The SXSW Community Service Awards celebrates the spirit of community in Austin that we think is unique to SXSW. Every spring, we recognize six individuals and six organizations for their commitment to community service at an awards ceremony that takes place during the SXSW week. 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 and explore past honorees.

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 our recipients here.

Six individuals will receive a minimum $4,000 grant to an eligible 501(c)(3) or eligible charity of their choice as well as a complimentary registration to SXSW 2019. The Community Service Award is intended to honor the breadth of community service work of 6 individuals rather than organizations or groups. We are looking for individuals whose creative community service work bridges the digital divide, impacts the community positively and includes some degree of grassroots or hands-on organizing. 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 also receive a minimum $4,000 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: Interactive, Film, Music, EDU, or Gaming.

This grant process is goal and outcome focused. We will ask all grantees to measure and report back the outcome of their work or project. 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.)

For questions not answered here or in the application, please contact us at communitygrant@sxsw.com.

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

2018 Honorees – Organizations

Allies Against Slavery, Creative Action, Gamers Outreach, Jeremiah Program, Kids In a New Groove, 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

2017 Honorees – Organizations

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

2016 Honorees – Individuals

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

2016 Honorees – Organizations

Greater Edwards Aquifer Alliance, Miracle Foundation, Reel Grrls, Skillpoint Alliance, Swan Songs

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

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