Nominations and self-nominations are now being accepted for the 2024 Jeanne M. Priester Extension Health Awards.  The awards are named for Jeanne Priester, former National Program Leader at ES-USDA involved in the development of such landmark programs such EFNEP and Mulligan Stew. Today, these awards recognize extraordinary programs and professionals that are modeling next generation work in health and well-being.  Awards are presented in six different categories. Award recipients will be recognized at the 2024 National Health Outreach and Engagement Conference in Greenville, SC in May.

Award Categories

Nominations will be accepted in six categories.

PROGRAM AWARD, Individual or Family – recognizes programs designed to meet an identified need at the individual and/or family level. These programs frequently focus on the promotion of healthy behaviors through awareness and education. Programs involving community partnerships are also eligible for this award.

PROGRAM AWARD, Community – recognizes efforts to address contextual influences on the health of a community or group. These efforts typically focus on social determinants of health (SDOH), catalyzing policy, systems, or environment (PSE) change, or building the vital conditions for health and well-being. Results are frequently obtained through partnerships with other organizations and include the voices of community members in the design of the effort.

PROGRAM AWARD, Innovative – recognizes programs and community initiatives   that feature the use of new technologies, methods, or approaches to produce desired results. This award may also recognize work in an area of health that is new to Cooperative Extension. Programs involving community partnerships are also eligible for this award.

HEALTH EQUITY AWARD (New for 2024)– recognizes efforts to improve the health and well-being of  communities or groups who have systematically and unfairly faced significant barriers to living long and healthy lives.  Programs involving community partnerships are also eligible for this award.

LEADERSHIP AWARD – recognizes an individual who has provided exemplary, impactful, or transformational leadership within their community, institution, state, region, or nation that has advanced the capability, visibility, or scalability of Extension’s health-focused work.

CULTURE OF HEALTH AWARD – recognizes a sustainable coalition or collaborative to which Cooperative Extension provides significant leadership or support focused on advancing the overall health of a community or group. Efforts may evolve over time or address different dimensions of health as the needs of the community or group change over time.

Eligibility

Leadership Award nominees must be a Cooperative Extension employee at the time of nomination.  Nominations for other awards that involve a team or community coalition must include at least one Cooperative Extension employee as a member of the nominated team or coalition.

Submission Guidelines

Individuals may self-nominate for any of the awards or nominate others who they feel are deserving of one of the six awards.  All components of a nomination should be submitted together as a single PDF document.  Use the following as an outline for the nomination.

1. Award Category (for which category is the nomination being made)
2. Nominee’s Name (individual to receive award)
3. Nominee’s Institution
4. Nominee’s Address
5. Nominee’s Phone
6. Nominee’s Email
7. Additional Team Members or Partners (name and institution)
8. Program Title (if nomination is for program award)
9. Nomination Narrative (500 words maximum, use subheadings as appropriate)
10. Nominator’s Name
11. Nominator’s Institution
12. Nominator’s Phone
13. Nominator’s Email
14. Attach up to three letters of support (Leadership Award Only)

Send the single PDF document to Roger Rennekamp , Extension Health Director, at rogerrennekamp@extension.org no later than COB March 20, 2024.