American Indian and Alaska Native Environmental Health Recognition Awards

These awards are an opportunity for leaders in Tribal Environmental Health to showcase the important work they do to protect the health of their communities.

2022 Winners & Resources

Award Details

The past few years have seen unprecedented environmental change, often with devastating impacts on American Indian and Alaska Native populations. In partnership with the CDC and the Agency for Toxic Substances and Disease Registry (ATSDR), we are offering awards between $500.00 and $10,000.00 to tribal health departments or tribal health organizations that have developed innovative environmental health programs, projects, or strategies to improve the health and wellness of their communities. Awardees will also be profiled on our website and in the Journal of Environmental Health.

Eligible Strategies and Initiatives

We are looking to elevate tribal environmental health programs, strategies, and initiatives that have made a substantial impact on the health and wellness of tribal communities, especially those that are focused on climate adaptation, mitigation, environmental justice, or health equity. Ideally, the strategy will also have achieved at least one of the following outcomes:

• Identified and addressed health equity gaps
• Addressed climate adaptation and/or mitigation
• Developed and implemented environmental justice initiatives
  • Enhanced environmental health workforce capacity
  • Shared cultural teachings and practices about environmental health and sustainability
  • Accelerated environmental public health goals
  • Changed the way inspections are done, data is collected, or how other job processes are performed
  • Created or utilized new systems
  • Incorporated indigenous ways of knowing to support behavior change in the environmental health field
  • Developed family or community activities that promoted positive environmental health practices

Submissions should describe the project and demonstrate its impact on environmental health services, programs, and outcomes. Innovations that specifically address climate impacts will be prioritized. These new initiatives should have been created or implemented from March 2020 to present.

Eligibility

Tribal agencies or organizations with environmental health programs that have successfully developed and/or implemented an innovative environmental health activity, strategy, project, or program since March of 2020 may apply. One submission per organization is allowed.

Award Structure

Expectations With Award Acceptance

• Recipient's stories of strategy and innovation will be shared.
• A key informant interview will be conducted.
• Depending on the award level, recipients may be asked to share their story in the Journal of Environmental Health, in our blog, or in another medium. Recipients will be asked to share tools, infographics, or other resources related to their project.

Selection Process and Criteria

• Applications will be reviewed and scored using the following selection criteria:
• Uniqueness of the strategy/project
• Related to climate adaptation, climate mitigation, environmental justice, or health equity
• Impact of the strategy/project
• Includes at least one of the following:
• Enhanced workforce capacity
• Accomplished or accelerated a public health goal/objective
• Provided a new way to deliver/promote an environmental health service
• Used new data, technology, and/or research
• Used storytelling and indigenous ways of knowing
• Addressed/addresses climate health
• Addressed/addresses environmental health equity or environmental justice

Application Period

Applications for the American Indian and Alaska Native Environmental Health Recognition Awards are now closed.

Definitions

• Federally recognized tribe: A federally recognized tribe is an American Indian or Alaska Native tribal entity that is recognized as having a government-to-government relationship with the United States, with the responsibilities, powers, limitations, and obligations attached to that designation, and is eligible for funding and services from the Bureau of Indian Affairs. At present, there are 574 federally recognized American Indian and Alaska Native tribes and villages. Specific tribal definitions are described on the Federal Register webpage in the Indian Entities Recognized by and Eligible To Receive Services From the United States Bureau of Indian Affairs document.
• Tribal Colleges and Universities (TCUs): U.S. Department of Education, White House Initiative American Indian and Alaska Native Education, webpage for Tribal Colleges and Universities for the White House Initiative on Advancing Educational Equity, Excellence, and Economic Opportunity for Native Americans and Strengthening Tribal Colleges and Universities.