April 16, 2026 · McCall Vrydaghs
PALM SPRINGS, Calif. — April 16, 2026 —Engage for Good (opens in a new tab) today named Keep America Beautiful as its 2026 Nonprofit of the Year in recognition of the organization’s decades-long commitment to building cleaner, greener, and more vibrant communities, along with its pioneering model for how community action can unite people through shared purpose, pride, and a sense of belonging.
The Halo Awards (opens in a new tab) annually recognize organizations that define the gold standard for what effective corporate–nonprofit partnerships look like. This year’s Nonprofit of the Year Award reflects Keep America Beautiful’s long legacy of educating the public and bringing together the business sector, governments, and local communities as shared stewards of clean, vibrant public spaces.
Since its founding in 1953, Keep America Beautiful has worked to raise awareness, inspire action, and advance practical solutions to reduce litter and improve recycling rates, while bringing people together to improve their neighborhoods and support vibrant communities. Through its partnerships with companies including Anheuser-Busch, The Coca-Cola Company, Niagara Cares, Altria, and Reynolds American, Keep America Beautiful continues to create accessible, meaningful pathways for people to care for the places they call home and work together to improve them.
“For more than 70 years, Keep America Beautiful has done something rare – built a model that turns corporate and community partnerships into tangible, visible change,” said Muneer Panjwani, CEO of Engage for Good. “Their work proves that when people feel genuinely connected to a place, they act to protect it. That’s exactly the kind of impact this award was created to celebrate.”
“We are deeply honored to receive this recognition from Engage for Good,” said Jennifer Lawson, President and CEO of Keep America Beautiful. “We have always believed the biggest challenges are solved when people come together in partnership. When communities, systems, and partners move together, progress follows.”
In announcing the award, Engage for Good cited Keep America Beautiful’s sustained positive impact on communities across the country through its network of 763 local affiliates. In 2025, more than 2.3 million Keep America Beautiful affiliate volunteers planted more than 190,000 miles of plants and trees, improved 621,000 acres of public land, and picked up 18 million pounds of litter at more than 60,000 cleanup events, delivering $64 million in value to local communities. In 2024, Keep America Beautiful launched the Greatest American Cleanup, a national campaign to pick up millions of pieces of litter and plant red, white, and blue flowers across the nation in honor of America’s 250th Birthday on July 4, 2026.
The award will be presented to Keep America Beautiful at the Halo Awards Gala during the Engage for Good Conference, taking place April 21–24 in Palm Springs, California. The event will bring together more than 700 corporate and nonprofit leaders to explore the strategies, partnerships, and innovations shaping the future of social impact.
About the Halo Awards
Now in its 24th year, the Halo Awards (opens in a new tab) are the social impact sector’s longest-running recognition of excellence in corporate–nonprofit partnerships. Past awardees include Google, Procter & Gamble, Big Brothers Big Sisters, Macy’s, and more.
“The organizations that win this award aren’t just doing good work, they’re raising the bar for what this field expects of itself,” Panjwani added. “A Halo Award tells your partners, your leadership, and the communities you serve that your impact isn’t incidental, it’s strategic, rigorous, and built to last.”
Registration is open at https://events.engageforgood.com/conference (opens in a new tab).
facebookinstagramtwitteryoutubelinkedinspotifyitunes
About Engage for Good
For more than two decades, Engage for Good (EFG) has been the trusted home for corporate and nonprofit leaders building partnerships that deliver real results. EFG has equipped leaders shaping cause marketing, CSR, ESG, and nonprofit partnership strategy with the connections, best practices, and community they need to build high-impact partnerships that drive both business and social value. With a community of over 19,000 impact leaders, EFG’s programs include the annual Engage for Good Conference, The Halo Awards, membership for impact professionals, and consulting services for nonprofits and companies. Learn more at engageforgood.com (opens in a new tab).
About Keep America Beautiful®:
Keep America Beautiful, founded in 1953, is a national nonprofit that inspires and educates
people to take action every day to improve and beautify their community environment. Through its powerful network of community-based affiliates, millions of volunteers, and strategic partners, Keep America Beautiful brings people together to transform public spaces into beautiful places. Join us on Facebook (opens in a new tab), Instagram (opens in a new tab), LinkedIn (opens in a new tab), and YouTube (opens in a new tab). Donate and take action at kab.org.
Press Contacts:
Stay in touch
Get stories, ideas, and practical ways to help make your community cleaner, greener, and more beautiful — sent straight to your inbox.
or text LITTER to 475-500-8569
By texting LITTER to 475-500-8569 you agree to receive automated promotional and customer support text messages from Keep America Beautiful. Msg. frequency varies. Msg. and data rates may apply. You can opt-out anytime. Reply STOP to cancel, HELP for help. View Privacy & Terms.
Recycling
October 15, 2026 · McCall Vrydaghs
High school students invited to explore local recycling systems and pitch creative, community-based solutions. The challenge runs through November 15, 2026 with one grand-prize winner receiving $500.
October 5, 2026 · McCall Vrydaghs
Partnership supports associate volunteer events, community-driven litter solutions, and innovative local leadership.
September 11, 2026 · McCall Vrydaghs
Cleanup, beautification, and other acts of service part of America’s Day of Doing Good, the largest day of community action in U.S. history