The SXSW Community Service Awards celebrate the spirit of community, both in Austin and further afield. Every spring, we recognize six individuals and six organizations for their commitment to community service at an award ceremony that takes place during SXSW. They each receive a grant, complimentary entry to SXSW, and an opportunity to spread the word about their work to the SXSW community.

Learn more about grants for individuals and organizations below.

Please email any questions about individual or organization Community Service Awards to communitygrant@sxsw.com.

Six individuals will receive a grant to an eligible 501(c)(3) or eligible charity of their choice as well as a complimentary registration to SXSW.

The Community Service Award is intended to honor the breadth of community service work of six individuals rather than organizations or groups. We are looking for individuals whose creative community service work bridges the digital divide, impacts the community positively, includes some degree of grassroots or hands-on organizing, and who has a body of work and a track record of community service.

This community service award celebrates the life and work of SXSW Interactive co-founder, Dewey Winburne.

For grants for nonprofit charitable organizations, please see SXSW Community Service Awards for Organizations below.

Six organizations will receive a grant to continue or begin their work and will be honored at the SXSW Community Service Awards.

To qualify, an organization must be a charitable organization exempt from federal income tax under section 501(c)(3) or be otherwise qualified to receive charitable contributions.

We choose the organization grantees based on their connection to one of the following aspects of SXSW: Convergence, Film, Music, or EDU. We are additionally looking for projects and programs that generally serve the Austin / Central Texas community.

This grant process is goal and outcome focused. These grants focus on hands-on solutions to community issues, especially where they improve the lives of the underprivileged or disenfranchised.

These grants are designated to further the work of organizations, not individuals. For grants geared toward individuals, please see Community Service Awards for Individuals above.

The SXSW Community Service Awards (formerly Dewey Awards / SXSW Community Grant) honors community do-gooders who employ new media tools and strategies to make the world a better place.

2019 Honorees – Individuals

Aideé Granados Mauricio Villada Lopera Rwenshaun Miller Sheena McFeely Estella Sanchez Fran Tarr

2019 Honorees – Organizations

Born2Walk Black Girls CODE HRA Studios and Foundation (HRAF) Lights Camera Discover StreetBooksATX The Colorado River Alliance

Read more about the 2019 recipients here.

Past Honorees

From 2000 to 2011, all honorees lived in the Central Texas area. Beginning in 2012, we opened the process to recognize national and international community activists.

2018 Honorees

Individuals: Chris Diaz, Catalina Escobar, Char Hu, James Jack, Linda Novick O’Keefe, Celeste C. Smith

Organizations: Allies Against Slavery, Creative Action, Gamers Outreach, Jeremiah Program’s, Kids In A New Groove (KING), Urban Roots

2017 Honorees

Individuals: Dr. Michelle Ferrier, Blair Glencorse, Nicolas Hazard, Teresa Y. Hodge, Kwaku Kyei, Bobby Moore, Barbara Moser, Mgr. Ing. Dita Přikrylová, Courtney Santana, Dese’Rae L. Stage

Organizations: Austin Youth River Watch, Moms-in-Film, The Nobelity Project, Pattern.org, SongwritingWith:Soldiers

2016 Honorees
Kara Andrade, Richard Bbaale, Maria Rose Belding, Emile Cambry, Jr., Robi Damelin, Ali Gohar, Marissa Jennings, Meghana Reddy, Marty Tenenbaum, Priya Verma

2015 Honorees
Karthik Dinakar, Justin Graves, Jukay Hsu, Karen Kocher, Brittany Martin, Rebecca McDonald, Libby Powell, Tembinkosi Qondela, Dr. Catalina Rojas, and Dr. Abdullah Saleh

2014 Honorees
Gwendolyn Floyd, Clara Tsao, Marie Duffy, Noeline Kirabo, Stephanie Downs, Alejandro Maza, George Luc, Mark Horvath, Raymar Hampshire, and Tony Carr

2013 Honorees
Madhura Bhat, Elizabeth Davidson, Arlene Ducao, Rey Faustino, Gene Gurkoff, Elena Lagoudi, Simeon Oriko, Amanda Quraishi, Ben Sawyer, and Rich Schwerdtfeger

2012 Honorees
Judy Brewer, Laura Deutch, Brian Elliot, Izzy Johnston, Jacquie Jones, Becci Manson, Jose Gomez Marquez, Aleph Molinari, Josh Nesbit, and Humberto Pérez

2011 Honorees
Jim Allan, Tricia Barry, Lisa Byrd, Roberta Przybylski, Brian Ramos, Mando Rayo, Connie Reece, Carl Settles, Allan Weeks, and Monica Williams

2010 Honorees
Meredith Beal, Stacy Bouwman, Sue Cole, Dario “Marty” Martinez, Gordon Montgomery, Maria Morrissey, David Neff, Angela-Jo Touza-Medina, and Ken Starks

2009 Honorees
Anthony Bertucci, Andres Carvallo, Julia Cuba, Laura Donnelly, Juan Garcia, Leroy Jones, Lisa McWilliams, Joanna Nigrelli, Alicia Rascon, and Sam Robertson

2008 Honorees
Maria Morrissey, Diana Prechter, Betty Sue Flowers, Linda Litowsky, Ron Lucey, Lisa Moretti, Heberto Ochoa-Morales, Christian Raymond, Lodis Rhodes, Gene Rodgers, and Glenda Sims

2007 Honorees
Branda Adrian, Shahed Amanullah, Donny Branam, Rodney Gibbs, Bobbie Guerra, Kathy Keller, Joyce Lauck, Pat Pound, Harvey Smith, and Stefan Wray

2006 Honorees
Silona Bonewald, Jeanine Christensen, Thea Eaton, Joe Faulk, Sheena Harden, Sheri Graner Ray, Dave Sanders, Dr. John Slatin, Dale Thompson, and Richard Yu

2005 Honorees
Tiffany Galligan, Steve Guengerich, Wendell Handy, Josie Hughes, Adina Levin, Nick Lewis, Chip Rosenthal, Randi Shade, Roger Steele, and Artis C. Street

2004 Honorees
Janet Blake, Perce Collins, Tim Harell, Katherine Jones, Walter Lenoir, Herman Lessard, Rich MacKinnon, Trent Sharp, Adam Weinroth and Kevin Zappernick

2003 Honorees
Bianca Bickford, Gary Chapman, Jaynes Cravens, Teresa Ferguson, Richard Halpin, Rondella Hawkins, Jan McSorley, Monica Roesch, Leroy Smith, and Sharon Strover

2002 Honorees
Ilekna Abounader, Steve Amos, Dennis Borel, Lisa Goldman Carney, Ana Cisnette, Danny Gomez, Mona Gonzalez, Jon Lebkowsky, Sharron Rush, and Melvin White

2001 Honorees
Ana Cisnette, Karen Krepps, Keith Rutledge, and Rachel Muir

2000 Honorees
Dave and Jennifer Evans

1999 Honorees
Dorothy Winburne