Nomination Guidelines

There is no fee to submit a nomination, and previous nominators and previous winners may submit a nomination. The nomination must include:

• Title of the project, program, or initiative
• Name and contact information of the person submitting the nomination
• Name of organization, group, or agency
• Project Abstract (limit 1 page)
• Project Narrative (limit 4 pages)
• Supporting Documentation
• Photo(s) or Video(s)

The Nomination Form

Project/Program Abstract

Include a brief summary of the project/program that can be used for publication. This summary should be one (1) page and must address the following:

1. Goals
2. Objectives
3. Partners
4. Public funding
5. Sources
6. Results

Project/Program Narrative

The nomination narrative can be up to four (4) pages and must include/describe:

1. The history of the initiative, work, or project.
2. The project’s impact in the areas listed below. Projects must show measurable benefits in the health of the target population. It is very important to use relevant data to help communicate the value of the nominated work.

Impact Areas and Criteria for Reviewing and Rating All Nominations

• Health Equity (25 points):
  • Data on the research/policy/program’s (project's) impact on an at-risk population.


• Health Impact on Population (20 points):
  • Project data on health outcomes, including:
    • healthcare use.
    • absenteeism from school or work.
    • data on/or self-reported symptom reduction.
    • data on health hazard activities (for example, use of tobacco products, or pesticides).


• Impact on Physical Environment (20 points):
  • Data on the impact on home health and safety hazards.
  • Nominators should identify how improvements improve resident health.


• Policy Innovation (15 points):
  • Specify the project's impact on a health/housing condition(s).
  • Projects do not need to address a new subject of concern.
  • All projects should show innovative aspects in addressing the concerns.


• Partnership/Collaboration (10 points):
  • Share the role(s) that partnering organizations played.
  • Partnerships and collaborations do not need to be formal.
  • They may have a significant role in one or several phases of the project.
  • Identify whether formal partnerships exist, and describe ongoing efforts to coordinate activities.
  • Nominators should identify the public and private funding sources that supported the project.


• Sustainability (10 points):
  • Describe how the project will continue to have an impact into the future.
  • In cases of policy advances, include a description of anticipated permanence.
  • For program sustainability, nominators should describe permanent and temporary sources of support, including, but not limited to, funding support.

Supporting Documentation

One additional supporting document may be included for your project/program. This can be no longer 600 words, one webpage, 1 graphic, or 15 seconds of video or audio. This can take the form of a review of the implementation effort; analysis of results; editorials; support letters; or legislative, regulatory, or policy provisions.

Photographs or Videos

You must submit at least one photo, image, or a video with your nomination. This can be as simple as a “before” and “after” photo of work completed in your program/project. You may submit up to five high resolution photo files and up to 60 seconds of video. We cannot accept photo collages or slide presentations.

• Please only provide files and images that may be reproduced by HUD without a fee or copyright infringement.
• Photos or images of individuals must have had their permission for use.
• Please include a caption of up to 25 words with each photo/video you submit.

The Award winner’s photos and/or video will be posted on HUD’s Secretary’s Awards webpage and may be used in promotional materials by HUD.

Confidential or Trade Secret Information

Please do not submit confidential, trade-secret, or otherwise non-disclosable information or data. We will not review a nomination that indicates it contains such information or data.

All nomination forms and supporting documentation become HUD’s property.

Questions?

For general award information or questions on the nomination process, please contact Magaly.Mendez@hud.gov, Management Analyst, HUD Office of Lead Hazard Control and Healthy Homes.

For technical support, please contact helpdesk@huduser.gov.

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Review of award nominations will be completed by expert judges from HUD. Each nomination is rated on:

• Completeness
• Timeliness
• Format
• Impact

The judges’ review includes an assessment of the project’s, program’s, or policy’s health impact on the following areas:

Health Equity (25 points): Data on the program’s impact specifically on a population who is known to be disproportionately impacted by a social risk factor and health outcome, including details on how the program incentivizes achievement or improvement for this population.

Health Impact on Population (20 points): Data on the program’s health outcomes including, where available, data on healthcare utilization (for example, emergency/urgent care visits, inpatient hospital stays, healthcare costs); absenteeism from school or work; data on self-reported or objectively measured symptom reduction; and data on reduction of unhealthy resident activities (for example, use of tobacco products, or pesticides).

Impact on Physical Environment (20 points): Data on the program’s effect on reducing environmental hazards (for example, lead-based paint, asbestos, combustion gases, toxic chemicals, asthma triggers/allergens); home safety hazards; and/or other impacts. Nominators should identify how improvements in Indoor Environmental Quality (IEQ) would be expected to improve resident health.

Policy Innovation (15 points): Describe the policy’s impact on a health/housing condition(s) previously unaddressed or specific improvements made to existing programs. Policies do not necessarily need to address a new subject of concern, but all policies discussed should demonstrate innovative aspects in addressing the concerns.

Partnership/Collaboration (10 points): Describe how the program was developed and implemented and the role(s) that partnering organizations played. These partnering organizations do not necessarily need to be formal partners and may have played a significant role in just one or several phases of the development or implementation of the program. The text should identify whether formal partnerships do exist and describe ongoing efforts to coordinate activities. Nominators should identify whether the program was or is supported by philanthropy, governmental, and/or other sources and what kinds of support was (were) provided.

Sustainability (10 points): Describe how the program will continue to have impact into the future. In cases of policy advances on statutory or regulatory actions, a description of anticipated permanence will suffice – for example, a lack of a sunset provision in the legislation or a demonstration of ongoing industry acceptance of policy. For program sustainability, nominators should describe permanent and temporary sources of support.

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