Hot off the heels of Irvine’s 2013 Leadership Awards announcement, nominations are pouring in for the class of 2014. We can’t wait for the review process to start. Year after year we are wowed by the innovative nominees and how well they are addressing important challenges in their communities.

But it looks like we’ll have to wait just a few more days as we have extended the nominations deadline to April 10. If you haven’t yet nominated that terrifically effective leader who wows you, now is the time.

The $125,000 Leadership Award advances the work of individuals and small teams who are implementing innovative and effective solutions to significant state issues. Nominees may be working in any field - such as education, health, public safety, economic development or the environment - and in the public, private or nonprofit sector. We seek nominees who have demonstrated inclusiveness and leadership in their fields and whose work is ready to be shared with policymakers and other practitioners.

We have simplified the application to make it easier to nominate someone for a James Irvine Foundation Leadership Award. The application has two parts:

Next week I’ll be joining policymakers, elections officials and voter advocates in Sacramento for the first-ever Future of California Elections conference. The event, organized by California Common Cause, will spotlight the collaborative efforts of election administrators, civil rights groups and reform advocates over the last year and a half to expand voter participation and improve the effectiveness of elections in the Golden State.

Working together in 2012, the members of the Future of California Elections successfully advanced same-day voter registration, strengthened the National Voter Registration Act, helped implement online voter registration and improved the state voter guide. Originally brought together by Irvine, the group recently became an independent project to support ongoing collaboration in coming years.

At the January 23 conference, the group will discuss with policymakers and the public opportunities to further improve California elections. Learn more about the conference here, including the full agenda and details about how to register.

Today we kick off an exciting month for the James Irvine Foundation Leadership Awards. We are pleased to announce that nominations are now open for the 2014 Leadership Awards. And in just a few short weeks, we’ll announce the recipients of the 2013 Leadership Awards. It’s going to be a celebratory, inspiring month!

Each year the Leadership Awards recognize four to six leaders who are tackling big issues in California and offering breakthrough solutions that can contribute to a better future for our state. We welcome nominations of leaders from all corners of the state and from any field – such as education, health, public safety, economic development or the environment – in the public, private or nonprofit sector.

Past recipients have worked on issues as diverse as providing mental health care for returning veterans, building vibrant communities for seniors, reducing youth recidivism and installing solar panels in low-income communities. What these leaders have in common is that they are advancing innovative, effective solutions to significant issues in California.

Please take a moment to tell us about someone who is improving California and nominate him or her for a 2014 James Irvine Foundation Leadership Award. The deadline for nominations is April 5, 2013.

On February 13, Matthew Cate, secretary of the California Department of Corrections and Rehabilitation, presented a James Irvine Foundation Leadership Award to Christa Gannon, founder and director of Fresh Lifelines for Youth (FLY), a program that has been reducing juvenile crime in San Mateo and Santa Clara counties by giving local youth leadership training and classes in criminal justice.

Recently, Cate spoke to Irvine Senior Program Officer Catherine Hazelton about the effectiveness of the FLY approach and how the pending realignment of most juvenile justice programs from state to county control may allow for greater emphasis on crime prevention programs.

Do you need a few more days to nominate an effective California leader for a 2013 James Irvine Foundation Leadership Award? You've got it - we have extended the deadline to Wednesday, April 4.

The $125,000 award advances the work of individuals and small teams who are implementing innovative and effective solutions to significant state issues. Nominees may be working in any field — such as education, health, public safety, economic development or the environment — and in the public, private or nonprofit sector. We seek nominees who have demonstrated inclusiveness and leadership in their fields and whose work is ready to be shared with policymakers and other practitioners.

We have simplified the application to make it easier to nominate someone for a James Irvine Foundation Leadership Award. The application has two parts:

Spring is always an exciting, optimistic time of year for us. It’s when we start considering a new round of nominees for the James Irvine Foundation Leadership Awards. Their work inspires us, especially given the significant challenges facing California. Indeed, these nominations make abundantly clear that people and organizations throughout the state are improving their communities every day. They are tackling big issues – including education, health, public safety, economic development and others – and offering breakthrough solutions that can contribute to a better California.

Every spring, we welcome nominations of leaders from all corners of the state for the James Irvine Foundation Leadership Awards. We recognize four to six leaders every year and provide each of them with $125,000 to support their work. At least $100,000 is designated for core support of the leader’s project or organization, and up to $25,000 may be used for professional or organizational development. The Foundation also supports recipients in sharing their approaches with state and local policymakers and practitioners in their fields, with the aim of extending their successful models to benefit more Californians.

We hope you will help us find the 2013 recipients of the James Irvine Foundation Leadership Awards. In this season of new beginnings, please take a moment to tell us about a leader who is breaking through old barriers and creating new solutions for California’s future. The deadline for nominations is Friday, March 30.