STRIDE Collaborative Leadership Awards
This is the 13th year the STRIDE Collaborative will present awards to recognize leadership in reducing diesel emissions throughout Region 4 of the United States Environmental Protection Agency (EPA). Since 2008, the STRIDE Collaborative (formerly SEDC) has been recognizing leadership in the Southeast through its annual leadership award program.
The program began with the Industry Leadership Award and the Community Fleet Leadership Award. In 2012, a new category, the Visionary Award was added to recognize individuals and organizations that have demonstrated significant leadership in achieving diesel emission reductions.
The following are descriptions for each award category:
- The Industry Leadership Award will recognize a for-profit company or corporation that demonstrates outstanding and exemplary leadership by proactive actions to reduce diesel emissions associated with their business activity.
- The Fleet Leadership Award will recognize a non-profit organization that has direct responsibility for a fleet and/or activity relying on diesel engines to fulfill their core mission that demonstrates exemplary leadership by proactive actions to reduce their diesel emissions.
- The Visionary Champion Award will recognize an organization and/or individual having a vision and acting on that vision to facilitate diesel emission reduction efforts.
If you know of an entity that has demonstrated significant leadership in achieving diesel emission reductions please nominate them for projects/programs substantially implemented or completed during the past year. Nominations are due by June 30, 2021 and will be announced at the STRIDE Annual Partners Meeting in Fall 2021.
Download the Form HERE
Submit your Nomination

Who is eligible?
The following describes entities that are eligible nominees:
- The entity’s projects/programs must reduce diesel emissions in at least one of the EPA Region 4 states (i.e., Alabama, Florida, Georgia, Kentucky, Tennessee, Mississippi, North Carolina, and South Carolina);
- An entity may nominate themselves or be nominated by others;
- The entity must be an active leader with recent accomplishments. The entity must have completed or substantially implemented one or more clean diesel related project(s)/program(s) during the 2020 and/or 2021 calendar years;
- An entity that previously won an Industry Leadership or Community Leadership award may not be nominated based on the same project(s)/program(s), but may be nominated for new project(s)/program(s) that occurred after receiving their most recent SEDC/STRIDE Leadership Award; and
- An entity may only compete in one of the three categories as described above. The nominator is asked to recommend a category. However, the STRIDE Leadership Committee will make the final decision in placing the nominee into the category it deems most appropriate.
When are nominations due?
- Nominations for projects/programs substantially implemented or completed during the past year are due by June 30, 2021 and will be announced at the STRIDE Annual Partnership Meeting in Fall 2021.
Who reviews nominations?
- The STRIDE Leadership Council will review the nominations and make the award selections accordingly.
What criteria will be used to evaluate nominations?
- Nominated entities will be evaluated based on the information provided in the Program Description Narrative submitted during the nomination period. These awards are presented for extraordinary leadership in promoting the goals of the STRIDE Collaborative.
- Nominees will be judged on their effectiveness in meeting the STRIDE Collaborative’s goals and the degree to which they display exemplary leadership and inspire others to step up their efforts in reducing diesel emissions. Project(s)/programs need to focus on improving air quality in Region 4 (i.e., Alabama, Florida, Georgia, Kentucky, Tennessee, Mississippi, North Carolina, and South Carolina). After the winners are selected, STRIDE will recognize the full array of leadership qualities demonstrated by the winner’s efforts.
How do I submit my entry?
- Complete the attached entry form and submit to Heather Hildebrandt before June 30, 2021.
Email: hjhildebrandt@ncdot.gov