Springboard To Design Selected As Finalist For The 6th Annual Anthem Awards

Springboard to Design has announced that it has been named a Finalist in two categories: Advocacy & Support in Belonging & Inclusion and Community Engagement in Belonging & Inclusion in The 6th Annual Anthem Awards. 

Public voting is now open in both categories through Thursday, October 29. Supporters can cast their votes for Springboard to Design in the following categories:

• Advocacy & Support

• Community Engagement

Anthem Winners are selected by the International Academy of Digital Arts and Sciences. Judges for the 6th Annual Anthem Awards include an esteemed panel of leaders from leading organizations and companies dedicated to social impact, including Nancy Brown, CEO, American Heart Association, Heather Malenshek, CMO, Land O'Lakes, Inc., Jesse Tyler Ferguson, Award-Winning Actor & LGBTQ+ Advocate, Patrice Duckworth, Chief Inclusion Officer, Johnson & Johnson, Fatima Graves, President & CEO, National Women's Law Center, Justina Nixon-Saintil, Vice President & Global Chief Impact Officer, IBM, and many others.

“We're thrilled to see the impact sector bounce back, share their stories, and expand their impact after a challenging year last year,” said Anthem Awards General Manager, Patricia McLoughlin. “This year's Finalists are truly setting the standard for how to advocate for a cause, inspire action, create impact, and overall make this world a better place.”

Springboard to Design (SB2D) is a tuition-free theater design mentorship and equity initiative that expands access to careers in theater design for students from underrepresented communities. Founded by Design Action and led by Tony Award-winning designers Clint Ramos and David Zinn, the program provides hands-on training, mentorship, and professional development across disciplines including scenic, costume, lighting, projection, sound, props, wigs, and production design. Through its commitment to equity and inclusion, Springboard to Design works to ensure that the next generation of theater artists reflects the diversity of the communities whose stories they bring to life.

“We're honored that Springboard to Design has been recognized by The Anthem Awards for our commitment to expanding access and creating a more inclusive future for theater. Talent is everywhere, but access to opportunity is not. Through mentorship, hands-on training, and meaningful connections to the professional theater community, we're working to ensure that emerging designers from underrepresented backgrounds have the tools, resources, and support to see themselves in this industry and shape its future. This recognition reinforces why that work matters,” said Clint Ramos and David Zinn in a joint statement. 

Alongside the Finalist Announcement comes the launch of Anthem Community Voice in Partnership with NationBuilder, an annual voting campaign and celebration to uplift the work of Anthem Finalists. Supporters can celebrate Springboard to Design's work online from October 13th to October 29th at celebrate.anthemawards.com. All Finalists are also in the running to win a Gold, Silver, or Bronze Anthem Award selected by Anthem judges. All Winners for the 6th Annual Anthem Awards will be announced on November 5, 2026.

ABOUT THE ANTHEM AWARDS        

Launched in 2021 by The Webby Awards, The Anthem Awards recognizes impactful brands, nonprofits, and individuals that are setting the standard for good worldwide. The Anthem Awards honors work across seven core causes: Belonging & Inclusion; Education, Art & Culture; Health; Human & Civil Rights; Humanitarian Action & Services; Sustainability, Environment & Climate; and Technology. This season's partners and sponsors include NationBuilder, Sustainable Brands, NationSwell, The Bloom, the Social Innovation Summit and The Nonprofit Alliance. The Awards were founded in partnership with the Ad Council, Born This Way Foundation, Feeding America, GLAAD, Mozilla, NAACP, NRDC, WWF, and XQ.