With the 17 Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) becoming ever more important, the UN SDG Action Awards are back.

In a world struggling with a global pandemic, climate action and rapid urbanisation, in addition to all the important issues covered by the SDGs, these awards provide an excellent opportunity to celebrate the progress we are making and share the experience with the aspiration of replicating.

The UN SDG Action Awards are looking for initiatives that mobilise, inspire and connect people to drive action towards a more sustainable future on a healthy planet.

This year, the awards are also looking for individuals – the changemakers that inspire and empower others through their actions.

Through an open application process, individuals and organisations across the globe. are invited to share their stories of transformation. Winners will be selected by a panel of prominent judges. Finalists and winners will be celebrated at a special event held in Bonn, Germany during the UN General Assembly and the Global Week to #Act4SDGs in September, and showcased on UN SDG Action Campaign platforms throughout the year.

Judging criteria

Your initiative will be judged against the following criteria:

Impact

The number of people impacted; sectors, policies, legislation, budgets, tangible shifts in behaviours and SDG achievement.

Approach

How innovative is your initiative’s strategy? Does it represent a totally new approach or is it reaching out to those at risk of being left behind?

Scalability and replicability

Does this initiative have the potential to be scaled up and/or be replicated in other contexts to accelerate the achievement of the SDGs? Is there any evidence that scaling up or replication is already taking place?

Preparing an application or nomination

To enter an initiative or individual, you need to register and fill in each section of the application form for Mobilise, Inspire, and Connect or the nomination form for Changemaker using SurveyMonkey Apply. Your application/ nomination can be saved and edited each time you return but, once submitted, you will no longer be able to edit your application further. Please ensure you provide clear supporting evidence, such as photos and videos and endorsements from participants in your initiative, with your application.

Applications are open until 1 May 2022 and full details can be found on the website.