News

The Samdhana Institute together with the Greengrants alliance is put to task in search of possible nominees for the Goldman Environmental Heroes award. Deadline for submission of nominees to Antoinette G. Royo, Executive Director of Samdhana, is on March 31, 2009.

The Goldman Environmental Prize is the world's largest prize honoring grassroots environmentalists. Founded in 1990 by Rhoda Goldman, the Global Environmental Prize annually awards U.S. $125,000 to environmental heroes for each of the world's six inhabited continental regions. (www.goldmanprize.org)

2009 GOLDMAN ENVIRONMENTAL PRIZE

Deadline April 1st 2009

Goldman Environmental Prize Nominations. Goldman Prize staff relies heavily on its nominators to identify appropriate nominees for the Goldman Prize. The information you submit in your nomination is the sole determinant as to whether Goldman Prize staff will research the nomination further. To ensure that your nominee fits the profile of a possible Goldman Prize recipient, please refer to the guidelines/criteria (p. 5) that staff and jury members use in selecting Prize recipients.

Nomination instructions change each year, so please use the following format for your nomination. Nominations should be typed and must include the information indicated under all of the following headings.

1. Identification of Nominee
   Include the full name (with last name underlined or in bold), street address, city and country, home and work telephone numbers, fax number/s and email and web addresses if available. Please note any alternate names by which they may have been known (married names, nicknames, alternate spellings of names translated from non-Roman scripts, etc.).
   
2. Identification of Nominator/Researcher
   Please include your own name, address, and telephone number. Include fax and email address. Please indicate the date of the nomination as well.
   
3. Short Summary of Environmental Achievement (one paragraph maximum)
   
   
4. Detailed Description of Recent Environmental Achievement (three pages in 12pt font)
   Describe the outstanding environmental achievement of the nominee, with a focus on current accomplishments. Please include specific dates of accomplishments (years). Please use the following subheadings:
   - The nature of the problem(s) or issue
   - How the nominee addressed the problem(s) or issue using grassroots methods
   - Results of nominee’s work
   - Controversy surrounding or concerns about nominee’s work or circumstances
   - Hardships and personal risks faced by the nominee (optional)
   - Sensitive background information that could be exposed by greater media attention
      (if the nominee is selected to win the Prize)
   - Why this accomplishment is significant on a national and/or international level
   
5. Background Information on Nominee (two paragraphs or less)
   Briefly describe the nominee's current occupational affiliation and job title (if applicable), level of education completed, past involvement with environmental issues (if any), and other awards or recognition received by the nominee, including the year(s) the award(s) were given (if known). If possible, please include a copy of the nominee’s resume or CV.
   
6. Personal Information about Nominee
   - What is the nominee’s age?
   - What is the nominee’s nationality?
   - What languages does the nominee speak?
   - Please provide the information below.
   - Where was the nominee born? Raised?
   - Is the nominee married? Do they have a domestic partner?
   - Does the nominee have any children?
   - What is the nominee’s level of education? What colleges or universities did he/she attend?
   - Are there any facts about the nominee’s family history that could be pertinent to the nomination?
   - Has the nominee ever been accused or convicted of a crime?
   
7. References
   Please include the names, titles, organization affiliations, addresses, phone numbers and email address of at least three professional references who are well acquainted with the work of the nominee. Please also include names and contact information for at least two personal references who are well acquainted with the nominee personally. Please make sure that references’ contact information is accurate and current. We do not accept nominations that omit references.
    
8. Supporting Material
   If available, please include documentation of the nominee's environmental activities, such as newspaper or magazine articles (please send no more than five). Supporting materials are most useful to us if they were recently published, come from a reputable news source, and mention the nominee’s name. (These do not have to be in English, but it is preferred.) Please include a list of all of the supporting materials that you are submitting. If the candidate becomes a finalist for the Prize, we may then request any books or videotapes that would provide useful information about the candidate’s work. Please do not send books or videos unless requested. However, if such materials are available, please submit a list of those that can be sent upon request.

The deadline for 2008 nominations for me to have sufficient time to process is  March 31st 2008. Please email completed nominations to nonette@samdhana.org

Goldman Environmental Prize Nomination Evaluation Criteria

 Formal Criteria

The following premises guide the jury in selecting Goldman Environmental Prize winners:

• Recent achievements that have enhanced the environment and inspired others are the foundation for recognition.
• Grassroots initiatives are given priority over scientific, academic or governmental activities.
• Private citizens are given priority over executives of large NGOs.
• Government employees are eligible only for work outside the scope of their official responsibilities.
• The Prize is not a lifetime achievement award, nor is it given posthumously.

 Guidelines & Priorities

Goldman Prize staff and jury members also consider the following when reviewing candidates. This is not meant to be a complete list of guidelines.

• Leadership in a grassroots campaign that seeks to have, or results in, a significant impact at the regional, national or global level.
• Environmental campaigns that involve significant work with local communities.
• Individuals who have conducted their work at great personal risk.
• Nominations with very recent, specific environmental accomplishments (within the last three years).
• Individuals who are members of the community where they do their work.
• Leaders who are well respected by their communities and colleagues.
• Consideration is given to issues or geographic areas not yet recognized by the global community or the Goldman Environmental Prize.
• Individuals whose current work or campaigns would be significantly impacted by receiving the Prize.
• An individual’s ability to communicate the scope of their work to the general public.
• Recipients are often recognized at a certain point in their careers-near the time of a significant accomplishment and before they become well-established or well-known.
• While the communities and organizations of activists’ work is important, nominations of one individual is preferred.