Hometown Heroes

The Hometown Heroes Award Program, established in 2004 by Earth Day Canada, recognizes and celebrates environmental leaders who foster meaningful, long-term community awareness and action.

Who is Earth Day Canada?

Earth Day Canada (EDC), a national environmental charity founded in 1990, provides Canadians with the practical knowledge and tools they need to lessen their impact on the environment. In 2004 it was recognized as the top environmental education organization in North America, for its innovative year-round programs and educational resources, by the Washington-based North American Association for Environmental Education, the world's largest association of environmental educators. In 2008 it was chosen as Canada's "Outstanding Non-profit Organization" by the Canadian Network for Environmental Education and Communication. EDC regularly partners with thousands of organizations in all parts of Canada. www.earthday.ca

Is there a prize associated with the award?

Yes, there are three awards given each year in three categories; the Individual Award, Group Award and Small Business Award. All winners and finalists will be recognized through press releases, social media and be featured on the Hometown Heroes website.

Individual Hometown Heroes Award – the winner will receive a $10,000 cash-prize to donate to a *local environmental group/cause of their choice. The winner will also be recognized at the annual Earth Day Canada Gala in Toronto (any necessary travel and accommodation provided).*Please note that the group must be a registered charity, registered not-for-profit or school.

Group Hometown Heroes Award – the winning group will receive a $10,000 cash-prize to support their environmental work. The group will also select a representative to attend the annual Earth Day Canada Gala held in Toronto (any necessary travel and accommodation provided) where the group will be recognized at the awards ceremony.

Small Business Hometown Heroes Award – Earth Day Canada (EDC) will provide the small business winner permission to use the EDC logo for one year to help market and promote the business and/or an approved product. The business will also select a representative to attend the annual Earth Day Canada Gala held in Toronto (any necessary travel and accommodation provided) where the business will be recognized at the awards ceremony.

How are the awards funded?

The Hometown Heroes Award Program is made possible through a committed partnership with Mill Street Brewery and the RBC Foundation.

When is the nomination deadline?

Hometown Heroes nomination packages, including all forms and supporting documentation, must be received by March 30, 2012.

Eligibility Criteria

Who is eligible to win the Hometown Heroes Award?

Hometown Heroes are individual Canadians, groups and small businesses who help the environment in their community and beyond. They lead others to environmental awareness, action and a more sustainable future. They make a difference and improve the state of the environment at the local level. Please visit our eligibility page for additional information.

Examples of Individual Nominees

Teachers
Community leaders
Volunteers

Government employees
Activists

Examples of Group Nominees

Community groups
Families
Volunteer groups
Non-profit organizations

First Nations organizations
Activists groups
Schools

Examples of Small Business Nominees

Sole proprietorships
Partnerships (General | Limited | LLP)
Co-operatives

What must be submitted to Earth Day Canada?

To submit a nomination for the Individual, Group or Small Business Hometown Heroes Award, send the following to Earth Day Canada

A typed Hometown Heroes Nomination Form (see pages 4-8), including

The candidate’s information
A summary of the candidate’s environmental accomplishments (Sections A and B)
A summary of the environmental work that will be accomplished with the Hometown Heroes Award or a summary of how the Hometown Heroes Award and EDC logo will be leveraged to assist in marketing the small business and/or approved product (Section C).
The Candidate’s Declaration Form—signed by the candidate, group representative, or a senior representative from the small business.

Two items of supporting documentation (with a limit of five one-sided pages or five minutes for each item) substantiating the candidate’s environmental achievements (e.g. newspaper articles, photographs, project plans, video clips, testimonials, etc). All documents exceeding these requirements will not be considered in the judging process.

Two reference letters signed on letterhead and sealed in an envelope sent with the nomination package. References cannot come from relatives or employees of the candidate.

If my nomination package is late, will it still be considered?

No, the program will not consider any nomination packages not received on or before the March 30, 2012 deadline.

Completing and Submitting the Nomination Package

I need assistance with the nomination form. What should I do?

If you have any questions about completing the nomination package, please contact the Hometown Heroes Lead, Stephanee Passant, by e-mail at heroes@earthday.ca or by phone at 416-599-1991 x 114.

Who needs to sign the declaration form?

The declaration must be signed by the candidate, group representative, or a senior representative from the small business. The nominator may not sign on behalf of the candidate.

How do I submit the completed nomination package?

Submit hard copies to:

Earth Day Canada: Hometown Heroes
111 Peter Street, Suite 503
Toronto, ON M5V 2H1

Please note

Earth Day Canada is not responsible for nominations lost during delivery
Handwritten nominations will not be accepted
Nomination materials will not be returned
All supporting documentation in audio/visual format must be submitted on a DVD or CD-ROM

All supporting documentation and references must be reproducible on 8.5” x 11” white paper. Supporting documentation that cannot be duplicated will not be sent to judges for consideration.

Can I e-mail and/or fax the nomination forms instead of sending hard copies through the mail?

No, only hard copy nomination packages will be considered for the award.

I submitted a nomination package to the Hometown Heroes Award Program. Will I be contacted with a confirmation of receipt?

Yes, an e-mail confirmation will be sent within two weeks of receiving the nomination package. If you do not receive a confirmation e-mail within two weeks of sending the package, please contact the Hometown Heroes Lead, Stephanee Passant, by e-mail at heroes@earthday.ca or by phone at 416-599-1991 x 114.

Can individuals, groups or small businesses self-nominate?

Yes, an individual, group or small business can self-nominate for the Hometown Heroes Award.

Judging and Selection Process

How are the nominees evaluated and selected?

An external judging panel of community, business and environmental leaders will select the 2012 Hometown Heroes Award winners. Candidates will be evaluated on the quality of their environmental and community contributions. Earth Day Canada, Mill Street Brewery and the RBC Foundation are not involved in, nor have any influence over, the decisions of the judging panels.

The award winners and finalists will be notified in May 2012.

If I am not selected for the award will I still be notified?

Yes, notifications will be made by e-mail to all nominees in May 2012.

If I am not selected for the award, can I reapply next year?

Yes, we encourage all nominees to reapply. Please contact heroes@earthday.ca if you are interested in reapplying in 2013 and would like feedback on your nomination package.