MIAMI – February 17, 2026 – The Elevate Prize Foundation, a global nonprofit on a mission to Make Good Famous, announced today the winners of its sixth annual Elevate Prize, awarding over $6M in grants and services to 10 social changemakers (each of whom are awarded $300,000 in unrestricted funding and additional services) working to strengthen communities and expand opportunity at a critical moment.
At a time when civil liberties are under threat and public trust hits an all-time low, this year’s cohort reflects Elevate’s commitment to championing and uplifting courageous leaders of organizations at the forefront of impact, from those supporting migrant and rural women’s safety and dignity, to elevating caregivers and care policy. Together, the 2026 Elevate Prize winners are meeting urgent needs while building long-term solutions that drive economic opportunity, healthier communities, youth empowerment, and more accessible and transparent justice systems.
As part of the two-year program, winners will also receive tailored support to help bring visibility to their work, support their organizational objectives, and amplify and enhance their storytelling abilities. From strategic communications support to leadership development resources, these services are designed to deepen their impact and broaden their reach based on each organization’s needs.
This year’s Elevate Prize winners are:
- Shabana Basij-Rasikh, President & Co-Founder of SOLA (School of Leadership, Afghanistan), an Afghan-led movement for social change through girls’ education; in person and online, SOLA reaches tens of thousands of Afghan girls who are actively denied the right to attend school.
- Hillary Blout, Founder & CEO of For the People, which works with prosecutors to find people in prison who can be safely released, reuniting families and strengthening communities for generations to come.
- Manu Chopra, CEO of Karya, which leverages AI advancements to create living wages and learning opportunities for low-income communities across the world.
- Mara Fleishman, CEO of Chef Ann Foundation, which fights for schools to have the resources necessary to provide fresh, delicious, and cooked-from-scratch meals for all kids.
- Aisha Nyandoro, CEO of Springboard to Opportunities, which supports residents living in federally subsidized affordable housing as they pursue their goals in school, work, and life.
- Tom Osborn, Founder & CEO of Shamiri, which is building the future of youth mental health: rigorously tested, radically cost-effective, and delivered through a community-first model built to reach millions.
- Ai-jen Poo, Executive Director of Caring Across Generations, which transforms cultural norms and narratives about aging, disability, and care, and advances policy solutions that address care as an urgent national priority.
- Mónica Ramírez, Founder & President of Justice for Migrant Women, which works to champion migrant and rural women’s rights to live and work with dignity, and without fear of sexual and physical violence.
- Krutika Ravishankar, Co-Founder & Executive Director of Farmers for Forests, which protects and restores biodiverse forest cover in partnership with farmers and indigenous communities across India.
- Utkarsh Saxena, Co-Founder & CEO of Adalat AI, which develops AI tools to help judges, court staff, and governments reduce backlogs, accelerate hearings, and make justice more transparent and accessible.
To further spotlight the latest winners, the Elevate Prize Foundation also launched today GOOD IS TRENDING, a new campaign aimed at rethinking how the world pays attention to impact. The campaign is a call to action on what should be getting attention: the people and solutions driving good across the world. The rollout will extend across media channels typically associated with consumer brands and celebrities – featuring a takeover of three billboards in Times Square, including the iconic NASDAQ tower and marquee, as well as high-profile social media partnerships.
“Good deserves to go viral,” said Carolina García Jayaram, CEO of the Elevate Prize Foundation. “In contrast to a world saturated with negativity, our sixth cohort of winners is solving the problems that matter, from racial justice and getting fresh food to kids to supporting caregivers. The world doesn’t need more noise – it needs solutions. That is what should dominate our news cycles and cultural conversations. That’s why we’re taking over billboards in Times Square and iconic spaces worldwide to put good where it belongs: front and center. These phenomenal leaders – and their stories – are worth obsessing over.”
“The world is hungering for a different story,” said Eva Bloomfield, Chief Marketing Officer of the Elevate Prize Foundation. “While fear-based narratives dominate headlines, we’re seeing something powerful emerging on the ground – communities in Minneapolis building extraordinary mutual aid networks, diverse voices shattering records from the Oscars to the Super Bowl halftime show, stories once dismissed as ‘niche’ becoming cultural phenomena. People are craving solutions, celebrating what connects us, and shifting from ‘me’ to ‘us.’ GOOD IS TRENDING captures this paradigm shift – amplifying the changemakers already building the inclusive, interconnected world we’re ready for. This year’s winners are leading that movement, and their work deserves the spotlight.”
Launched in 2019 by philanthropist Joseph Deitch, the Elevate Prize Foundation uplifts the work of changemakers for social good, helping to create a world where people are inspired. The Elevate Prize Foundation provides personalized support on key organizational challenges as they grow and evolve through the program, including training and tools on brand strategy, operations, messaging, media relations, content creation and social media. Additionally, the foundation partners with these social entrepreneurs, prioritizing a Whole Leader approach centered on wellbeing to help unlock their full potential and ensure they can continue creating positive change well into the future.
