Greenbelt Alliance is proud to open a public call for nominations for the fifth edition of the Hidden Heroes of the Greenbelt Awards to recognize the dedicated local government staff championing climate resilience in our Bay Area communities.
At a time when public servants are under attack at the federal level, we’re proud of our tradition of uplifting amazing local government workers at our Hidden Heroes Awards. We must strengthen our connections at the local level to support each other and our shared vision for the future. Our Hidden Heroes of the Greenbelt Awards celebration this August takes on profound significance by illuminating the critical contributions of local public servants.
The three winners will be honored and featured at our annual benefit, Hidden Heroes of the Greenbelt, at Preservation Park in Oakland on August 14th.
How to Nominate
Nominating is simple. Nominees should be San Francisco Bay Area local government staff (city/county/agency), non-elected, working at the intersection of land use and climate change within the following categories:
- Nature-based Adaptation: working on policies and projects that lead with nature to build climate resilience. Examples include people working on the conservation and stewardship of open space (reducing wildfire risk and drought impacts), restoring wetlands to reduce flood risk, crafting policies that protect creeks and riparian corridors, etc.
- Planning for Resilience: planning and community engagement that implements equitable, climate resilience strategies. Examples include people working with frontline communities most impacted by climate hazards to ensure their voices are heard in the planning process; creating innovative plans that incorporate climate resilience such as general plans, climate actions plans, hazard mitigation plans, and more.
- Abundant Smart Housing: building more homes in the Bay Area, close to jobs and transit and away from fire hazards, that are affordable for all, is the single most impactful action we can take to reduce our climate impacts at the local level. Examples include people working on policies to reduce barriers to more housing and working on great climate-smart development projects.
Nominations should be submitted via the Google Form (see embed below) by May 12, 2025. An assessment panel will select one winner per category. If selected winners accept the award, they must be available for a film shoot (to be scheduled) and to attend the event on August 14, in Oakland.
Throughout our 65+ year history, we’ve worked alongside dedicated government staff catalyzing impact in their communities across the Bay Area. Many of these heroes are creating systemic change for our cities by taking on complex projects to increase housing opportunities while protecting nature, expanding outdoor access, and building climate resilience. From launching parklet plans during the pandemic to facilitating wildfire education and building living levees, Hidden Heroes are creating lasting change throughout the region.
Learn more about our previous Hidden Heroes of the Greenbelt awardees, and nominate an individual for our 2025 Hidden Heroes Awards.
