The Spirit on the Rise Award is one of three Awards being presented at the Spirit of Community Luncheon on Thursday, November 12th:

• Spirit on the Rise Award: honoring an emerging leader in Arlington whose creativity, courage, and commitment have led to meaningful community change [Continue to submit nomination on this page]
• Spirit of Leadership Award: honoring the outstanding achievements of an Arlington professional nonprofit leader [Click here to open Spirit of Leadership Award nomination form]
• Spirit of Community Award:This year’s 33rd annual Spirit of Community Award will honor the late Honorable William T. Newman, Jr., Arlington Community Foundation’s founder and the Award’s namesake.

The 2026 Spirit on the Rise Award honors an emerging leader in Arlington whose creativity, courage, and commitment have led to meaningful community change. This individual may be early in their journey of community engagement, but they are making an unmistakable impact in the community already. This is more than just showing up and volunteering: they’ve sparked something. Whether it’s a program, movement, or policy shift, something now exists in Arlington that wouldn’t without them.

The award will be presented at the Spirit of Community Awards and Luncheon on Thursday, November 12th, 2026, an annual gathering of Arlington’s civic, business, and philanthropic leaders.

Please submit nominations by Thursday, June 25th to be considered.

Nomination Process

Section I: Complete the required fields.

Section II: You have the option of completing the questions in the fields or submitting a video which answers those questions.

Section III: Please upload any additional optional information in this section.

Nomination Criteria

Nominees for the Spirit on the Rise Award should meet the following criteria:

• Nominee should be considered emerging in their community engagement and changemaking journey — this may include age, career stage, or recent entry into public-facing work.

• Nominees may be from any sector (nonprofit, civic, business, grassroots) but must have made a significant contribution to Arlington’s well-being.

• Award emphasizes creative problem-solving, originality, and impact — not just participation.

There is no limit to the number of individuals that can be nominated by one person. Additionally, the same person can be nominated by different people.

Current Arlington Community Foundation Board of Trustees and previous winners of the award are not eligible to be nominated. View the full list of previous winners here.

The nomination period is open until Thursday, June 25th, and the Award Recipient will be notified by late July.

Get updates on the Spirit of Community Awards & Luncheon

Registration for the event will open in the summer. Subscribe here for email updates and follow Arlington Community Foundation on Facebook, Instagram, and LinkedIn to receive all the latest event and registration updates.

If you have any questions or comments, please send an email to nknock@arlcf.org. 

Example: When I met Jada Thompson, she had just finished her master's in public health and was working as a community liaison for a local housing nonprofit. In just three years, she’s emerged as a powerful voice for housing justice in Arlington — not because she chased titles, but because she saw a need and refused to stay quiet about it.

Jada grew up in South Arlington and has experienced firsthand the effects of displacement and rising rents. That personal connection drives her work. She co-founded Renters United Arlington in 2022 — a tenant-led coalition focused on educating renters about their rights, organizing around unjust evictions, and pushing for more transparent housing policies. She doesn’t just attend community meetings; she helps reimagine them. Thanks to Jada’s leadership, the coalition has grown from a group chat to a fully structured network with over 300 members, multilingual outreach, and a trusted presence in Arlington’s advocacy landscape.

What makes Jada a standout emerging leader is how she blends data, storytelling, and action. She’s just as comfortable testifying at a County Board meeting as she is knocking on doors to check on neighbors. She listens first, then moves — and people follow. Jada is shaping the future of Arlington by making sure the people most impacted by policy have a seat at the table. She’s bold, rooted, and absolutely someone to watch.

Example: In 2022, Jada Thompson co-founded Renters United Arlington to address rising evictions and rent hikes that were displacing families in South Arlington. At the time, there was no central space for renters to organize or access clear information about their rights.

What set Jada apart was her community-first approach. She held listening sessions in multiple languages, partnered with legal aid, and worked with local artists to create accessible, culturally relevant materials. Under her leadership, the group helped prevent dozens of evictions and successfully advocated for extended tenant notification policies.

Her work didn’t just fill a gap — it built something lasting. Renters United is now a trusted, resident-led network shaping housing justice in Arlington.

Example: Jada is on the rise because she sees possibility where others see limits. In a short amount of time, she’s already helped shift systems — not by working alone, but by organizing people, listening deeply, and building solutions from the ground up.

She has an instinct for identifying the root of a problem and the initiative to do something about it, even when the path forward isn’t clear. She’s not just reactive — she’s visionary. Whether it’s mobilizing renters, reimagining how outreach materials are created, or forging unlikely partnerships, she brings a fresh, practical creativity that moves things forward.

What makes me confident in Jada’s future is that her impact is never about personal recognition — it’s about lasting change. She is laying the groundwork for long-term progress in Arlington, and I truly believe we’re only seeing the beginning of what she’ll do.