October 13, 2026 – SkillUp Coalition announced today that it has been named a Finalist in Technology, Industry-Specific Program (Nonprofit) for The 6th Annual Anthem Awards.
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.”
SkillUp’s groundbreaking AI-powered platform is designed to dismantle career barriers for STARs (workers Skilled Through Alternative Routes). Evolving into the first agentic AI career coach equipped with persistent memory and specialized agents, the platform delivers continuous, personalized guidance through training, job search, and life constraints. Backed by top philanthropic partners and elite tech accelerators, the initiative aims to reach 10 million non-degree workers and connect 1 million individuals to living-wage careers by 2030.
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 SkillUp’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.
SkillUp Coalition is an innovative nonprofit connecting individuals skilled through alternative routes (STARs) with the right tools, resources and support to make confident career shifts, find quality living-wage jobs, and achieve promising career growth without the need of a college degree. Through its cutting-edge technology platform and step-by-step career guidance options, SkillUp has connected more than 5.2 million STARs with career, training, and job support nationwide. Founded in 2020, the coalition brings together more than 180 leading organizations, including training and education providers, technology developers, policymakers, employers, and philanthropies.
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.
Hailed as the “Internet’s highest honor” by The New York Times, The Webby Awards is the leading international awards organization honoring excellence on the Internet, including Websites and Mobile Sites; Video & Film; Advertising, Media & PR; Apps, Software & Immersive; Social; Podcasts; Games; Creators and AI. Established in 1996, The Webby Awards received over 13,000 entries from all 50 states and over 70 countries worldwide this year. The Webby Awards are presented by the International Academy of Digital Arts and Sciences (IADAS). Sponsors and Partners of The Webby Awards include Adobe, WP Engine, Patreon, ElevenLabs, Framer, Meta, NAACP, KPMG, The Wall Street Journal, Deadline, The Hollywood Reporter, SXSW, The Podcast Show, and Authentic.
Find The Anthem Awards Online:
Website: anthemawards.com
Instagram: @anthemawards
LinkedIn: The Anthem Awards
TikTok: @anthemawards
