Boston Weekly is accepting nominations for six community honors in its Best of Boston 2026 program, including a Local Hero award for someone whose efforts for their community go beyond the ordinary. Anyone may submit a nomination, and editors will choose recipients based on the case presented rather than a vote count.
Each nomination costs $20, with one submission allowed for each nominee in a given category, according to the program’s awards page. No finalists or winners have been selected, according to verified newsroom notes. The honors cover individuals as well as a nonprofit organization working in Greater Boston.
For readers considering a neighbor, teacher or volunteer, the central task is to explain why that person deserves recognition. The nomination form allows up to 2,000 characters for that explanation. A detailed account carries more weight in the editorial selection process than numerous brief submissions.
Which honor fits the nominee?
Local Hero recognizes a person who has made an exceptional effort on behalf of their community. It is one of six distinct honors, each with a different focus. The other categories recognize contributions through education, business ownership, nonprofit work, volunteering and the arts.
Educator of the Year covers teachers, coaches and mentors whose work makes a difference in people’s lives. Small Business Owner of the Year focuses on an individual whose business contributes to a better neighborhood, rather than recognizing the business alone.
Nonprofit of the Year recognizes an organization making an exceptional contribution in Greater Boston. Volunteer of the Year focuses on someone who contributes time without seeking anything in return. Rising Artist recognizes an emerging musician, painter, writer or performer worth watching.
Those descriptions distinguish the categories: a nonprofit nomination concerns an organization, while the educator, volunteer and business-owner honors focus on people. The Local Hero designation centers on service to the community, without identifying a particular profession or artistic discipline.
What a nomination requires
The form asks nominators to identify their candidate and explain why the nominee should receive the honor. A neighborhood or website can also be supplied, but that information is optional. Nominators’ contact information will not be made public, according to the newsroom’s program notes.
The character limit makes specificity important. The selection process gives priority to the strength of the explanation, not the number of nominations a candidate attracts. Submitting a nomination is therefore not the equivalent of casting a ballot, and repeated expressions of support do not determine the result.
The awards page lists Apple Pay, Google Pay and card payments as options for the $20 nomination fee. The newsroom reviews all submissions and checks finalists before the selections are published.
What’s next: Editors will select the recipients, and Boston Weekly will publish both winners and finalists on its awards page, along with explanations of what distinguished them.