For 25 years, The Ashden Awards have accelerated groundbreaking climate solutions – bringing innovators prize money, publicity and prestige. We boost work that lowers emissions and builds resilience while creating social impact: from new jobs and livelihoods to better health.
We award inclusive work that’s tailored to the needs of local communities – particularly those that marginalised or neglected – and puts power in their hands.
Crucially, we continue to support winners long after our high-profile award ceremony. Champions enjoy further opportunities through our growing range of programmes, and we share their stories with influential audiences for years after their victory.
Our 2026 awards will support pioneers protecting and restoring nature or widening access to clean energy, in the UK and Global South. Winners could include businesses, public sector bodies, social enterprises or community groups. But whatever their size or sector, we will celebrate organisations that are ambitious, impactful and inspiring.
We know climate innovators would rather be changing lives than filling in forms. So we’ve made the entry process as quick and easy-to-understand as possible, with staff available to answer questions or give guidance.
Why apply for an Ashden Award?
Winners will receive:
- Up to £40,000 in grant funding (with the exception of the Ashden Award for Outstanding Achievement, which does not include a grant)
- Tailored communications and organisational support
- Global media exposure and storytelling support
- Connections to funders, investors, and policymakers
- The opportunity to participate in Ashden’s wider programmes and alumni network
We will review applications on a rolling basis. Applications officially close on 8th December at 23:59 GMT.
The 2026 Ashden Awards
The 2026 Ashden Award for Local Energy Innovation (UK)
The 2026 Ashden Award for Local Energy Innovation will spotlight place-based approaches that allow local communities to benefit from the transition to clean energy.
This Award will recognise solutions that work with communities, such as shared ownership of new clean energy, support for households to participate in smart, flexible energy use, and retrofit work that is done with, rather than to, communities. There will be a particular focus on work that benefits low-income communities that are least able to participate in the transition.
Nature-Based Climate Solutions (UK)
The 2026 Ashden Award for Nature-Based Climate Solutions will spotlight place-based approaches designed with communities that provide increased climate adaptation and resilience in urban or peri-urban areas.
The Award will recognise work with communities to design, implement and maintain local nature-based solutions. There will be a particular focus on low-income communities, and work that demonstrates clear co-benefits.
Outstanding Achievement (Global South)
The 2026 Ashden Award for Outstanding Achievement will spotlight innovation in the Global South addressing barriers to rapid and inclusive progress in one or more of our three priority areas:
- Increasing access to clean, affordable electricity and/or cooking services.
- Livelihoods-based approaches that empower Indigenous peoples and local communities as protectors of natural ecosystems.
- Transformative approaches which make finance more accessible for SMEs, local organisations, and/or Indigenous communities delivering clean energy and nature protection.
Please note that, to be eligible for one of our Outstanding Achievement Awards, your organisation must have already won an Ashden Award or placed as a finalist in any previous year.
Solving Energy Challenges (Global South)
The 2026 Ashden Award for Solving Energy Challenges will spotlight renewable energy initiatives addressing critical, under-discussed barriers to renewable energy access and clean cooking, productive use renewable energy solutions, clean energy solutions which contribute to adaptation, and resilience in the Global South.
The award seeks initiatives that unlock new approaches or technologies, demonstrate measurable impact, and offer lessons for replication and scale.
Tropical Forest Protection (Global South)
The 2026 Ashden Award for Tropical Forest Protection will spotlight Indigenous Peoples and Local Communities (IPLCs) demonstrating powerful models of forest conservation, restoration, and sustainable management, whilst improving the lives and livelihoods of their communities.
This award builds on Ashden’s Thriving Forests programme and will consider applicants from across tropical forest biomes.
Sponsor the 2026 awards
For 25 years, the Ashden Awards have boosted organisations tackling climate change and building a better world.
Whether they’re bringing clean power to villages and refugee camps, or nourishing and restoring nature, our winners work with communities to deliver inclusive solutions. So our impact is even more than lower emissions: it’s good green jobs and stronger societies too.
As a sponsor of the 2026 awards you will be linking your organisation with some of the world’s most exciting climate innovators. Your support will be celebrated at our high-profile ceremony in London next summer with an influential audience of climate experts, journalists and policymakers.
If you share our passion for a greener, fairer future, we invite your organisation to support the 2026 awards.
Our 2025 Awards Sponsors
Headline sponsor
Knowledge partner
UK Breaking Barriers Award sponsor
International Breaking Barriers Award sponsor
Supported by
