The 2026 Magna Awards offer new opportunities for districts: Find out how to apply
Jill Buck, founder and CEO of the Go Green Initiative, provides a step-by-step guide for applying to the re-tooled 2026 Magna Awards.
September 15, 2025
For the next four years, NSBA will devote the Magna Awards program to improving indoor air quality (IAQ) and energy efficiency in schools nationwide. School districts will be recognized for efforts to manage IAQ and track energy usage with the aid of no-cost training and resources provided by the Go Green Initiative (GGI).
WHY CHANGE THE MAGNA AWARDS?
The new focus of NSBA’s Magna Awards is the result of a grant partnership with a nonprofit organization that has been an NSBA ally since 2005. The GGI helps school districts with two important objectives: to protect student health from environmental health risks at school and to conserve natural resources for future generations. In 2024, the GGI received a five-year, $8 million grant from the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency to improve IAQ and energy efficiency in schools. It formed a partnership with NSBA to bring funding, training, and technical support to as many school districts as possible.
As part of that partnership, the 2026-29 Magna Awards will spotlight the significant impact IAQ at school has on children’s health and ability to learn. Districts are encouraged to participate in free online and in-person training events throughout the year that provide step-by-step guidance for implementing an Energy-Efficient IAQ Management Plan.
POINTS-BASED APPLICATION
The Magna Awards application has been changed from an application process to a point-based format. Districts can earn points for a variety of online and in-person activities and will be emailed a Certificate of Completion in PDF format for each activity. The PDFs should be uploaded to the Magna Awards online application no later than midnight EDT on Oct. 31, 2025. The goal is to earn 500 points in five categories.
EARN POINTS FOR ONLINE COURSES
Districts can earn up to 130 points for taking two online courses. Course 1 is entitled, “Creating an Energy-Efficient IAQ Management Plan” and includes nine lessons worth 10 points each. Course 2 is entitled, “Document GHG Emissions” and includes four lessons worth 10 points each.
Course One: Creating an Energy-Efficient IAQ Management Plan (all lessons below are embedded in the course)
- Mission Statement - 10 points
- Role of IAQ Coordinator and IAQ Team - 10 points
- Background and IAQ Findings - 10 points
- IAQ Policies and Plans - 10 points
- Procedures - 10 points
- Staff Responsibilities for Maintaining Good IAQ - 10 points
- Applicable Local and State Requirements/Regulations - 10 points
- Emergency Response - 10 points
- Steps to Prevention - 10 points
Course Two: Document GHG Emissions (all lessons below are embedded in the course)
- Bonus Lesson: The Hidden Impact of Energy Use: An Introduction to GHGs
- Getting Started with Energy Star Portfolio Manager - 10 points
- Adding Schools in Portfolio Manager - 10 points
- Populating Energy Usage Data - 10 points
- Generating GHG Emissions Reports - 10 points
EARN POINTS FOR SUBMITTING AN IAQ MANAGEMENT PLAN
Districts can earn up to 100 points for submitting an IAQ Management Plan based on Course 1 of the online training.
Earn points for tracking energy usage and GHG emissions
Districts can earn up to 50 points for documenting the GHGs associated with their energy usage in accordance with Course 2 of the online training.
Document greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions for 12 months
- 10 points for documenting GHG emissions for 20% of the schools in your district - Up to 50 points
- 20 points for documenting GHG emissions for 30% of the schools in your district - Up to 50 points
- 30 points for documenting GHG emissions for 50% of the schools in your district - Up to 50 points
- 40 points for documenting GHG emissions for 75% of the schools in your district - Up to 50 points
- 50 points for documenting GHG emissions for 100% of the schools in your district - Up to 50 points
NSBA EVENTS
Districts can earn up to 100 points for attending in-person training with the GGI at NSBA events.
- 2025 NSBA Annual Conference - Magna Award Breakfast - 25 points
- 2025 NSBA Annual Conference - Breakout session with GGI CEO - 25 points
- 2025 NSBA Annual Conference - Fireside chat with GGI CEO - 25 points
- 2025 CUBE - Breakout session with Go Green Initiative - 25 points
ON-DEMAND WEBINARS
Districts can earn up to 120 points for attending monthly webinars. The webinars are recorded and archived on YouTube, so districts can earn points anytime even if they cannot attend a live webinar.
- March 2025 – ANNUAL -$50,000 Grants for School Districts Watch recording here - 15 points
- April 2025 – How to Earn a 2026 Magna Award Watch recording here - 15 points
- May 2025 – Harnessing Data for Sustainable, Safer Spaces (CO & MD school districts) Watch recording here - 15 points
- June 2025 - The Impact of Outdoor Air Quality (L.A. Unified) Watch recording here - 15 points
- July 2025 - Monitoring IAQ Districtwide (Boston Public Schools) Watch recording here - 15 points
- August 2025 - State-by-State Regulations on IAQ in Schools (The American Lung Association) Register here - 15 pointss
- September 2025 - Magna Awards Q&A Register here - 15 points
- October 2025 - Improving IAQ in Schools Register here - 15 points
HOW TO APPLY
Go to the NSBA website. Familiarize yourself with the Magna Awards page, paying particular attention to the application link.
Gather basic data on your district. Page one of the application asks for basic information about your school district, including opportunities for you to describe your district, student population, and ways in which your school board supported the creation of your IAQ Management program and its continued success.
Take two online courses. Page two of the application includes spaces for you to upload your IAQ Management Plan and your documentation of energy usage and GHG emissions. To ensure you have completed these steps properly, take the free online courses related to these topics first. You can access the courses on the NSBA website by clicking on “Resources + Services” then “IAQ Training for School Leaders,” then “Learn More,” or by visiting https://gogreeninitiative.org/courses-iaq/.
- Course 1: Creating an Energy Efficient IAQ Management Plan includes nine lessons that guide you through each step of creating your plan.
- Course 2: Documenting Greenhouse Gas (GHG) Emissions & Using ENERGY STAR® Portfolio Manager® includes four lessons designed to help you create Portfolio Manager® accounts for each school in your district, track energy usage, and run GHG emissions reports. The course also includes a bonus lesson that will help you better understand the connection between energy usage and GHG emissions.
At the end of each lesson, you will find a link to a short assessment that allows you to earn a Certificate of Completion for each lesson. The certificate will be automatically emailed to you in PDF format. You will upload your certificates for each lesson on page four of the application and earn 10 points for each one.
Put your training in action. After completing Course 1: Creating an Energy-FEfficient IAQ Management Plan, write an IAQ Management Plan for your district. Ensure that your plan includes the nine sections outlined in the course and upload your document to page 3 of the Magna Awards application. After completing Course 2: Documenting Greenhouse Gas (GHG) Emissions & Using ENERGY STAR® Portfolio Manager®, create Portfolio Manager® accounts for the schools in your district, populate 12 months of energy use data into each account, and run GHG emissions reports in Portfolio Manager® for each account. Combine the reports into one PDF and upload the document to page 3 of the application.
Note: If for any reason you cannot document GHG emissions for 100% of your schools to earn all 50 points for this activity, you can earn partial points in the following manner:
- 10 points for documenting GHG emission for 20% of the schools in your district
- 20 points for documenting GHG emission for 30% of the schools in your district
- 30 points for documenting GHG emission for 50% of the schools in your district
- 40 points for documenting GHG emission for 75% of the schools in your district
- 50 points for documenting GHG emission for 100% of the schools in your district.
Get credit for NSBA event training.
A) If you attended the following sessions at NSBA events in 2025, indicate that on page four of the Magna Award application and earn 25 points each:
- 2025 NSBA Annual Conference - Magna Award Breakfast
- 2025 NSBA Annual Conference - Breakout session with Go Green Initiative CEO
- 2025 NSBA Annual Conference - Fireside chat with Go Green Initiative CEO
- 2025 CUBE - Breakout Session with Go Green Initiative
*Note: at the end of each of these sessions, a QR code was given to earn credit for attendance. The Awards Committee will verify that a member of your district filled out the survey associated with each QR code.
B) Watch webinars for points. Since March 2025, NSBA and GGI have hosted monthly webinars with a variety of special guest speakers covering topics related to IAQ in schools. The webinars are archived on the GGI YouTube “Indoor Air Quality in Schools” playlist. You can watch them anytime and at the end of each webinar you will see a slide with a QR code for a brief survey that will allow you to earn a Certificate of Completion. The certificate will be automatically emailed to you in PDF format, and you can upload each one on page three of the Magna Award application.
C) Upload Certificates of Completion for online training. On page four of the Magna Award application, you will complete your nomination by uploading the certificates you earned for completing the thirteen lessons in Courses 1 and 2 in step three above.
JUDGING PROCESS
The judging process will occur in late November or early December. The panel of judges consists of members of the NSBA Board of Directors Awards Committee and senior staff from the GGI. If you are a winner, you will be notified in late January or early February. Notification will be sent by email to the program’s nominator, the district’s superintendent, the school board president, and your state school boards association. We ask that you do not announce the award until March.
Three districts will be named Grand Prize winners, and multiple others are named Silver Award winners. Representatives of the three Grand Prize winners must be available to present at a special Education Session during NSBA’s Annual Conference. All winning district programs will be featured in the April 2026 issue of ASBJ.
Jill Buck (jillbuck@gogreeninitiative.org) is the founder and CEO of the Go Green Initiative, in Pleasanton, California.