The 2022 election cycle was momentous for Democrats and Progressives. We beat historical trends to gain a Senate seat, Governorships, and State Legislative seats and kept losses in the House to a minimum.

That took thousands of talented people, working at every level, and across the country to achieve.

So often the people and organizations that do this work do so without recognition from their peers. At GAIN Power, we think that should change, and that’s why we launched the Powerful IDEA Awards last year. 

This kind of recognition was long overdue, inspiring, and so much fun! With this in mind, we are excited to announce the 2023 Powerful IDEA Awards to recognize the amazing work done for the 2022 election cycle.

The Powerful IDEA (Impact on Democracy, Elections, Advocacy) Awards are GAIN POWER’s progressive political communications & leadership awards. The Powerful IDEA Awards recognize the most impactful people, organizations, technology, communications, and other resources that power progressive politics, advocacy, and our democracy over the past cycle. We honor bold, brave, creative, impactful leaders, campaigns, and advocacy organizations.  The Powerful IDEA Awards are the only mission-driven industry awards for our shared values-based community of powerful professional people, programs, and products that power progressive politics. And, we want you to be part of it.

We have five broad categories with over a hundred individual awards that recognize:

• Transformational Talent and Leadership: Community tribute to the people who power our progressive politics. Dedicated to those who work to in values-based impact on our democracy, elections, and advocacy. These include the candidates, campaign and organizational staff, consultants, dedicated artists, and activists.
• Inspirational Organizations and Campaigns: Thousands of organizations from nonprofit educational and advocacy campaigns, party committees, political action committees, and social impact companies dedicate their work to protecting our democracy. They lead electoral and legislative issue campaigns, voter education, and electing leaders who share our values. These awards will recognize the most effective and impactful.
• Powerful Programs: Critical programs and events are run by formal and informal collectives, organized and organic coalitions, single individuals, and organizations. These awards recognize the most powerful and impactful ones from 2022.
• Creative Communications and Content: Creative communication and content using video, print, digital, audio, or other media to communicate with members, voters, donors, or activists. These awards recognize creativity and impact.
• Transformative Technology: Recognizing the tech tools built to organize, mobilize, fundraise and communicate with members, voters, donors, or activists.

Deadlines and Timelines:

• Nominations Open: January 2nd, 2022
• Nominations Close February 28th, 2023. Late nominations will be accepted afterward, but may not be included for the full period of judging.
• Public Voting and Judging Begins: March 15th, 2023
• GAIN Power Review of Submissions: February 28th-March 15th, 2023
• Public Voting and Judging Ends: May 15th, 2023
• Award Winners Announced at Event June 2023

After our inaugural program in June of 2022, we are excited to expand and recognize a full election cycle of work. We look forward to recognizing and honoring the people, programs, and products that power progressive politics!

PS. Got questions or suggestions? Please email awards@gainpower.org and we will be in touch.