AWARDS & GRANTS.

Our 2026 Award Season is here! 
CSJ is dedicated to honoring excellence in social justice and advocacy. Learn about opportunities to nominate your colleagues, professors, and students to honor their dedication and work.​  Please read through the award descriptions below, and click the button to open the respective Google Form to submit your nomination. Self-nominations are accepted! 

Note that there is one award administered through the ACA, the Dr. Judy Lewis Award, which may have a different deadline - please read all instructions carefully.

2026 CSJ AWARDS NOMINATIONS  ARE OPEN!

Please note: All nominators and nominees must be CSJ members. Not a member yet? More information on joining can be found on our Membership page. Not sure if the nominee is a member? Please confirm in advance of nominating if possible, or if not, feel free to nominate, and active membership will be verified if nominee is chosen.

aWARDS

​COUNSELORS   FOR   SOCIAL   JUSTICE   'OHANA   AWARD

​The CSJ ‘Ohana Honors awards were created by Drs. Michael D’Andrea and Judy Daniels, Counselor Education faculty at the University of Hawai’i-Manoa, in 1994. They are given annually by CSJ at the American Counseling Association conference in the Spring each year to honor individuals in counseling who affirm diversity and advocate for social justice in the spirit of nine elements of the indigenous Hawai’ian concept of ‘Ohana or extended family: Malama: Caring, Aloha: Unconditional Love, Ha’aha’a: Humility, Mana: Spiritual Power, Na’auuo: Intelligence, ‘Olu’olu: Courtesy, Lokomaika’i: Generosity. Koa: Courage. Kupono: Integrity, Honesty
​Please note: multiple (up to four) nominees may receive the 'Ohana Award each year.

THE   MARY   SMITH   ARNOLD   ANTI-OPPRESSION   AWARD

The Dr. Mary Smith Arnold Anti-Oppression Award honors professional counselors and counselor educators who have an exemplary record of challenging multiple oppressions in the counseling professions as well as in their local schools and communities.

This award is named in honor of ​Dr. Mary Smith Arnold (1946-2003), who was a cherished member of the counseling and human development professions and a founding mother of Counselors for Social Justice. She was active in civil rights struggles throughout her all too short life and a Counselor Educator on the faculties of Governors State and Kent State Universities specializing in Community and Couple, Marital, and Family Counseling. She was the co-creator of the Unlearning Oppression workshops, taught to thousands of students and colleagues around the world. An ally to all oppressed peoples, Dr. Arnold’s spirit of expecting equity and justice for all peoples was evident in her leadership roles in ACA as a CSJ Governing Council representative and in her work as co-chair of ACA’s Public Policy and Legislation committee.

THE   REESE   HOUSE   SOCIAL   JUSTICE   ADVOCATE   OF  THE   YEAR   AWARD

Given in honor of a CSJ founding member, counselor educator, and former program director of The Education Trust’s National Center for Transforming School Counseling and Oregon State University Counselor Education professor emeritus who fought tirelessly for equity for all children and youth K-16 in the transforming school counseling movement and in other social justice venues including LBGT equity and HIV/AIDS advocacy. Dr. House, who co-authored the ACA/CSJ Advocacy Competencies, died from throat and neck cancer in 2007. The awardee is given the opportunity to direct funding from the Reese House Memorial social justice advocacy fund toward a school counseling social justice nonprofit advocacy organization of their choosing. Dr. House’s vision and memory lives on in the social justice advocacy school counseling /counselor education contributions of the recipients of this award. ​​
​The Award Recipient will have:
  1. Demonstrated social justice advocacy for students in K-12 schools as well as the school counseling profession including commitment to closing achievement, opportunity, attainment and funding gaps and/or ensuring career and higher education readiness for all K-12 students.
  2. Made outstanding contributions to the counseling profession in social justice advocacy in K-12 schools and/or school counselor education.

CSJ   OUTSTANDING   COUNSELING   PROGRAM/AGENCY   AWARD

This award acknowledges a counseling or psychology program/ agency that reflects the mission of CSJ in their training of future counselors, work in the community, advocacy, etc. Programs or Agencies nominated for this award should demonstrate outstanding pre-service and/or in-service training in areas such as social justice counseling, multicultural counseling, advocacy, and counseling socially and culturally diverse populations.

CSJ   Climate   Justice   Award

Climate justice concerns those efforts focused on the combination of environmental justice (defined as efforts to improve the lives of others in relation to climate crises) and social justice (defined as efforts to bring equity to marginalized populations in terms of opportunities and outcomes). Criteria include a person (or persons) who has (have) engaged in climate justice and advocacy, specifically meeting Criteria 1 below:
1. Engages in climate justice advocacy efforts connected to marginalized individuals and/or communities, including women across the life span, youth, and indigenous communities.
In addition, each nominee must demonstrate one of the components below:
2. Engaged in empowerment of marginalized individuals and/or communities in relation to climate crises.
3. Engaged in community organizing and systems change that promote climate justice action.
4. Demonstrated evidence of ongoing inclusive change in the community/communities within which the individual(s) work.

The persons who are nominated do not need to be a member of ACA but do need to be a member of CSJ. Nominees can be a professional counselor (practitioner or otherwise), educator, or student in the counseling profession or a climate justice advocate within a community.

 DR.   JUDY   LEWIS   COUNSELORS   FOR   SOCIAL   JUSTICE   AWARD

Please note: This award is administered and awarded through ACA. For more information, please go to the award page on the ACA website. The deadline for this award may be different from the CSJ-administered awards. Please check the ACA website for the most up-to-date information.

This award is in honor of Dr. Judy Lewis who was a founder of CSJ, a past president of ACA, and a visionary social justice leader.  Judy was feisty, determined, and an advocate for social justice within marginalized communities, working with women and youth, promoting advocacy within the counseling profession, and working on national political campaigns. She was a prolific writer and always wove advocacy; social justice; empowerment; anti-oppression; power dynamics; critical analysis; and community based counseling, into all of her published works.  She was a doer and creator, and she was always willing to take the lead and challenge the status quo. Criteria include a person (or persons) who has engaged in social justice and advocacy with a minimum of at least 2 of the following component parts:
  1. Actively engaged in demonstrated social justice action which is aimed at making the lives of others and/or communities better.
  2. Engaged in empowerment of marginalized individuals and/or communities.
  3. Engaged in community organizing and systems change that promote human rights and social justice action.
  4. Youth advocacy in local communities.
  5. Advocacy for women across the life span.
  6. Demonstrated evidence of ongoing inclusive change in the community/communities within which the individual(s) work.  This engagement can include academia but is not solely in academia and includes active engagement in the community.
Nominee does not need to be a member of ACA or CSJ and it can be a professional, educator, or student in the counseling profession or a social justice advocate within a community. 

Grants

​SOCIAL   JUSTICE   COUNSELING   GRANT

The Social Justice Counseling Grant was established by Counselors for Social Justice (CSJ) to support social action-focused projects initiated by counselors that further the mission of CSJ: The mission of Counselors for Social Justice is to work to promote social justice in our society through confronting oppressive systems of power and privilege that affect professional counselors and our clients and to assist in the positive change in our society through the professional development of counselors.
Funding
CSJ will fund a maximum of 4 grants and up to $1,000 total.
Who May Apply
This grant competition is open to all members of CSJ. Individuals with limited access to funding are especially encouraged to apply, including students, practicing counselors, and those working in marginalized communities. Individuals may submit (or be part of a submission team) for only one proposal.
Proposal Format
Proposals must adhere to the following requirements in order to be considered:
  • Proposal must be no more than two pages excluding the application form and budget.
  • Proposal should adhere to the guidelines of the APA manual (7th edition)
Evaluation Criteria
A panel of reviewers will evaluate the proposals using the following criteria:
  • Proposed topic is aligned with the mission of CSJ and the action-focusedemphasis of this grant
  • The proposal contains support from the literature or from other relevant sources for the need for the project (this should be approximately half a page).
  • The proposal addresses the needs of an underserved or marginalized group or community
  • The applicant provides support the feasibility of this project, including adequate resources, an appropriate timeframe, and an outline of the methodology and how the project will be implemented.
  • The applicant provides a budget with a rationale for each budget item. The applicant addresses how additional resources needed for the project and not included in the budget will be provided/acquired.
As a condition of the acceptance of the grant award, the awardee is required to
  • Submit a final report on the project that will be shared with the CSJ membership through the website and newsletter.
  • Acknowledge the CSJ financial support of the project in all reports, presentations, or publications related to the supported project.
  • Maintain CSJ membership throughout the entirety of the project and for at least 2 years after completion of the project.
  • Attend the CSJ brunch/luncheon at the annual ACA conference for formal acceptance of the award.
Submission Instructions
Your submission will include:
  • One application form (see below)
  • One “blind” copy of the proposal with the budget on the last page (this copy shall have no author identification on it)
  • One copy of the proposal with author identification
After submitting the online application form, email both copies of your proposal to  [email protected] in a Word or PDF document.​​
Past Recipients
2025

2024

2022
2021
2017
Ms. Sravya Gummaluri

Dr. Janelle Jones, Adrienne Graham, & Dr. June (Jung) H. Hyun

Pamela Fullerton
​Dr. Christian Chan
​Rachel Weinstein, Tamara Ferbee, & Dr. Faye Burner
Tristan McKenzie & Stephen Zankas
Dr. Darius Green, Dr. Brittany Williams, and Gene Dockery
Dr. Donna Hickman, Dr. Rebecca Matthew,
Dr. Nancy Thomas, and Crystal Brashear
Laura Pignato, The College of William & Mary – Equity of Student Development Through Campus-Based Affinity Groups ($250.00)
​
David Jones, Cincinnati Christian University – Interventions for Minorities Students at a Midwestern Private College to Promote Academic Success ($250.00)

Nicholas Grudev, University of Vermont – Empowering Students in Restorative Practices and Youth Participatory Action Research ($500.00)
 Email [email protected] with additional questions regarding awards/grants

PAST WINNERS

2025 COUNSELORS FOR SOCIAL JUSTICE AWARD WINNERS

2024 COUNSELORS FOR SOCIAL JUSTICE AWARD WINNERS


Congratulations to the Award Nominees:
Sylvia Mukasa, Ramon Moon, Dr. Kenya Johns, and Mardochee Sylvestre
​Mercer University, University of New Mexico, and Prescott College

2023 COunselors for Social Justice Award winners​

CSJ Outstanding Counseling Program
Seminary of the Southwest - Dr. Maria Spellings, Director

CSJ Mary Smith Arnold Award
Dr. Marcus Smith

CSJ Ohana Honors Awards
Tina Onikoyi
Dr. Kshipra Jain
Dr. Brittany Pollard-Kosidowski
Congratulations to our winners for their tireless efforts towards social justice in counseling!

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