Bullitt Prize

The Bullitt Prize: $100,000 Springboard for Change

The 2026 application opens March 1, 2026 

Are you an academic, professional, and/or grassroots leader working on a project or action to address a conservation or environmental justice issue in Washington state? Then we want to hear from you — the $100,000 Bullitt Prize can be the springboard for change you need to address or solve that issue for your community. 

The Bullitt Prize is awarded annually based on the following eligibility: 

• An individual 35 years old or younger 

• From an underrepresented group, such as an economically disadvantaged group 

• From Washington state (or the Pacific Northwest region if their work impacts Washington) 

• Have demonstrated academic, professional, or grassroots leadership that advances the conservation and environmental justice movement 

The Bullitt Prize seeks to broaden, strengthen, and diversify the current and future leadership of the environmental movement by investing in emerging leaders advancing conservation and environmental justice efforts in Washington state. 

The Prize consists of $100,000, split over two years ($50,000 in year one, and the remaining $50,000 in the second year). 

Frequently Asked Questions:

How long is the application open?

The 2026 application is open from Sunday, March 1, 2026 through Friday, May 15, 2026. 

What information is needed as part of the application?

Applicants are asked to provide the following:

• Personal information
• Demographic information
• References
• Current resume
• Brief description of who you are
• Responses to three prompts to describe your project, vision, and goals

What steps are involved in the application process?

Washington Conservation Action facilitates a committee of five community and environmental justice leaders to select a winner. The committee scores applications and narrows the pool to finalists. Finalists are then asked to join a 50-minute interview (virtual, or in person) with the selection committee. References are contacted and consulted for each of the final applicants. Based on the interview process and references, the committee then chooses a winner from among the finalists. The entire process takes approximately six months from the application deadline. 

What types of costs and project expenses can the Bullitt Prize be used for?

Funding from the Bullitt Prize award is unrestricted, meaning the award is an investment in an emerging leader, not in a specific project they are implementing. Funding can support the prize winner’s living expenses and academic and tuition expenses in addition to costs related directly to implementation of a project they are leading or opportunity they are pursuing. Our goal is to set emerging leaders up to invest in the vision and goals for their future in conservation or environmental justice, not to set barriers around allowable and eligible project costs. Expenses related to travel should support your goals or relate to the planned outcomes of your project.

What are you looking for from applicants in terms of their connection to their community?

The Bullitt Prize selection committee is seeking an applicant who demonstrates how their connection to a particular community informs their vision related to their leadership in conservation and environmental justice. From our perspective, “community” can reflect groups at multiple levels—whether a geographic or place-based community, professional community, academic community, or some other form of community. The project proposed does not need to be based in a specific geographic location, but it is helpful for the committee to learn about the applicant’s origin story and how connections to their community helped shape them.

Do we need to live in Washington state?

The Bullitt Prize is intended to award people based in Washington state. Please contact us if you have any more questions.

Please clarify the age limit.

You need to be 35 years or younger when you apply to the Bullitt Prize.