RULES &
ELIGIBILITY

1.1 Who May Nominate

Nominations may be submitted by:

• individuals nominating themselves;
• individuals nominating another person;
• organizations nominating themselves;
• organizations nominating another individual or organization;
• community groups;
• networks or partnerships;
• institutions;
• or other eligible third parties acting in good faith.

Self-nominations and third-party nominations are assessed against the same eligibility and judging standards.

No nominee receives preferential treatment because they were nominated by an organization, partner, sponsor, public figure, or other influential person.

1.2 Third-Party Nominations

Where a nomination is submitted by a third party, the Spicy Awards may contact the nominee to:

• confirm willingness to participate;
• verify information;
• obtain missing information or documentation;
• request a photograph, biography, or supporting materials;
• clarify the nominee's work or impact;
• confirm eligibility;
• and obtain appropriate consent for participation and use of submitted information.

A third-party nomination does not guarantee acceptance into the Awards process.

Where a nominee cannot be contacted, declines participation, or fails to provide required information within the specified period, the nomination may be withdrawn from consideration.

1.3 Official Submission Channels

Nominations must be submitted through the official Spicy Awards nomination platform or another channel expressly designated by the organizers.

Submissions made through unofficial channels may not be considered.

1.4 No Anonymous Nominations

Anonymous nominations will not be accepted.

The nominator must provide sufficient identity and contact information for reasonable verification.

1.5 Accuracy and Good Faith

All nominators and nominees must provide information honestly, accurately, completely, and in good faith.

Participants must not knowingly:

• exaggerate achievements;
• fabricate impact;
• fabricate testimonials;
• submit false documentation;
• misrepresent affiliations;
• manipulate evidence;
• plagiarize another person's work;
• impersonate a person or organization;
• conceal a material conflict of interest;
• or make material claims that cannot reasonably be substantiated.

Material dishonesty may result in disqualification or withdrawal of an award.

1.6 Nomination Deadline

Nominations must be complete and submitted by the published closing date.

The Awards may extend a deadline where operational, technical, accessibility, geographic, force majeure, or other exceptional circumstances justify an extension.

Any extension will be communicated through official Awards channels.

1.7 Incomplete or Invalid Entries

A nomination may be rejected or disqualified where it is:

• materially incomplete;
• fraudulent;
• materially misleading;
• duplicated;
• submitted through an unauthorized channel;
• outside the relevant eligibility requirements;
• unsupported by required information;
• submitted after the deadline without an approved extension;
• or otherwise inconsistent with these Rules.

Minor administrative omissions may be corrected where the Secretariat determines that doing so does not compromise fairness.

1.8 Duplicate Nominations

A nominee should ordinarily be nominated only once per category.

Multiple nominations for the same nominee are permitted where they concern genuinely different categories or materially different bodies of work.

Submitting substantially identical nominations across multiple categories does not increase a nominee's chances of selection.

The Spicy Awards may consolidate duplicate submissions.

1.9 One Primary Competitive Category

A nominee may ordinarily be considered for one primary competitive category in an Awards cycle.

A nominee may identify up to two Changemaker Archetypes where their work genuinely crosses Archetype boundaries, but the nomination must identify one primary category.

The Spicy Awards may recommend or move a nomination to a more appropriate category where the nominee's work better fits another category.

Where practical, the nominee or nominator will be consulted before a category change.

1.10 Category Integrity

Nominees must demonstrate a genuine connection to the category for which they are nominated.

A nomination should not be submitted to a category merely because it appears less competitive or because the nominee wants an additional recognition.

The Jury may assess the work against the published definition of the category rather than the wording used by the nominator.

1.11 No Guarantee of Selection

Submission of a nomination does not guarantee:

• acceptance;
• publication;
• shortlisting;
• finalist status;
• public voting;
• selection as a winner;
• a trophy;
• Gala attendance;
• or any other recognition.

All selections remain subject to these Rules and the Awards process.

2.1 Global Eligibility

The Spicy Awards are open globally.

Eligible nominees may come from any country, region, community, sector, or organizational context, subject to the specific requirements of the relevant category.

The Awards do not require nominees to be members, partners, alumni, beneficiaries, or participants of Spice Without Borders.

2.2 Eligible Nominee Types

Unless a category states otherwise, eligible nominees may include:

• individuals;
• community leaders;
• grassroots organizations;
• nonprofits;
• civil society organizations;
• social enterprises;
• businesses;
• startups;
• companies;
• institutions;
• educational institutions;
• research institutions;
• government agencies;
• community groups;
• collectives;
• networks;
• partnerships;
• initiatives;
• movements;
• accelerators;
• incubators;
• creative enterprises;
• cultural organizations;
• and other qualifying entities.

2.3 Individuals and Organizations Are Judged on Appropriate Grounds

Individuals and organizations will not be expected to demonstrate impact in identical ways.

For example:

• an individual activist may demonstrate impact through advocacy, mobilization, policy influence, community trust, or documented outcomes;
• a grassroots organization may demonstrate impact through community participation, reach, outcomes, sustainability, and local ownership;
• an enterprise may demonstrate impact through beneficiaries, employment, products, services, business sustainability, or measurable social/environmental outcomes;
• an innovator may demonstrate impact through adoption, effectiveness, evidence, implementation, or demonstrated potential where the innovation is still emerging.

The Jury will consider the nominee's context, resources, stage, operating environment, and scale when evaluating evidence.

3.1 Primary Assessment Period

For the competitive Awards, nominees should demonstrate meaningful activity, progress, or impact primarily during the period specified in the official nomination announcement.

Where no separate period is published, the principal evidence period will ordinarily cover the most recent three years preceding the nomination deadline.

3.2 Earlier Work

Earlier work may be considered where it provides essential context, demonstrates continuity, or explains the foundation of current impact.

However, historical achievement alone should not substitute for meaningful current relevance in ordinary competitive categories.

3.3 Ongoing Work

Projects, campaigns, ventures, initiatives, research, movements, and programs that are ongoing at the nomination deadline may be eligible.

The nominee should clearly distinguish:

• completed results;
• current results;
• ongoing activities;
• and projected or anticipated outcomes.

Projected impact must not be presented as achieved impact.

The five Archetypes are permanent. The competitive categories under them may evolve.

The categories are designed around the following principles:

4.1 Young Activist Award

Eligible nominees must meet the age range published for the category.

Unless otherwise stated in the official category announcement, the recommended age range is:

15–24 years at the nomination deadline.

The nominee must demonstrate genuine advocacy, leadership, initiative, or community action.

Age alone does not constitute merit.

4.2 Young Entrepreneur Award

The nominee must be under 35 years of age at the nomination deadline, unless the official category announcement states otherwise.

The nominee must demonstrate meaningful entrepreneurial activity and evidence of value creation and impact.

4.3 Impact Startup Award

The venture must ordinarily have been operating for five years or less as of the published eligibility date.

The venture must demonstrate:

• a defined problem or opportunity;
• a credible solution;
• an identifiable operating model;
• evidence of traction, implementation, or early results;
• and a credible pathway toward sustained impact.

A newly registered company with no substantive activity is not automatically eligible simply because it meets the age requirement.

4.4 Social Enterprise Impact Award

The nominee must demonstrate that social or environmental purpose is materially integrated into the organization's operating model.

Corporate philanthropy or occasional charitable donations alone do not constitute a social enterprise.

4.5 Purpose-Driven Company Award

Eligible organizations may be established companies demonstrating that social, environmental, cultural, or community value is meaningfully integrated into their operations, governance, products, services, workforce, supply chain, or strategic direction.

The category is not determined by company size alone.

4.6 Impact Ecosystem Builder Award

Eligible nominees may include:

• accelerators;
• incubators;
• entrepreneurship support organizations;
• coworking and innovation hubs;
• mentorship ecosystems;
• investment-readiness programs;
• networks;
• or other organizations that demonstrably strengthen the capacity of changemakers and purpose-driven ventures.

4.7 Emerging Changemaker Award

This recognition is based on stage of changemaking rather than age.

It is intended for an individual who is relatively early in their changemaking journey but demonstrates:

• strong initiative;
• clear purpose;
• credible early evidence of impact;
• learning and adaptability;
• leadership potential;
• and meaningful momentum.

4.8 Cross-Archetype Collaboration Award

This Special Honor recognizes a genuine collaboration involving two or more Spicy Archetypes.

The collaboration should demonstrate:

• complementary strengths;
• shared purpose;
• meaningful participation;
• evidence of joint action;
• and results that could not reasonably be attributed to one participant acting alone.

4.9 Lifetime Spicy Achievement Award

This Special Honor recognizes an individual whose contribution to positive social, environmental, cultural, economic, or community change has been sustained over a significant period.

It is not an ordinary competitive category and is not ordinarily open to public nomination.

The Awarding Board may identify and approve recipients through its established governance process.

4.10 People's Choice Award

The People's Choice Award is separate from the Jury-determined competitive categories.

Its eligibility and voting requirements will be published separately.

5.1 Evidence-Based Recognition

The Spicy Awards recognize evidence of contribution and impact, not simply visibility, popularity, reputation, wealth, organizational size, media attention, follower count, or access to influential networks.

5.2 Forms of Evidence

Evidence may include:

• measurable outcomes;
• impact reports;
• independently verified data;
• research;
• project records;
• financial or operational information where relevant;
• beneficiary or community feedback;
• testimonials;
• letters of recommendation;
• media coverage;
• publications;
• awards or certifications;
• photographs;
• videos;
• websites;
• digital portfolios;
• case studies;
• testimonials from partners or communities;
• evidence of policy or systems change;
• evidence of adoption or implementation;
• and other credible documentation.

5.3 Quality of Evidence

Relevance — Does the evidence relate directly to the nomination?

Credibility — Can the source reasonably be trusted?

Specificity — Does it demonstrate what actually happened?

Consistency — Is it consistent with other available information?

Recency — Does it relate to the relevant assessment period?

Attribution — Does it reasonably demonstrate the nominee's contribution?

5.4 Attribution

Nominees must not claim collective or community achievements solely as individual achievements.

Where impact was produced through a partnership, team, organization, movement, or community, the nomination should explain the nominee's specific contribution.

5.5 Community Ownership

Where appropriate, the Jury may consider whether communities affected by the work:

• participated in its design;
• influenced decision-making;
• benefited from the work;
• contributed knowledge or resources;
• or have meaningful ownership of the resulting change.

5.6 Scale Is Not a Proxy for Impact

Large geographic reach, large budgets, high revenue, large staff numbers, or large social-media followings do not automatically constitute greater impact.

The Jury will consider impact in proportion to:

• the problem addressed;
• resources available;
• operating environment;
• stage of development;
• community served;
• and the nominee's stated objectives.

6.1 Required Materials

Unless otherwise specified, nominations should include:

• completed nomination form;
• nominee biography or organizational profile;
• high-resolution color photograph or approved organizational image;
• selected Archetype;
• primary award category;
• eligibility declaration;
• nomination narrative;
• impact evidence;
• nominator contact information;
• nominator declaration;
• nominee consent or confirmation where required.

6.2 Verification

The Spicy Awards may conduct reasonable verification and due diligence before, during, or after the judging process.

Verification may include checking public records, websites, publications, submitted documentation, references, media reports, organizational information, or other relevant sources.

Nominees and nominators may be asked to clarify information or provide additional evidence.

Failure to provide reasonable clarification may affect eligibility or consideration.

6.3 False or Misleading Evidence

Materially false, fabricated, manipulated, or misleading evidence may result in disqualification or withdrawal of recognition.

7.1 Independent Assessment

Competitive categories are assessed through an independent judging process established by the Spicy Awards.

Jurors are expected to evaluate nominations against the published criteria and available evidence.

7.2 Evidence Over Visibility

Judging should focus on contribution, impact, relevance, evidence, integrity, and the nominee's context rather than popularity or prominence alone.

7.3 Category Fit

Jurors may consider whether the nominee's work genuinely fits the category and Archetype for which the nomination is submitted.

7.4 Comparative Assessment

Where multiple eligible nominees demonstrate strong work, jurors may compare the strength, significance, relevance, evidence, sustainability, and contextual importance of the contributions presented.

Depending on the category, the Jury may consider the following lenses:

9.1 Disclosure

Jurors, judges, board members, staff, advisors, partners, and other decision-makers must disclose actual, potential, or perceived conflicts of interest where relevant.

9.2 Recusal

A person with a material conflict may be required to recuse themselves from discussion, scoring, deliberation, or decision-making relating to the affected nominee or category.

9.3 No Improper Influence

Participants must not attempt to improperly influence judges, jurors, organizers, or other decision-makers.

The Jury is expected to exercise independent professional judgment.

Sponsors, partners, nominees, nominators, media personalities, public figures, and other stakeholders must not direct or determine competitive judging outcomes.

Commercial relationships do not create a right to influence award decisions.

Jury deliberations may consider written submissions, evidence, verification findings, scores, category fit, and other relevant information available through the official Awards process.

Deliberations are confidential unless the Awards expressly determine otherwise.

The Jury may request clarification or additional evidence where appropriate.

The People's Choice Award is distinct from Jury-determined competitive categories.

Voting procedures, eligibility, voting periods, verification mechanisms, and other requirements may be published separately.

Public voting does not automatically determine the outcome of Jury-determined categories.

The Awards may recognize the same individual, organization, initiative, or collaboration in more than one capacity where the applicable Rules permit.

However, the one-primary-category principle remains applicable to ordinary competitive nominations unless otherwise specified.

Previous winners may be eligible for future Awards where their current work meets the relevant eligibility requirements.

Previous recognition does not automatically guarantee nomination, shortlisting, finalist status, or another award.

Where appropriate, previous winners may be assessed on new, continuing, or materially expanded work.

Special Honors may operate differently from ordinary competitive categories.

The Awarding Board provides governance oversight for the Awards and may exercise responsibilities assigned to it under the official Awards framework.

The Awarding Board may approve Special Honors and address exceptional governance matters in accordance with these Rules.

Finalists and winners may be invited to attend the official Awards Gala or related events.

Attendance requirements, invitations, tickets, guest arrangements, travel, accommodation, and related matters may be communicated separately.

Non-attendance does not automatically invalidate an award unless the official Awards terms expressly provide otherwise.

Winners may receive an official Spicy Awards trophy or another form of physical recognition designated by the Awards.

Trophy design, materials, dimensions, inscriptions, presentation arrangements, and production specifications may vary by edition or award.

A nominee may request withdrawal from consideration subject to the stage and administrative requirements of the Awards process.

The Awards may also withdraw a nomination where eligibility, consent, documentation, integrity, or other material requirements are not satisfied.

A nomination or nominee may be disqualified where there is:

• material dishonesty;
• fabricated evidence;
• material misrepresentation;
• failure to satisfy eligibility requirements;
• improper manipulation of the Awards process;
• material breach of these Rules;
• or other conduct that materially compromises the integrity of the Awards.

By participating in the Awards process, nominees and nominators may be required to provide appropriate consent for the use of submitted information, photographs, biographies, organizational profiles, testimonials, and other materials for legitimate Awards-related purposes.

The Awards may publish finalist and winner information through official communication channels subject to applicable policies and consent requirements.

Sponsorship, partnership, advertising, commercial relationships, or other financial relationships do not automatically create eligibility, finalist status, or award entitlement.

Competitive judging remains subject to the applicable Awards process.

The Spicy Awards seek to provide an inclusive platform for changemakers from different communities, sectors, geographies, backgrounds, organizational contexts, and stages of development.

Assessment should consider the nominee's context and should not unfairly privilege access to resources, networks, visibility, or institutional power.

The Awards may make reasonable accommodations or provide alternative arrangements where accessibility requirements are identified and operationally feasible.

Participants should communicate accessibility needs through official Awards channels within the relevant timelines.

Personal information and nomination materials will be handled in accordance with the applicable Spicy Awards privacy and data protection policies.

Jury deliberations, confidential submissions, internal scoring, and other sensitive Awards information may remain confidential except where disclosure is required or expressly authorized.

The five Changemaker Archetypes are intended to remain the enduring architecture of the Awards.

Competitive categories may be introduced, revised, merged, renamed, suspended, or retired in future editions in response to the evolution of changemaking, emerging fields, community needs, and the strategic direction of the Awards.

These Rules may be updated where necessary to clarify requirements, address operational circumstances, improve accessibility, protect integrity, or reflect changes to the Awards process.

Material updates will be communicated through official Awards channels where appropriate.

The Awards organizers may interpret these Rules where clarification is necessary.

Where wording is ambiguous, the interpretation that best protects fairness, integrity, evidence-based recognition, and the stated purpose of the Awards should ordinarily be preferred.

Exceptional circumstances may include technical failures, natural disasters, public emergencies, legal restrictions, force majeure events, security concerns, accessibility issues, or other circumstances materially affecting the Awards process.

The Awards may take reasonable measures to preserve fairness, continuity, accessibility, and integrity in such circumstances.

Submission of a nomination indicates that the nominator and, where applicable, the nominee acknowledge the relevant Awards Rules and agree to participate in accordance with the official Awards process.

Participation does not create an entitlement to any particular outcome or form of recognition.

Before submitting a nomination, ensure that the following requirements have been addressed:

Where scoring is used, scores should support—not replace—reasoned judgment.

The scoring framework may vary by category while maintaining the overarching principles of fairness, integrity, impact, evidence, inclusion, and independence.

The Spicy Awards exist to recognize changemakers whose work creates meaningful and demonstrable positive impact.

Recognition should serve as a platform for visibility, credibility, connection, collaboration, and continued action.

The Awards therefore seek to celebrate not only what changemakers have achieved, but what their recognition can help make possible next.

40 Core Competitive Categories + 5 Special Honors

Five Archetypes. One Global Changemaker Platform.

The five permanent Changemaker Archetypes provide the structural architecture of the Spicy Awards.

40 Core Competitive Categories + 5 Special Honors

Five Archetypes. One Global Changemaker Platform.