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Fremont Today
By the People, for the People
Elevate Prize winners gain more than $300K in funding
They learn to better tell their own stories
Published on Feb. 19, 2026
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The 10 winners of the 2026 Elevate Prize, including Mónica Ramírez of Justice for Migrant Women, will each receive $300,000 in unrestricted funding and support to increase the visibility of their work. The Elevate Prize Foundation believes that storytelling is key to driving awareness and support for the winners' causes.
Why it matters
The Elevate Prize aims to amplify the work of leaders and organizations addressing pressing social issues. In a climate of reduced support for immigrant and migrant communities, the prize provides a critical boost to groups like Justice for Migrant Women that advocate for the rights of marginalized populations.
The details
Each of the 10 Elevate Prize winners will receive $300,000 in unrestricted funding as well as training and support to grow their organizations and increase public awareness of their work. The Elevate Prize Foundation believes that effective storytelling is key to driving support and funding for the winners' causes. To that end, the foundation is launching an initiative called 'Good Is Trending' that will include taking over the NASDAQ's Times Square billboards to spotlight the winners.
- The 2026 class of Elevate Prize winners was announced on February 17, 2026.
The players
Mónica Ramírez
The founder and president of Justice for Migrant Women, a nonprofit that advocates for the rights and needs of migrant women and other marginalized communities.
Carolina Garcia Jayaram
The CEO of the Elevate Prize Foundation, which awards the Elevate Prize.
Mara Fleishman
The CEO of the Chef Ann Foundation, which brings made-from-scratch meals to schools.
What they’re saying
“As immigrant and migrant community members are being threatened and attacked around our country, it's really important to have shows of support like the Elevate Prize is providing because we've seen a retraction — a big retraction — in support.”
— Mónica Ramírez, Founder and President, Justice for Migrant Women
“It's more important than ever to double down on leaders like Monica.”
— Carolina Garcia Jayaram, CEO, Elevate Prize Foundation
“We've worked with over 17,000 schools and reached more than five million kids. But how do we take the work we've done and turn it into something digestible for legislators and advocates to understand what is possible?”
— Mara Fleishman, CEO, Chef Ann Foundation
What’s next
The Elevate Prize Foundation is launching its 'Good Is Trending' initiative, which will include taking over the NASDAQ's Times Square billboards to shine a spotlight on the 2026 Elevate Prize winners.
The takeaway
The Elevate Prize provides critical support and visibility for leaders and organizations addressing pressing social issues, particularly in a climate of reduced support for marginalized communities. By empowering the winners to better tell their stories, the prize aims to drive greater awareness and funding for their important work.
