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What Can I Win at the D&AD Impact Awards 2026?

Pencil levels, shortlist timing, rankings and what happens after you win.

Summary: Learn when results are released, what each pencil level means, and how winners are showcased globally.

Shortlists will be announced on 19-20 May 2026 and Pencil winners on 20 May 2026. Moved to September, the Ceremony will announce and celebrate the Black Pencil winners, Companies of the Year, top-ranking individuals, and introduce the new D&AD; President. During judging we will send an official confirmation of the results to the person registered as the main contact for the entries.


What Do The Award Levels Mean? 


  • Shortlist: Work that demonstrates merit, worthy of recognition and in the top echelon of entries. It’s awarded in all categories in the first instance. 
  • Wood Pencil: The best of the year in advertising, design, craft, culture and impact. 
  • Graphite Pencil: For stand-out work that rises above the rest, worthy of consideration for a Yellow Pencil. 
  • Yellow Pencil: The iconic D&AD; Yellow Pencil, awarded only to outstanding work that achieves true creative excellence. 
  • Black Pencil: The ultimate creative accolade, reserved for ground-breaking work. Only a handful of these are awarded each year, if any. 
  • Future Impact Pencil: Awarded to work in the Future Impact category. Early-stage projects that demonstrate the potential to drive the UN SDGs and stimulate behavioural, environmental, societal or policy change through creativity. Both Pencil Winners and Shortlisted entrants will also receive a place on the D&AD; Impact Programme and the right to apply for a development grant from the D&AD; Impact Fund. See for more information. 
  • White Pencil: Replaces the Yellow Pencil in the Impact and Sustained Impact categories. Exceptional projects that use the power of creativity to drive the UN SDGs and stimulate behavioural, environmental, societal or policy change. 
  • President's Award: Every year, D&AD; honours an industry hero, a legend whose contribution to the industry has been nothing but inspirational. The recipient is chosen by the D&AD; President and will be announced at the D&AD; Awards Ceremony.

All shortlisted work will appear in the D&AD; Annual, available online and freely accessible to tens of thousands of creative companies and practitioners globally. 


Awarded entrants in the Future Impact category will be invited to apply for a development grant from the £25,000 D&AD; Impact Fund and access to the Impact Council and D&AD; Learning to support project owners with the ideation, launch and early growth of their work. The Impact Fund will be allocated by the D&AD; Impact Council and must be spent on developing the awarded work within 12 months of being received. 


Winning entrants in the Impact category will receive a Wood, Graphite, White or Black Pencil, feature in the D&AD; Awards Ceremony and will have trees planted in recognition of their work with Everclime. 


Winning entrants in the Future Impact category will receive a Future Impact Pencil, featured in the D&AD; Awards Ceremony and will have trees planted in recognition of their work with Everclime. 


What is the D&AD; Impact Programme? 


Available to all Shortlisted Entrants in the Future Impact category, the D&AD; Impact programme is a 12-month package of mentorship, training and support that’s designed to support project owners with the ideation, launch and early growth of their work. It’s available to anyone shortlisted in the Future Impact category. 


A Future Impact cohort typically includes individuals, organisations and teams working on prototypes, MVPs, projects in testing or those that have recently launched. Through the programme we aim to enable a cohort of creative thinkers, known as D&AD; Impacters, to develop their projects within 12 months.


Anyone shortlisted in the Future Impact category will receive a place on the D&AD; Impact Programme and the opportunity to apply for a development grant from the £25,000 D&AD; Impact Fund. The Impact Programme includes: 

  • The opportunity to ask the Impact Council for tailored mentorship, training and support that’s designed to support project owners with the ideation, launch and early growth of their work 
  • A space on a live D&AD; Masterclasses of your choice 
  • Access to D&AD;’s on-demand courses for a year 
  • Free entry into the D&AD; Awards Impact category, valid for 3 years 

For more information on what the programme entails, please visit the D&AD; Impact page. Nb. D&AD; reserves the right to alter elements of the Programme, or cancel the Programme in its entirety, if fewer than 20 participants confirm their commitment. 


How do I access the Impact Fund? 


If you are Shortlisted in the Future Impact category, you will be contacted and asked if you would like to apply for a grant to develop your work. You can apply for all, or part, of the £25,000 fund. Money must be spent only in relation to the project or work that was awarded and within 12 months from the date it is received. 


The Impact Council will meet to consider applications in September 2026. Funds will be awarded entirely at the judges’ discretion and depending on the quality of applications from eligible Entrants. Please note: D&AD; does not claim any ownership of, or rights in, the applicant’s project and nor does it expect any financial returns where funds have been awarded to an Entrant.