Deadline:

Oct 15, 2009 - Closed

Program Area:

Building Human Capital

Purpose:

The Robert Wood Johnson Foundation Community Health Leaders (CHL) program each year honors 10 outstanding and otherwise unrecognized individuals who overcome daunting odds to improve health and health care, especially to underserved populations in communities across the United States. The program aims to elevate the work of these unsung heroes through enhanced recognition, technical assistance and new leadership opportunities.

Program Information:

• Call for Nominations


• Overview (PDF)

Eligibility & Selection Criteria:

We identify Community Health Leaders through a nomination and review process.To be considered for a CHL award, a nominee must:

• be accomplished in the field of community health at the midcareer level, with a three- to 10-year record of accomplishment;have created or substantially enhanced a health or health-care initiative that improves access to and quality of care or services in his or her community (e.g., broadened the reach of an established program;
• worked against conventional wisdom to establish a new initiative; or changed the perception of a critial health issue);have positively affected a significant number of people in the targeted community;
• not have received significant national recognition for their work;
• be a citizen or permanent resident of the United States or its territories at the time of the full nomination; and
• be affiliated with a public or nonprofit organization that is tax-exempt under Section 501(c)(3) of the Internal Revenue Code.

Please note: While we are aware that many health professionals are serving vulnerable populations, we are seeking community health leaders who have made extraordinary contributions in their community, beyond the requirements of their job.

We do not expect high-ranking health care employees, senior level officials and professional fundraisers to be competitive candidates.

Criteria used to assess nominees will include:

• Accomplishments: Achievements in the area of community health during the period that the nominee has been directly affiliated with the initiative or project for which s/he is being nominated. Please describe the journey the nominee has traveled toward his/her accomplishment and the obstacles overcome.
• Innovation: Demonstrated ability to break new ground with regard to services, target population or implementation of new ideas.
• Collaborative Leadership: Demonstrated ability to successfully engage diverse stakeholders.
• Systems Change: Demonstrated ability to place health care concerns into a larger context (i.e., community, regional, national, political, socioeconomic).
• Impact: The number of people affected by the nominee's efforts; the positive effects of the nominee's work on improving quality of life; and the potential future reach and impact of the initiative.
• Resiliency: Determination in the face of great challenge and the ability to transform obstacles into constructive action to improve or enhance the health of his or her community.
• Inspiration: Ability to inspire others to follow him or her and to mentor and develop future leaders.
• Level of Recognition: Received limited national recognition for his or her work.
• Career Status: Midcareer and/or mid-level manager with a three- to 10-year record of accomplishment. This award is not meant to be a capstone achievement for a person nearing retirement.In addition to the criteria listed above, our goal is to ensure geographic, ethnic and professional diversity among the CHL awardees.

Key Dates:

• October 15, 2009 (5 p.m. ET)—Deadline for receipt of brief nominations.
• November 24, 2009—Nominators notified if their candidates are selected to move to the full nomination stage.
• January 8, 2010 (5 p.m. ET)—Deadline for receipt of full nominations.

Total Award:

We will make 10 awards in the amount of $125,000 each for the 2010 award cycle. Each new leader will receive a personal award of $20,000 to recognize his or her accomplishments and $105,000 to support the work for which the leader is recognized.

Contact:

Helen Dundas, administrative coordinator
RWJF Community Health Leaders
hdundas@rwjf.org
Office: (609) 627-5809
http://www.communityhealthleaders.org

Related Materials:

• View National Program Office


• Robert Wood Johnson Foundation Community Health Leaders (Grant Results Reports)