Description of the award:
The Institute for Innovation in Health and Human Services recognizes annually one individual and one team for innovative approaches to building healthier and safer communities where all individuals can thrive and flourish. The innovation includes collaboration between JMU and community partners and demonstrates impact on the populations and communities they serve. The individual or team will demonstrate the following:
- Innovation. Leads innovative, engaging, and creative initiatives that advance career preparedness of JMU students, meet community needs, increase service access for community members, provide access to affordable and high-quality clinical services, and advance health and human services (or health research) through novel research.
- Establishes and/or collaborates with mutually beneficial internal and external partners with a focus on advancing health and human services.
- Presents evidence of effectiveness, continuing assessment of effectiveness, and significant and sustainable impact.
- Additional considerations. Demonstrates other qualities unique to their work (e.g., belonging, visionary problem-solving, inspirational, scalable, replicable, efficiency, patient care, etc.).
Criteria for Nomination
Individual Nomination
Minimal Criteria:
Individual nominee must:
- Be an IIHHS full time or part-time staff or student employee
- Receive supervisor’s affirmation
Additional Criteria:
The nominee must have demonstrated:
- Innovative approach to challenges encountered in their work
- Collaborative spirit when working within and outside of one’s team
- Initiative to seek out relationship development and partnerships to enable them to increase the impact of their work
- Impact that exceeds the expectations of their job description
- Additional considerations (e.g., belonging, visionary problem-solving, inspirational, scalable, replicable, efficiency, patient care, etc.)
Team Nomination
Minimal Criteria:
Team must:
- Be composed of at least 50% IIHHS full time or part-time staff.
- Receive supervisors’ affirmations for IIHHS staff
Additional Criteria:
The team nominee must have demonstrated:
- Innovation
- Collaboration
- Partnership
- Impact that collectively advances the mission and vision of the Institute
- Additional considerations (e.g., belonging, visionary problem-solving, inspirational, scalable, replicable, efficiency, patient care, etc.)
Data Sources:
Individual Nomination Data Sources
- Online form submitted by a peer or supervisor, inclusive of the following documents:
- Nominator’s narrative describing ways the nominee demonstrated innovation, collaboration, partnership and other relevant criteria, including the impact of their work. (up to 500 words)
- Endorsement form from the supervisor, provided to the nominee, if the supervisor is not the nominator.
- One additional letter of support from a collaborative partner, community member, supervisor, student, or someone who can speak to the impact of the nominee’s contributions
Team Nomination Data Sources
- Online form submitted by a peer or supervisor, inclusive of the following documents:
- Nominator’s narrative describing ways the nominated team demonstrated innovation, collaboration, partnership, and other relevant criteria, including the impact of their work. (up to 500 words)
- Endorsement form from the supervisor(s), provided to each IIHHS staff who are members of the nominated team.
- One additional letter of support from a collaborative partner, community member, supervisor, student, or someone who can speak to the impact of the nominee’s contributions
Nomination deadline: June 30
The award winner(s) will be notified in September and publicly recognized at the IIHHS Summit.
Application Checklist of Required Materials
Individual
Complete the online form and submit in it:
- Nominator’s narrative (up to 500 words)
- Endorsement form from the supervisor
- One additional letter of support from someone who can speak to the impact of the nominee’s contributions
Team
Complete the online form and submit in it:
- Nominator’s narrative (up to 500 words)
- Endorsement form from the supervisor(s), provided to each IIHHS staff who are members of the nominated team
- One additional letter of support from someone who can speak to the impact of the nominee’s contributions
To ensure the completeness of your application, please include the nominee's individual or team name in the file name of all application materials to be attached.
Nominations will be evaluated using the following rubric (MSWord).
Award
The recipient of the IIHHS Innovation and Impact Award will receive the award and will be recognized at the IIHHS Summit in September every year.
- Team: each member of the team will receive a paperweight and a group meal with their nominator and IIHHS Director
- Individual award recipient will receive a paperweight and a monetary award of $200.
Please ensure all sections are completed, as only complete proposals will be considered.
Nomination submission form for 2027 awards cycle will be available in April 2027.
