Recognizing Outstanding Achievement in Health Literacy
Call for award nominations and judge applications is closed

Nominate someone for advancing health literacy

Have you, or has someone you know, influenced change in health literacy—either through written communication, research, or an innovative program? Do you know someone outside the United States who strives to improve health literacy in their country?

Each year, the Institute for Healthcare Advancement recognizes those who have achieved outstanding health literacy advancements. Winners receive an IHA Health Literacy Award and showcase their project on the IHA Conference website.

Volunteer to join the esteemed panel of judges

An independent panel of judges reviews the Health Literacy Award nominations and selects the winning projects. Consider applying to become a judge!

The Awards

IHA accepts nominations in 4 categories:

  1. 1
    Innovative Programs: Projects that demonstrate innovative, practical, and effective solutions to addressing limited health literacy.
  2. 2
    Written Materials: Communication (digital or print) that demonstrates effective communication with those with limited health literacy.
  3. 3
    Research: Studies conducted within the last 3 years using well-defined methodologies that further illustrate the relationship between literacy skills and health outcomes, cost, or disparities; or present evidence of effective health literacy interventions.
  4. 4
    International Initiatives: Innovative programs, written material, or research outside the United States that empower people to better health through improved health literacy.

The Benefits

Category winners:

  • Receive a personalized crystal award
  • Receive (1) $500 honorarium
  • Are featured on the conference website during the IHA Health Literacy Virtual Conference
  • Digital badge
  • Social media recognition

How to Submit an Award Nomination

  • Click here to access the submission site.
  • Create a profile so you can save and edit your application later. This site is different from the Health Literacy Solutions Center; it requires its own login. Only the application submitter has access to edit the application.

Selection Process

Once the nomination period closes, an independent panel evaluates all entries and selects 1 winner from each category (see details below). To be considered, all submissions must meet the following criteria:

  1. Empower people to better health.
  2. Address an aspect of health literacy.
  3. Aim to solve an identified healthcare problem.
  4. Have a completion date within the past 2 years.
  5. Impact or have the potential to affect the greater healthcare community.
View 2022 Awards Here

The Judges

Volunteers will determine which projects have contributed most significantly to health literacy. Volunteers like you are instrumental in that process. Please consider joining the panel of independent judges.

By investing your time, insight, and experience, you can help recognize the best of the best. 

Judge Eligibility Requirements

Judges must be comfortable with, and agree to:

  1. Review entries on an impartial basis, according to the scoring requirements.
  2. Recuse themselves from judging the entry of any person with whom they have a personal or professional relationship.
  3. Refrain from submitting a health literacy award nomination for themselves.
  4. Be available to judge award nominations between February 27th and March 10th 2023.

How to Submit a Judge Application

  • Click here to access the submission site. 
  • Create a profile so you can save and edit your application later. This site is different from the Health Literacy Solutions Center; it requires its own login. Only the application submitter has access to edit the application.

Important Dates

January 25, 2023

IHA calls for Award Judges and Nominations.

February 17, 2023

The deadline to submit an award nomination and a judge application.

February 22, 2023

IHA notifies selected judges.

February 27, 2023 – March 10, 2023

The panel of judges evaluates nominated projects.

March 15, 2023

IHA notifies nominees of the judging results.

health literacy solutions center

Be sure to visit the Health Literacy Solutions Center where members can access webinars, our resource library, job/internship board, expert directory, discussions and more! Membership is Free.