The Courage Project Celebrates and Honors
Everyday Acts of Civic Bravery
The Courage Project is a bold new initiative honoring everyday acts of civic bravery — the quiet, often unseen actions that uphold our shared values as Americans and strengthen democracy at the community level.
The initiative shines a spotlight on individuals and organizations who take principled stands in the face of adversity. It is supported by a national coalition including: United Way Worldwide, the Freedom Together Foundation, the John D. and Catherine T. MacArthur Foundation, the Marguerite Casey Foundation, the McKnight Foundation, the Public Welfare Foundation, The Skillman Foundation, the Surdna Foundation, The James Irvine Foundation, and CFLeads.
The Courage Project distributes awards to organizations and honors everyday people for acts of courage and compassion that demonstrate bravery in their communities.
- For organizational awards, local nonprofit organizations will receive recognition for specific actions, whether that’s supporting free speech, championing equality, or building community.
- For individual recognition, recipients may recommend donations to values-aligned American non-profit organizations, seeding civic engagement in their communities and strengthening our democracy.
By allowing recipients to “pay it forward,” the project gives Americans the chance to seed lasting change in their own communities. The award amounts will range from $10,000 to $50,000.
Whether it's a librarian defending free speech, a teacher protecting vulnerable students, or a local leader bridging divides, these recipients embody core national values: kindness, empathy, and community. For individual honorees, The Courage Project also provides an opportunity to “pay it forward” by directing funds to nonprofit organizations aligned with their values – helping to foster long-term impact at the grassroots level.
The first recipients of The Courage Project are:
- Commander William Marks, Jinny Amundson, and Janice Holmes, who joined forces to distribute banned books in Annapolis, MD, in response to the Naval Academy’s removal of more than 300 titles under a federal directive, providing access to students and community members alike.
- Sarah Inama, a sixth-grade teacher from Idaho, who refused to remove a classroom sign that read “everyone is welcome here,” ultimately resigning rather than compromising on her core beliefs.
- Jamie Cook, Jen Gaffney, and Jonna St. Croix, who led a small New York town in support of a local immigrant family detained by ICE, organizing a public rally that helped bring the family home.
- Cotton Blossom Gardens, under the leadership of Janice Lucero, is preserving Indigenous agricultural heritage and educating youth in New Mexico by providing hands-on experience with traditional agricultural practices.
- Women of Welcome, whose leaders traveled to the California-Mexico border to offer support to asylum seekers and to allow other evangelicals the opportunity to better understand border hardships through personal exposure.
- Laundry Love, which partners with local laundromats and volunteers across the country to restore dignity through clean clothes – hosting over 300 locations nationwide supporting low-income families, students, and unhoused individuals by covering the cost of laundry.
- United Way of South Sarasota County is building a legal aid initiative to serve the community's elderly and A.L.I.C.E. (Asset Limited, Income Constrained, Employed) populations -- those who have little to no “access to justice” within the civil legal system.
- Lisa Gardner, President of the Spokane Chapter of the NAACP. When individuals in apparent KKK costumes were captured on security footage in January 2025, this Eastern Washington NAACP chapter responded swiftly by alerting authorities, requesting increased security for upcoming MLK Day events, and framing the incident as a reminder of ongoing work needed in the community – reinforcing community resilience and safety while honoring a long legacy of local civil rights leadership.
Nominations for The Courage Project can be submitted via the public form below.
As the country approaches its 250th anniversary, The Courage Project invites all of us to reflect on the foundational ideals that define this nation—and to celebrate those who courageously stand up for them. By spotlighting real stories of civic bravery, and offering an open public nomination process, the initiative empowers Americans everywhere to honor unsung heroes and inspire courageous action in their own communities. In a time of deep division, The Courage Project is a unifying force, reminding us that small acts of courage and compassion can ripple outward to create powerful, lasting change.
See below for the public nomination form to submit someone in your community for consideration. For more information email info@thecourageproject.org.
We review applications on a rolling basis.
The Courage Project: Celebrating Everyday Courage in America
Nomination Form
The Courage Project seeks to recognize individuals and organizations that embody the foundational values of our nation through acts of courage that strengthen our communities, our democracy, and our shared future.
For questions about this form or The Courage Project, please contact info@thecourageproject.org.
Due to a high volume of nominations, we are not able to respond to every submission. If your nomination is selected, the recipient will be notified directly.
Disclosure: Nominated individuals and organizations cannot be considered for actions or deeds that were directly involved in or related to political activity, candidates, or the goals of political candidates or groups; encouraged unlawful activity, including, but not limited to, trespassing or the destruction of private property; benefited a for-profit entity.