timms Centre for the Arts in Edmonton, Alberta, where the shortlist will be celebrated and the recipients will be recognized.
