Celebrating Adaptation Leadership: MCAP Climate Adaptation Awards

The Minnesota Climate Adaptation Awards, presented annually since 2014, celebrate exceptional achievements in leadership, education, research, policies, and practices that improve resilience or climate justice through the development, advancement, or implementation of climate adaptation strategies. We know that celebrating success and showcasing the actions and leadership of our peers can help to accelerate adaptation across Minnesota, and beyond. Recipients have developed cutting-edge adaptation plans for their communities, supported project-specific implementation of adaptation investments, and served as leaders championing adaptation across their organizations.

2024 Nominations Are Now Open

Award Categories

1. Individual Adaptation Award - Any individual who has offered significant leadership, provided education, developed or implemented strategies, conducted research, or otherwise made an impact in the field of climate adaptation in Minnesota. Leaders can be either emerging or established, with depth in one focus area or across a breadth of audiences or disciplines.  
    
2. Collaborative Adaptation Award - Any collection of individuals, organizations, or businesses that have worked together to achieve significant progress in climate adaptation or have implemented practices or projects that advance climate adaptation in Minnesota.  
    
3. Organization Adaptation Award - Any private sector, non-profit, community of faith, youth group, neighborhood association, local government unit, state or federal agency, tribal nation, educational institution, or similar entity that has achieved significant progress or implemented practices that advance climate adaptation in Minnesota.  
    
4. Creative Climate Communication Award - Any individual, organization, community group, or collection of individuals with a track record of successful climate change- and adaptation-related communication and engagement. This may include using visual arts, creative writing, social media, educational events, community convenings and engagement, or other creative communication approaches to engage, inspire and/or educate Minnesotans about climate change and its local impacts.  
    
5. Climate Justice Leadership Award - Any individual, organization, community group, or collection of individuals working to advance climate adaptation to reduce the likelihood that the burdens of climate change disproportionately impact vulnerable people and frontline communities, and that those communities have the resources they need to be prepared for and respond to the impacts of climate change.

How To Nominate

Complete the online nomination form. Deadline for nominations is Friday, November 10, 2023.

Nominations should describe the scope and impact of the nominee's efforts or accomplishments in climate adaptation, including, as applicable:

• Incorporation of adaptation principles. (Learn more about principles of climate change adaptation.)
• Benefit to Minnesota's communities, geographic regions, resources, or economic sectors including any focus on climate justice for vulnerable or traditionally under-served populations.
• Excellence within nominee's field and/or within climate adaptation in general 
  Demonstration of outstanding leadership qualities.

Award recipients will be notified in early December 2023 and presented with honors at the 2024 MCAP Awards Ceremony, to be held in winter 2024. 

The Minnesota Climate Adaptation Awards are sponsored by the University of Minnesota Climate Adaptation Partnership in partnership with the College of Food, Agricultural and Natural Resource Sciences and the University of Minnesota Extension.