The Discount Foundation Legacy Award is an annual recognition aimed at honoring an individual who has demonstrated exceptional leadership in advancing the rights of workers in the United States, particularly low-wage workers of color. The award highlights the efforts of individuals who have made significant contributions to the workers' rights movement, and specifically seeks to amplify the work being done at the intersections of worker justice. The purpose of this award is to celebrate individuals who have been at the forefront of this important social movement, providing them with the recognition and flexibility to further their work.

The awardee of the Discount Foundation Legacy Award will receive a stipend of $20,000. This stipend is intended to offer the recipient the flexibility to expand on their professional activities and accomplishments without the pressure of reporting requirements or other obligations. This financial support aims to empower the awardee to continue their important work in advancing worker justice, particularly for marginalized groups.

To be considered for the award, individuals must be nominated through an online nomination form. The nomination process requires submitting responses about the nominee, with the option to submit these responses in written form, as an audio recording, or as a video. The nomination form contains a series of questions aimed at gaining insight into the nominee’s qualifications and contributions to worker justice.

Eligible nominees must be at least 18 years of age and currently residing in the United States. They should have been active in advancing worker organizing or related worker justice work. Nominees can include individuals who are current or former staff members, board members, volunteers, or members of any organization or institution engaged in worker organizing. This could include unions, worker centers, or community organizations. Importantly, the nominee does not have to be the head of an organization, and those who have organized at their workplaces are also eligible.

Nominees are not permitted to nominate themselves, and only individuals may be nominated for this award—organizations or groups of individuals are ineligible. Employees of any of the participating foundations, represented on the award's selection committee, or the funding institutions involved, are also excluded from eligibility. The nomination form must be submitted via the designated online platform, and no additional documents will be accepted via email, mail, or fax. The nomination deadline is 11:59 pm ET on March 6, 2025.

The winner of the Discount Foundation Legacy Award will be announced in May 2025. For any technical questions related to the online nomination form, applicants can reach out to Neda Said at neda@nfg.org. The review process is confidential, and applicants will not be able to inquire about the status of their nominations during this time.