Culture of Health Prize

2021 Call for Applications

The Culture of Health Prize honors and elevates U.S. communities working at the forefront of advancing health, opportunity, and equity for all.

OPEN: 2021 Call for Applications

We want to hear from communities that have placed a priority on health and are creating powerful partnerships and deep commitments to provide everyone, especially those facing the greatest challenges, with the opportunity to live the healthiest life possible.

If your community is using innovative ways to catalyze and sustain positive change, take the time to learn more about what it takes to be an RWJF Culture of Health Prize winner.

Learn more and apply.

 

In light of the COVID-19 pandemic, we postponed awarding the 2020 Culture of Health Prize until next year, alongside the 2021 winners. In the meantime, we’re sharing stories on past winners who exemplify what it means to make health equity a priority:

Courageous Conversations Panel video screen grab

2019 Prize-winning communities are taking more inclusive action by making space for Courageous Conversations.

A sign welcomes travelers to the City of Chelsea.

2017 winner, Chelsea, Mass., used existing partnerships to help patients isolate free of charge during the pandemic.

 

 

Six Steps to the RWJF Culture of Health Prize

Six Steps to the RWJF Culture of Health Prize

Young children play at a city-installed playground.
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Six Steps to the RWJF Culture of Health Prize

Communities across the nation are seeing the bigger picture of health. As communities decide whether to apply for the RWJF Culture of Health Prize, this video illuminates the criteria, or the six steps they should be taking to become a Prize community.
Communities across the nation are seeing the bigger picture of health. As communities decide whether to apply for the RWJF Culture of Health Prize, this video illuminates the criteria, or the six steps they should be taking to become a Prize community.

Six Steps to the RWJF Culture of Health Prize

Young children play at a city-installed playground.
Play now
Communities across the nation are seeing the bigger picture of health. As communities decide whether to apply for the RWJF Culture of Health Prize, this video illuminates the criteria, or the six steps they should be taking to become a Prize community.

 

 

Meet the Culture of Health Prize Winners

Communities across the country are coming together to make health a priority. Meet the previous winners and explore their stories.

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2019 Winner / Suburban

Broward County, Florida

Broward County, Florida, is “going big” in its efforts to eliminate barriers to health and economic well-being for its residents. Español disponible.

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2019 Winner / Rural

Gonzales, California

The residents of Gonzales, California, share a can-do attitude and passion to make their community a healthier, more sustainable place to live and work. Español disponible.

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2019 Winner / Urban, Suburban

Greenville County, South Carolina

Greenville County, South Carolina, is engaging around public transportation, affordable housing, and education to improve the community's health and well-being. Español disponible.

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2019 Winner / Rural

Lake County, Colorado

The residents of Lake County, Colorado, are using data and teamwork to improve health, education and economic standards in the community’s post-mining era. Español disponible.

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2019 Winner / Rural

Sitka, Alaska

The residents of Sitka, Alaska, are working across cultures and sectors to improve well-being for everyone in their island community. Español disponible.

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2018 Winner / Suburban

Cicero, Illinois

Once tormented by poverty, disconnected youth, and a lack of resources, residents of Cicero, Illinois, are taking action so that everyone has a chance at a healthier life.

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2018 Winner / Suburban

Eatonville, Florida

The oldest historically black incorporated town in America is looking at the big picture of what creates conditions for good health.

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2018 Winner / Rural, Tribal

Klamath County, Oregon

In Klamath County, partners come together to improve high school graduation rates for all students, build a strong cadre of local, skilled workers through job training, and attract new businesses.

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2018 Winner / Urban

San Antonio, Texas

The residents of San Antonio, Texas, are focused on health inequities and the connections between education, health and wealth.

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2017 Winner / Rural

Algoma, Wisconsin

The small town of Algoma, Wisconsin, is doing big things. Through the Live Algoma initiative, people and institutions are coming together to set goals and work as a team to address the city’s health and wellness issues.

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2017 Winner / Rural

Allen County, Kansas

Residents of this county in rural southeastern Kansas are banding together to foster a sense of belonging and create a shared vision of health and enhanced livelihood for all.

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2017 Winner / Urban

Chelsea, Massachusetts

This tiny city across the Tobin Bridge from Boston is tackling big urban challenges with innovation and heart.

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2017 Winner / Rural

Garrett County, Maryland

In Garrett County, Maryland, everyone seems to know everyone, and neighbors band together to bridge economic, cultural and health divides.

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2017 Winner / Urban

Richmond, Virginia

Stakeholders from across Richmond, Virginia, are coming together to create agency and opportunity for all residents, empowering them to make healthy choices and forge pathways out of poverty.

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2017 Winner / Urban

San Pablo, California

Having weathered tough times during the recession, the people of San Pablo, California, have drawn a direct line between economic well-being and health.

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2017 Winner / Tribal

Seneca Nation of Indians (New York)

Seneca Nation of Indians in western New York infuses its cultural strength and resilience into wide-ranging efforts to improve health.

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2017 Winner / Suburban

Vicksburg, Mississippi

Citizens of Vicksburg, Mississippi, are coming together to set priorities and focus on core issues like decreasing the obesity rate and improving children's learning environment.

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2016 Winner / Suburban

24:1 Community, Missouri

Twenty-four contiguous municipalities northwest of St. Louis, M.O., embrace an “all-for-one” approach to heal their community.

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2016 Winner / Rural

Columbia Gorge Region, Oregon and Washington

To bridge disparities, the people of the Columbia Gorge Region, a 2016 RWJF Culture of Health Prize winner, turned an ordinary requirement from Oregon lawmakers into an extraordinary opportunity to improve the health and wellness of all residents.

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2016 Winner / Urban

Louisville, Kentucky

Collaboration, data driven decision-making, and a shared commitment to health anchor efforts in Louisville.

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2016 Winner / Urban

Manchester, New Hampshire

In the largest city in northern New England, public officials and private sector leaders have taken a data-driven, block-by-block approach to better health.

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2016 Winner / Urban

Miami-Dade County, Florida

A vibrant, collaborative, and coordinated approach to improved health is happening across a diverse Miami-Dade County, where 51 percent of its almost 2.7 million residents are foreign-born and at least 79 cultures are represented within its borders.

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2016 Winner / Urban

Santa Monica, California

Santa Monica has been building an inclusive, equitable, and diverse community for more than 40 years. The City is taking a data-driven approach to become a true City of Wellbeing where everyone thrives.

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2016 Winner / Tribal

Shoalwater Bay Indian Tribe, Washington

For years, members of the Shoalwater Bay Indian Tribe had to drive 70 miles to see a doctor. Now, the Tribe's holistic approach to health led them to open a Wellness Center, encourage youth leaders and come together for emergency preparedness.

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2015 Winner / Urban

Bridgeport, CT: 2015 Culture of Health Prize Winner

Innovative “green” strategies have revitalized Bridgeport and created a healthy, sustainable environment. The transformation has not only boosted the economy, but is also leading to new schools, housing, green spaces—and opportunities for health.

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2015 Winner / Suburban

Everett, MA: 2015 Culture of Health Prize Winner

The people of Everett, Mass., did not wait for a crisis to address racial justice, immigration and assimilation. They dealt with the issues head-on.

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2015 Winner / Urban

Kansas City, MO: 2015 Culture of Health Prize Winner

Kansas City is creating a safe, healthy environment for all its residents by addressing what impacts health. Over the past decade, life expectancy improved for all. The gap between white and African-American residents was reduced from 6.5 to 5 years.

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2015 Winner / Suburban

Lawrence, MA: 2015 Culture of Health Prize Winner

Lawrence is making schools a community hub where parents get help for their children and financial and employment guidance for themselves. This has helped to raise the high school graduation rate from 52% in 2011 to 67% last year.

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2015 Winner / Tribal

Menominee Nation, WI: 2015 Culture of Health Prize Winner

Menominee Nation is improving health by reclaiming traditional culture and using trauma-specific interventions to foster healing from historical losses. As a result, 4-year graduation rates increased from less than 60% in 2007 to nearly 99% in 2014.

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2015 Winner

RWJF Awards Eight Communities with RWJF Culture of Health Prize

The Robert Wood Johnson Foundation announced the eight winners of the 2015 RWJF Culture of Health Prize, which honors communities that are working to ensure that everyone has the opportunity to live a longer, healthier, and more productive life.

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2015 Winner / Urban

Spartanburg County, SC: 2015 Culture of Health Prize Winner

Data driven decision making, partnerships, and collective impact—that is the Spartanburg way. They are connecting low-income residents to medical homes and support for the social determinants of health, resulting in a 42% drop in hospital costs.

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2015 Winner / Urban

The Bronx, NY: 2015 Culture of Health Prize Winner

Residents and organizations of the Bronx have united to revitalize everything from jobs and schools to housing and the environment. From 1985 to 2013, life expectancy at birth increased by 9.7 and 6.5 years for Bronx men and women, respectively.

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2015 Winner / Tribal

Waaswaaganing Anishinaabeg (Lac du Flambeau) Tribe, WI: 2015 Culture of Health Prize Winner

The Waaswaaganing Anishinaabeg (Lac du Flambeau) Tribe is drawing on cultural traditions to strengthen well-being. A youth program uses practices steeped in the Ojibwe language to improve school attendance and redirect at-risk youth.

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2014 Winner / Urban

Brownsville, TX: 2014 Culture of Health Prize Winner

Brownsville is highly successful in promoting active lifestyles and demonstrates the strength of community partnerships in action.

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2014 Winner / Urban

Buncombe County, NC: 2014 Culture of Health Prize Winner

By creating a broad collaboration of community partners, Buncombe County is on a path to long-term and sustainable change.

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2014 Winner / Urban

Durham, NC: 2014 Culture of Health Prize Winner

To build a healthier community, Durham County is harnessing locally driven revitalization efforts to address the many factors that impact health.

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2014 Winner / Urban

Spokane County, WA: 2014 Culture of Health Prize Winner

Recognizing the powerful impact education has on long-term health, Spokane is improving health by expanding educational opportunities that empower young people.

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2014 Winner / Tribal

Taos Pueblo, NM: 2014 Culture of Health Prize Winner

The Taos Pueblo community of northern New Mexico is drawing on its cultural traditions to address modern challenges.

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2014 Winner / Rural

Williamson, WV: 2014 Culture of Health Prize Winner

In the heart of central Appalachia coal country, Williamson is committed to improving health and expanding economic development.

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2013 Winner / Urban

Cambridge, MA: 2013 RWJF Culture of Health Prize Winner

Cambridge—best known for its world-renowned universities—is improving health equity by addressing public health challenges like obesity and school readiness. Cambridge is one the six winners of the inaugural RWJF Culture of Health Prize.

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2013 Winner / Suburban

Fall River, MA: 2013 RWJF Culture of Health Prize

Fall River, Massachusetts is one of the six winners of the inaugural RWJF Culture of Health Prize. The prize honors outstanding community partnerships, which are helping people live healthier lives.

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2013 Winner / Rural

Manistique, MI: 2013 RWJF Culture of Health Prize

Manistique, Michigan is one of the six winners of the inaugural RWJF Culture of Health Prize. The prize honors outstanding community partnerships, which are helping people live healthier lives.

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2013 Winner / Urban

Minneapolis, MN: 2013 RWJF Culture of Health Prize

Minneapolis, Minnesota is one of the six winners of the inaugural RWJF Culture of Health Prize. The prize honors outstanding community partnerships, which are helping people live healthier lives.

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2013 Winner / Urban

New Orleans, LA: 2013 RWJF Culture of Health Prize Winner

New Orleans, Louisiana, is one of the six inaugural winners of the RWJF Culture of Health Prize. The prize honors outstanding community partnerships, which are helping people live healthier lives.

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2013 Winner / Urban

Santa Cruz County, CA: 2013 RWJF Culture of Health Prize

Santa Cruz County, California is one of the six winners of the inaugural RWJF Culture of Health Prize. The prize honors outstanding community partnerships, which are helping people live healthier lives.

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Winner / Suburban

City, Full State

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Education

Aprendizaje, Vida, Salud

Los residentes del condado de Greenville entienden la importancia de la educación para la salud a largo plazo de sus hijos.

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Part of 2019 Winner: Condado de Greenville, Carolina del Sur

Transportation

Salvar una Brecha Histórica

Greenville está haciendo un esfuerzo concertado para garantizar que su reactivación económica llegue a todas las partes del condado por igual.

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Part of 2019 Winner: Condado de Greenville, Carolina del Sur

Economic Revitalization

Visión Verde

Gonzales está preservando el medio ambiente y generando más empleos bien remunerados, todo mientras fortalece la vitalidad económica de la comunidad.

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Part of 2019 Winner: Gonzales, California

Affordable Housing

Abordar la Vivienda

El Condado de Broward está tomando medidas decididas para crear viviendas más asequibles.

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Part of 2019 Winner: Condado de Broward, Florida / Suburban

Affordable Housing

Addressing Housing

Broward County is taking purposeful action to create more affordable housing.

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Part of 2019 Winner: Broward County, Florida / Suburban

Creative Collaboration

Advancing Equity

Broward County spotlights how a community can change policies, practices—and even attitudes—to create a more inclusive space.

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Part of 2019 Winner: Broward County, Florida / Suburban

Community Compassion

Ambiente Inclusivo

El Condado de Greenville está trabajando para crear un ambiente de inclusión al cambiar las políticas y establecer conexiones.

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Part of 2019 Winner: Condado de Greenville, Carolina del Sur

Creative Collaboration

Avance de Equidad

El condado de Broward destaca cómo una comunidad puede cambiar las políticas, las prácticas e incluso las actitudes para crear un espacio más inclusivo.

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Part of 2019 Winner: Condado de Broward, Florida / Suburban

Transportation

Bridging a Historic Divide

Greenville is making a concerted effort to ensure that its economic revival reaches all parts of the county equally.

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Part of 2019 Winner: Greenville County, South Carolina / Urban, Suburban

Community Safety

Caminos a la Curación

El Condado de Broward está aprovechando el poder de los residentes para sanar y restaurar la esperanza a raíz de una tragedia.

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Part of 2019 Winner: Condado de Broward, Florida / Suburban

Creative Collaboration

Colaboración a Nivel Nacional

El Condado de Lake está adoptando un enfoque de colaboración para mejorar los resultados de salud en la comunidad.

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Part of 2019 Winner: Condado de Lake, Colorado / Rural

Creative Collaboration

Countywide Collaboration

Lake County is taking a collaborative approach to improve health outcomes in the community.

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Part of 2019 Winner: Lake County, Colorado / Rural

Community Compassion

Culture is Healing

A new spirit of truth and reconciliation in Sitka has spurred action to reduce health and other disparities and heal historical wounds.

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Part of 2019 Winner: Sitka, Alaska / Rural

Economic Revitalization

Economic Health

Lake County is building an economy that provides stability and opportunities so all residents can thrive and be healthy.

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Part of 2019 Winner: Lake County, Colorado / Rural

Education

Ecosistema de Oportunidad

Sitka trabaja para dirigirse a injusticias educativas y levantar la economía mejorando también resultados de la salud.

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Part of 2019 Winner: Sitka, Alaska / Rural

Education

Ecosystem of Opportunity

Sitka is working to address educational inequities and lift the economy while also improving health outcomes.

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Part of 2019 Winner: Sitka, Alaska / Rural

Creative Collaboration

El Recursos Naturales

Los Sitkans están trabajando juntos para proteger los recursos naturales de la comunidad y preservar la salud de todos y todo lo que vive aquí.

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Part of 2019 Winner: Sitka, Alaska / Rural

Economic Revitalization

Green Vision

Gonzales is preserving the environment and generating more well-paying jobs, all while strengthening the community’s economic vitality.

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Part of 2019 Winner: Gonzales, California / Rural

Community Compassion

Inclusive Environment

Greenville County is working to create an environment of inclusion by shifting policies and building connections.

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Part of 2019 Winner: Greenville County, South Carolina / Urban, Suburban

Fostering Leadership

Invertir en Líderes

El Condado de Lake está creando oportunidades para que los residentes de todas las edades y orígenes se conviertan en líderes y activistas en la comunidad.

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Part of 2019 Winner: Condado de Lake, Colorado / Rural

Fostering Leadership

Investing in Leaders

Lake County is creating opportunities for residents of all ages and backgrounds to become leaders and activists in the community.

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Part of 2019 Winner: Lake County, Colorado / Rural

Community Compassion

La Cultura es Curativa

Un nuevo espíritu de verdad y reconciliación en Sitka ha impulsado acciones para reducir la salud y otras disparidades y sanar las heridas históricas.

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Part of 2019 Winner: Sitka, Alaska / Rural

Education

Learning, Life, Health

Greenville County residents understand the importance of education to the long-term health of their children.

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Part of 2019 Winner: Greenville County, South Carolina / Urban, Suburban

Creative Collaboration

Natural Resources

Sitkans are working together to protect the community’s natural resources and preserve the health of everyone and everything that lives here.

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Part of 2019 Winner: Sitka, Alaska / Rural

Community Health Workers

Orgullo de Pueblo Pequeño

Los residentes de Gonzales se enorgullecen excepcionalmente de la idea de que cualquiera puede ser una fuerza para mejorar la comunidad.

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Part of 2019 Winner: Gonzales, California

Community Safety

Pathways to Healing

Broward County is harnessing the power of residents to heal and restore hope in the wake of a tragedy.

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Part of 2019 Winner: Broward County, Florida / Suburban

Economic Revitalization

Salud Económica

El Condado de Lake está construyendo una economía que brinda estabilidad y oportunidades para que todos los residentes puedan prosperar y estar saludables.

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Part of 2019 Winner: Condado de Lake, Colorado / Rural

Community Health Workers

Small Town Pride

Residents of Gonzales take exceptional pride in the notion that anyone can be a force to improve the community.

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Part of 2019 Winner: Gonzales, California / Rural

Fostering Leadership

Voz Juvenil

Gonzales proporciona a los jóvenes las herramientas que necesitan para liderar e influir en la dirección de la ciudad.

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Part of 2019 Winner: Gonzales, California

Fostering Leadership

Youth Voice

Gonzales is providing young people with the tools they need to lead and influence the direction of the city.

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Part of 2019 Winner: Gonzales, California / Rural

Economic Revitalization

An Equity Lens

San Antonio is confronting disparities rooted in practices that kept neighborhoods segregated along racial and ethnic lines.

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Part of 2018 Winner: San Antonio, Texas / Urban

Community Safety

Community Safety

Cicero has made improving safety a prioritiy, with everyone from the police to schools to nonprofits to youth and families getting involved.

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Part of 2018 Winner: Cicero, Illinois / Suburban

Community Health Workers

Crisis Intervention

San Antonio's shared goal is to keep people from landing in jail or emergency rooms when what they really need is mental health treatment.

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Part of 2018 Winner: San Antonio, Texas / Urban

Turning Data into Action

Data to Action

San Antonio’s Culture of Health journey is informed by data and focused on tracking progress.

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Part of 2018 Winner: San Antonio, Texas / Urban

Education

Education

Cicero has made a strong commitment to young people, with a particular focus on improving the development of the youngest and directly engaging youth.

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Part of 2018 Winner: Cicero, Illinois / Suburban

Fostering Leadership

Fostering Leadership

Cicero is creating a new generation of leaders who bring their own experiences to the table to usher in meaningful change.

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Part of 2018 Winner: Cicero, Illinois / Suburban

Economic Revitalization

Growing the Economy

Eatonville is striving to improve the health of its economy while also improving the health of residents.

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Part of 2018 Winner: Eatonville, Florida / Suburban

Economic Revitalization

Harnessing Natural Bounty

Klamath County's natural bounty is an important driver of health, well-being, and the economy.

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Part of 2018 Winner: Klamath County, Oregon / Rural, Tribal

Creative Collaboration

Healthier Town

Eatonville has become galvanized not only to fight its high rate of diabetes, but also to become a healthier place.

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Part of 2018 Winner: Eatonville, Florida / Suburban

Community Compassion

Helping Every Neighbor

Klamath County is building empathy between neighbors and overturning biases in the systems and policies that affect health.

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Part of 2018 Winner: Klamath County, Oregon / Rural, Tribal

Fostering Leadership

Nurturing Homegrown Leaders

Eatonville encourages all members of the community to see themselves as leaders.

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Part of 2018 Winner: Eatonville, Florida / Suburban

Community Compassion

Rural Health

Klamath County is working to meet the needs of people in its vast rural area with creativity and multipronged tactics.

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Part of 2018 Winner: Klamath County, Oregon / Rural, Tribal

Creative Collaboration

A Paradigm Shift

From opening a county hospital to carving a network of biking and hiking rails, Allen County residents put their all into boosting health and wellness.

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Part of 2017 Winner: Allen County, Kansas / Rural

Creative Collaboration

Active Partners

In Algoma, employers are active partners in efforts to meet the needs of the community and promote health and well-being for all.

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Part of 2017 Winner: Algoma, Wisconsin / Rural

Community Compassion

Addressing Trauma

To address intergenerational trauma and its effects, Seneca Nation of Indians bolsters programs that emphasize healing and forgiveness.

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Part of 2017 Winner: Seneca Nation of Indians (New York) / Tribal

Economic Revitalization

Building Wealth

To help families build wealth, Richmond is working to expand employment possibilities, supporting individuals along the way. The city has committed to reducing overall poverty by 40 percent by 2030.

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Part of 2017 Winner: Richmond, Virginia / Urban

Creative Collaboration

Community Cohesion

From the local senior center to the police department, San Pablo institutions are working to foster community connections across cultural and generational lines.

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Part of 2017 Winner: San Pablo, California / Urban

Community Compassion

Community Garden

The Vicksburg Community Garden Park, a stone’s throw from the Mississippi River, shines as an example of how groups in Vicksburg are working together to capitalize on the city’s existing resources.

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Part of 2017 Winner: Vicksburg, Mississippi / Suburban

Creative Collaboration

Environmental Health

Rural Garrett County takes advantage of copious natural resources to bolster education, environmental health and well-being, physical activity, and community cohesion.

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Part of 2017 Winner: Garrett County, Maryland / Rural

Creative Collaboration

Environmental Justice

Nonprofit, business and government partners are working together to make Chelsea a greener, and, therefore, healthier place.

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Part of 2017 Winner: Chelsea, Massachusetts / Urban

Creative Collaboration

Environmental Preservation

The Seneca Nation of Indians has taken a strong stand on conservation and sustainability in its territories, working to preserve its land, water, and native plants and animals and keep alive its members' traditional connection to nature.

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Part of 2017 Winner: Seneca Nation of Indians (New York) / Tribal

Community Compassion

Fighting Poverty

Frank discussions and concrete actions are key to promoting health equity in Allen County.

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Part of 2017 Winner: Allen County, Kansas / Rural

Food Security

Food Equity

In corner stores and urban farms, the movement to improve food equity in Richmond is gaining steam.

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Part of 2017 Winner: Richmond, Virginia / Urban

Economic Revitalization

Health Is Everything

In Chelsea, there’s a strong understanding that health touches every aspect of people’s lives and that citywide policies can have a big impact.

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Part of 2017 Winner: Chelsea, Massachusetts / Urban

Creative Collaboration

Healthier Housing

Richmond has recognized that getting to the root of public-housing residents’ health and social problems means changing the environment in which they live.

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Part of 2017 Winner: Richmond, Virginia / Urban

Food Security

Language​ ​and​ ​Food​

For Seneca Nation of Indians, language and traditional foods are tools of well-being.

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Part of 2017 Winner: Seneca Nation of Indians (New York) / Tribal

Community Compassion

Lifting Families

Garrett County’s “leave no one behind” attitude has led to creative and innovative solutions aimed at expanding educational and economic opportunity.

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Part of 2017 Winner: Garrett County, Maryland / Rural

Education

Open Doors

Algoma’s school district plays a leadership role in addressing health issues and rallying people around the mission of the Live Algoma initiative.

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Part of 2017 Winner: Algoma, Wisconsin / Rural

Community Compassion

Power of One

Change in Allen County often starts with one person and an idea that spreads.

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Part of 2017 Winner: Allen County, Kansas / Rural

Community Safety

Safety Net

Weekly meetings and regular cross pollination are helping police, social service providers and other collaborators in Chelsea reach people whose lives have been upended by drugs, violence, and homelessness.

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Part of 2017 Winner: Chelsea, Massachusetts / Urban

Community Compassion

Shared History

An annual walk through Vicksburg National Military Park commemorates African Americans who fought in the Civil War—and highlights Vicksburg residents' shared history across racial lines.

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Part of 2017 Winner: Vicksburg, Mississippi / Suburban

Creative Collaboration

Shortening Distances

A constellation of traveling services shortens distances for residents of rural Garrett County.

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Part of 2017 Winner: Garrett County, Maryland / Rural

Economic Revitalization

Workforce Training

Partners in San Pablo are on a mission to put more residents to work by improving their readiness for employment, training them for new skills, and encouraging entrepreneurial efforts.

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Part of 2017 Winner: San Pablo, California / Urban

Education

Young Leaders

On the frontlines of promoting health and well-being in Vicksburg are educators who are promoting everything from universal pre-K to better college and career preparation.

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Part of 2017 Winner: Vicksburg, Mississippi / Suburban

Fostering Leadership

Youth Investments

Through a youth commission and education efforts by the police, San Pablo is cultivating a new generation of leaders and engaging younger people in the direction of their community.

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Part of 2017 Winner: San Pablo, California / Urban

Turning Data into Action

Youth Voices

To reverse a “dream deficit” among Algoma’s youth, Mayor Wayne Schmidt appointed high school students to community committees to help them gain a voice and a sense of purpose.

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Part of 2017 Winner: Algoma, Wisconsin / Rural

A Lost Generation

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Part of 2016 Winner: Shoalwater Bay Indian Tribe, Washington / Tribal

Education

Advancement

55,000 Degrees is one of four organizations with lead roles in a continuum of programs that begin with preschool and bolster education and training for Louisville residents beyond their high school and post-secondary graduations.

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Part of 2016 Winner: Louisville, Kentucky / Urban

Affordable Housing

Affordable Housing

Nonprofit 24:1 Community Land Trust uses a variety of subsidies to make home ownership affordable for people who would otherwise be locked out of the market.

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Part of 2016 Winner: 24:1 Community, Missouri / Suburban

Affordable Housing

Affordable Housing

Santa Monica requires developers to set aside a percentage of newly constructed units for affordable housing, using a sliding scale that depends on the overall number of units.

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Part of 2016 Winner: Santa Monica, California / Urban

Emergency Preparedness

Bracing for ‘The Big One’

The Shoalwater Bay tribal elder participates in Federal Emergency Management Agency-sponsored drills on how to manage a tsunami emergency and prepares tribe members for how to react.

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Part of 2016 Winner: Shoalwater Bay Indian Tribe, Washington / Tribal

Arts & Culture

Change Agents

Artists can impact health in surprising ways.

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Part of 2016 Winner: Louisville, Kentucky / Urban

Creative Collaboration

Community Voice

Many organizations would not have the resources to research funding opportunities or to apply for grants on their own. But collectively, the Columbia Gorge Region found success, securing close to $3 million in public and private grants since 2014.

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Part of 2016 Winner: Columbia Gorge Region, Oregon and Washington / Rural

Community Compassion

Compassionate Cities

The concept of compassion became an intrinsic element of the city’s policy agenda when Mayor Greg Fischer made it one of his three top priorities—alongside job creation and health promotion—when he took office in 2011.

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Part of 2016 Winner: Louisville, Kentucky / Urban

Homelessness

Continuum of Care

Founded in 1960, Camillus House provides whatever services are needed to help Miami-Dade’s more than 4,000 homeless residents move into permanent homes.

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Part of 2016 Winner: Miami-Dade County, Florida / Urban

Education

Cradle to College

Residents, businesses, and leaders in health care, education and human services banded together to provide a “cradle-to-college” support system for children in Liberty City, with services ranging from neonatal nutrition to college prep classes.

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Part of 2016 Winner: Miami-Dade County, Florida / Urban

Arts & Culture

Cultural Impact

In a shed on the reservation, Davis teaches young members how to shape logs and planks into images and characters from the legends he heard as a child. Other members teach basket-making or show children how to identify edible plants in the wild.

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Part of 2016 Winner: Shoalwater Bay Indian Tribe, Washington / Tribal

Turning Data into Action

Data-Driven

When Manchester, N.H., rolled out its Neighborhood Health Improvement Strategy, volunteers of Granite United Way seized an opportunity to shake up their organization’s investment in the city and boost its impact on health and well-being.

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Part of 2016 Winner: Manchester, New Hampshire / Urban

Early Childhood Development

Early Childhood

Programs Achieving Quality, or PAQ, run by the St. Louis nonprofit United 4 Children in the 24:1 footprint, gives childcare providers, whether center- or home-based, the resources to create the best learning environment possible for young children.

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Part of 2016 Winner: 24:1 Community, Missouri / Suburban

Economic Revitalization

Economic Growth

Moviegoers buy tickets at the 24:1 Cinema on Page Ave. in Pagedale, which was constructed with the assistance of Beyond Housing to revitalize commerce downtown

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Part of 2016 Winner: 24:1 Community, Missouri / Suburban

Fostering Leadership

Engaging Leaders

A dozen North St. Louis County mayors and city representatives discuss matters at their monthly gathering: their struggling school district, whether they should jointly bid on computer networking and security services, the cost of road salt.

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Part of 2016 Winner: 24:1 Community, Missouri / Suburban

Community Safety

Fitness Everywhere

At the city’s community schools, the Granite YMCA offers free health and fitness programs in neighborhoods where people have little access to gyms or exercise facilities.

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Part of 2016 Winner: Manchester, New Hampshire / Urban

Senior Services

Focus on Seniors

Miami-Dade County offers free activities and services to promote good health among its oldest residents.

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Part of 2016 Winner: Miami-Dade County, Florida / Urban

Food Security

Food Security

"Veggie Rx" participants receive a monthly packet of vouchers worth $30 and can use them at 10 farmers’ markets or 29 grocery stores, but only to buy whole fruits and vegetables.

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Part of 2016 Winner: Columbia Gorge Region, Oregon and Washington / Rural

Fostering Leadership

Fostering Leadership

The more Latinos become involved in leadership positions around the region, the more effective the community will be at addressing their challenges.

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Part of 2016 Winner: Columbia Gorge Region, Oregon and Washington / Rural

Creative Collaboration

Health Advisory Council

Community representatives worked in tandem with a panel of health care professionals to arrive at the top 10 priorities for improving the region’s collective well-being.

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Part of 2016 Winner: Columbia Gorge Region, Oregon and Washington / Rural

Community Health Workers

Health Workers

Community health workers help people connect to services in all aspects of their lives, not just housing.

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Part of 2016 Winner: Columbia Gorge Region, Oregon and Washington / Rural

Affordable Housing

Healthier Homes

NeighborWorks® Southern New Hampshire has helped thousands of people break the cycle of poverty and improve their financial stability through either home ownership or providing quality affordable rental housing.

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Part of 2016 Winner: Manchester, New Hampshire / Urban

Encouraging a Healthy Weight

Healthy Kids

The Miami-Dade Parks Department teamed up with the University of Miami Health System to create Fit2Play, which is a health, wellness and obesity prevention after-school program.

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Part of 2016 Winner: Miami-Dade County, Florida / Urban

Community Health Workers

Lifting Youth

As part of the Cradle to Career initiative, Santa Monica High School soon will have a new Thrive Center, offering mental health screening, coordinated care for the most at-risk students and a range of well-being interventions.

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Part of 2016 Winner: Santa Monica, California / Urban

Substance Abuse

Opioid Epidemic

Each Manchester NH Fire Station is a designated safe environment for individuals who need help getting started with substance recovery.

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Part of 2016 Winner: Manchester, New Hampshire / Urban

Education

Righting Schools

In 2014, the state created a new governing body for the district, the Normandy Schools Collaborative, with a mandate to meet accreditation standards by 2017.

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Part of 2016 Winner: 24:1 Community, Missouri / Suburban

Community Safety

Safe Parks

Virginia Avenue Park now boasts a new Pico Branch Library, a teen center, a fitness center with a boxing ring and dance studio for Zumba classes, and meeting spaces for after-school enrichment classes or birthday parties.

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Part of 2016 Winner: Santa Monica, California / Urban

Community Safety

Safe Parks

Miami-Dade is carving out more space for playgrounds, walking and cycling throughout the city.

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Part of 2016 Winner: Miami-Dade County, Florida / Urban

Community Health Workers

Schools as Hubs

Manchester set up two community schools which bring in health care, social services, family support and community-building activities to support the surrounding neighborhoods.

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Part of 2016 Winner: Manchester, New Hampshire / Urban

Community Compassion

Tackling Homelessness

Every day from 3 a.m. to 1 p.m., pairs of specially trained officers reach out to homeless individuals on the streets of Santa Monica, Calif.

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Part of 2016 Winner: Santa Monica, California / Urban

Transportation

Transportation

The opening of the seven-stop Expo rail line in May 2016, which connects downtown Los Angeles with seaside Santa Monica, prompted planners to take a closer look at travel patterns in the city.

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Part of 2016 Winner: Santa Monica, California / Urban

Community Safety

Violence

One of the most sobering inequities in Louisville, Ky., may be that its most dangerous neighborhoods have violent crime rates 35 times higher than the safest ones.

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Part of 2016 Winner: Louisville, Kentucky / Urban

Community Compassion

Welcoming Neighbors

Whatever it does, the Shoalwater tribe puts out the welcome mat for neighbors from surrounding communities.

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Part of 2016 Winner: Shoalwater Bay Indian Tribe, Washington / Tribal

Creative Collaboration

Wellness Agenda

The Pulling Together for Wellness group meets to discuss ideas for improving the tribe’s health and well-being.

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Part of 2016 Winner: Shoalwater Bay Indian Tribe, Washington / Tribal

Fostering Leadership

Youth Leaders

Young people at YouthBuild Louisville do their daily chores, picking weeds in the garden and courtyard of their LEED-certified green campus—just one beat in the rhythm of this 16-year-old vocational training, education and community service program.

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Part of 2016 Winner: Louisville, Kentucky / Urban

Community Safety

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Part of Winner: City, Full State / Suburban

Education

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Part of Winner: City, Full State / Suburban

Fostering Leadership

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Part of Winner: City, Full State / Suburban

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About the Prize

The 2021 Call for Applications is open. If your community is using innovative ways to catalyze and sustain positive change, visit to learn more about what it takes to be an RWJF Culture of Health Prize winner.

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Actions Toward Equity

Lessons learned from Prize-winning communities offer valuable guidance for leaders working to advance equity, empower residents, and give everyone in their communities a fair and just opportunity for health.

Read the report