Nominations for the 2026 Iowa Character Awards presented annually by The Robert D. and Billie Ray Center at Drake University are now open.
The Iowa Character Awards honor individuals, organizations, or communities who consistently demonstrate the Six Pillars of Character: trustworthiness, respect, responsibility, fairness, caring, and good citizenship. Since 2005, the organization has recognized more than 250 Iowans for serving as exemplars of good character in their communities.
Nominations must be submitted online by May 1, 2026. Get started on a nomination.
All nominees will receive a congratulatory letter and certificate. Award recipients will be honored at the Iowa Character Awards Banquet in August.
The 2026 Iowa Character Awards are presented by Hy-Vee, FOX 17, Prairie Meadows, Delta Dental, the Gartner Foundation, and Murphy Enterprizes.
See a list of past award recipients at IowaCharacterAwards.org.