2025 Vision Awards Ceremony
Join us for the 2025 Vision Awards!
Thursday, October 23, 2025
5:00 PM-6:30 PM
Event Location: YWCA of Southern Arizona, 525 N Bonita Ave, Tucson, AZ 85745
We’re excited to celebrate this year’s changemakers at our annual Vision Awards Ceremony. Check back soon for event details and program highlights.
In the meantime, you can nominate someone using the form below!
Nominate a Changemaker: 2025 Vision Awards
Help us honor the individuals and organizations creating meaningful impact in the lives of children, youth, and families. Nominations for the 2025 Vision Awards are now open!
How to Nominate Someone
To nominate someone for a 2025 Vision Award, please complete our online nomination form:
Submit your Nomination
Before submitting, we encourage you to review the nomination questions below so you can prepare your responses in advance.
What You’ll Need
Nominators will be asked to provide the following information:
Contact information for you and nominee
Nominee’s name and contact information
Which award category are you nominating them for?
-The Frances McClelland Vision Award is given to honor a community leader who has made a lifelong commitment and significant contributions to the well-being of children, youth, and families. The community leader embodies the strength, dedication, vision, and passion that Frances McClelland exhibited throughout her life. This award is for a community leader who has dedicated their life and work to helping Frances McClelland’s legacy and vision come to fruition for the people of Southern Arizona and the world. The community leader should have at least 15 years of established commitment to Frances’ legacy and vision of improving the lives of children, youth, and families in Southern Arizona and the world.
-The Richard Elías Legacy Award is given to honor an individual who works with the Southern Arizona community to build resilience, work for justice, and honor the beauty and heritage of our community and its members. As a champion of our unique Sonoran desert and its people, this individual exemplifies many of the admirable qualities of Richard Elías: a person who is dedicated and willing to take risks, who is approachable and open to everyone in the community, and who promotes equity and opportunity. Nominations of DACA recipients are encouraged.
-The Frances McClelland Youth Vision Award is given to honor a youth leader or group of youth leaders who are working towards improving the well-being of children, youth, families, and communities. The youth embody the strength, dedication, vision, and passion that Frances McClelland exhibited throughout her life and youth. This award is for a youth leader or a group of leaders who inspire hope for Arizona’s future. Frances overcame adversity through her life and manifested resilience. We are looking for youth that embody Frances’ spirit of valuing her immigrant roots, overcoming adversity, and demonstrating resilience in the face of challenges. We are looking for youth who are interested in future careers in family, health, criminal justice, psychology, social work, healthcare, teaching, and other related fields. The youth leader or group of leaders should be between 11-22 years old.
-The Josefina Ahumada Spirit Organizational Award recognizes a local organization that embodies the spirit, commitment, perseverance and legacy of Josefina Ahumdada. The nonprofit community organization 1) supports, promotes or advocates for community, individual or family resiliency, 2) serves the community by offering support that addresses our community’s needs, such as basic needs, resource access and health and psychological well-being, and 3) serves our most at-risk community members.
How do they demonstrate leadership, impact, or service in their community?
How does their work align with the mission of the Frances McClelland Institute?
Any additional context, stories, or quotes you’d like to share
You may also be asked to provide optional materials such as a bio, website link, or letter of support.
Deadline
Nominations are due by Monday, August 4, 2025.
Spread the Word
Please help us share this opportunity widely!