As you contemplate your New Year’s resolutions, take some time to ponder this question: who made your community a better place to bike and walk last year?

Chances are, the advocates who have been working hard to make biking and walking better on your streets deserve some time in the spotlight. Most of the time, biking and walking advocacy is thankless work: being an effective advocate means spending lots of time on essential but unglamorous stuff. Making our transportation networks functional for everybody often comes down to thrilling work like reserving venues, attending public meetings, and emailing public officials on the phone.

So when advocates really make an impact, it's due time for some outside recognition. 

That's why we celebrate outstanding advocacy work with the Advocacy Awards.

Public nominations are now OPEN for the 2015 Advocacy Awards. Nominate your favorite advocate, organization, or business for an Advocacy Award today!

Since 2009, the Alliance for Biking & Walking has held the Advocacy Awards to recognize excellence in the bicycle and pedestrian movement. The Awards allow us to shine a spotlight on the often invisible, behind-the-scenes work that stellar advocates across North America do every day.

The 2015 Advocacy Awards ceremony will take place on Tuesday, March 10, 2015 at 8:30 PM in Washington, DC. That's the first night of the National Bike Summit, right after the evening plenary.

This year, we’re awarding Advocacy Awards in seven categories: 

• Advocate of the Year - This award goes to an individual leader of a bicycling and/or walking advocacy organization who has shown tireless commitment to promoting bicycling and walking in his/her state/community. This person goes above and beyond the call of duty to transform his/her state/community into a great place for biking and walking. His or her time, knowledge, creativity, and commitment are the highest standard of excellence exemplifying a role model for peers.*
• Bicycling Magazine People’s Choice Award - This award is given to a state or local bike advocacy organization in recognition of exemplary work, executed within the past year, that significantly improved bicycling in their community. The People’s Choice winner has made a notable positive impact on bicycling and bicyclists in their community, whether through breaking ground on infrastructure or instituting programs to make bicycling accessible to all. Nominations will be received through the Alliance for Biking & Walking, and the winner will be decided by popular vote on Bicycling.com.** ‡
• Susie Stephens Joyful Enthusiasm Award - This award commemorates Susie Stephens, one of the Alliance’s founders and an enduring inspiration for many members of the bicycle and pedestrian movement. The honor goes to an individual who carries on Susie’s passion for advocating for bicycling as a fun and economical means of transportation, as well as creating a safe biking and walking environment for all.*
• Advocacy Organization of the Year - This award goes to a bicycling and/or walking advocacy organization who, in the past year, made significant progress. Their leaders have worked tirelessly together to grow and strengthen their organization and fulfill their mission. The proof of their efforts is in the growth of their capacity and programs and the victories they have achieved for biking and walking in their state/community.**
• Winning Campaign of the Year - This award goes to an organization for a winning campaign, in the last year, which has had the biggest impact for bicycling and walking. Their victory will dramatically increase biking and walking in their state/community or will dramatically shift the way that biking and walking are considered.**
• Business Advocate of the Year - This award goes to a business, corporation or corporate employee who have constantly championed the cause of bicycling and walking advocacy. The time, money, and energy they have invested are evidence of their commitment to promoting bicycling and walking for healthier communities and sustainable transportation choices.

Know an advocate or two (or three) who deserve the above awards? Nominate them for an Advocacy Award today.

The public nomination process is open through January 16. You can nominate as many individual leaders and organizations as you'd like, and you can also nominate the same group or person in multiple categories. 

*In order to become a finalist for this Advocacy Award, the nominated individual must be closely associated with an organization that is a member of the Alliance for Biking & Walking. 

**In order to become a finalist for this Advocacy Award, the nominated organization must be a member of the Alliance for Biking & Walking. 

‡ In order to become a finalist for the Bicycling Magazine People's Choice Award, the organization must (a) agree to encourage supporters and members to vote for them on Bicycling.com and (b) agree to promote a Bicycling magazine subscription to their supporters.