Grinnell Prize medal

Grinnell Prize Frequently Asked Questions

The 2022 Grinnell Prize Nomination Form is due Sunday, Oct. 31, at 11:59 p.m. Central Time.

On the Prize Background

The Grinnell College Innovator for Social Justice Prize, or the Grinnell Prize, directly reflects Grinnell’s historic mission to educate men and women “who are prepared in life and work to use their knowledge and their abilities to serve the common good.”

Grinnell was founded in 1846 by a group of transplanted New Englanders with strong Congregational beliefs who were dedicated to social reform. They organized as the Trustees of Iowa College — originally in Davenport, Iowa. In 1859 the trustees moved the College to newly settled Grinnell, Iowa, where their abolitionist sentiments were more welcome. At the time, Grinnell was an important stop on the Underground Railroad that secretly transported slaves to freedom.

Grinnell’s social consciousness blossomed during Franklin D. Roosevelt’s presidency, when graduates Harry Hopkins 1912, Chester Davis 1911, Paul Appleby 1913, Hallie Ferguson Flanagan 1911, and Florence Stewart Kerr 1912 became influential New Deal administrators.

Today, Grinnell’s commitment to social justice continues through a strong philosophy of self governance and personal responsibility, as well as programs and initiatives that encourage students to learn about the world beyond the campus and effect positive social change.

Grinnell College students may specifically explore their civic aspirations through a campus-wide ecosystem of service and social innovation opportunities. For example, students may volunteer in the local community, participate in a community based learning class or social innovation challenge, take on a service learning work-study job, identify a study abroad opportunity that includes a service component, join a service or advocacy focused student group, coordinate a political activity, lead an alternative break trip, or serve as a mentor to other students on campus. It is our hope that through intentional exploration and reflection, all of our students graduate with a civic focus that is meaningfully integrated into their personal and professional life.

With the creation of the Grinnell Prize, the College extended its educational mission beyond the campus and alumni community to individuals anywhere who believe innovative social justice programs create a better world.

Through student internships and staff fellowships, student and staff members have the opportunity to work with the prizewinners and their organizations. Explore the Past Winners pages to learn more about these opportunities and Grinnellians' experiences working with these outstanding individuals and organizations.

On the Nomination Process

The College does not have a single definition of social justice or social innovation in recognition that there are many ways to define social justice. Because of this there are also many ways to understand social innovation. Both of these terms are broadly interpreted. You should work with your nominee to define the justice needs they are addressing. Additionally it is important for you to articulate clearly how the nominee’s approach to change-making is innovative.

At this time, no. While we welcome nominees from all over the world, the College requires that nominations and any subsequent materials be submitted in English.

No. All nominations must be submitted online.

Due to the volume of nominations received, nomination essays cannot be revised once they have been submitted. The College recommends that you draft and review your essay offline, and then copy and paste the essay into the online form when you are ready to submit the nomination. If an individual is nominated more than once by the same nominator, we will only consider the first submission.

Due to the volume of nominations received, the College cannot provide personal consultations with nominators regarding a nomination’s content. However we are able to answer questions regarding a nominee’s eligibility. Please review the nomination instructions, which will assist you in focusing your nomination essay and outlining the nomination criteria. If there is any doubt, proceed to nominate the individual.

You will not be able to submit your nomination if the response to an essay question is longer than the maximum characters allowed for each item. Please edit the essay to conform to the character limit for each question. To be competitive, the nomination essay should be focused and concise.

Members of the Selection Committee and the Grinnell Prize program staff may not submit a nomination. Also, individuals may not nominate themselves (no self-nominations). There are no other restrictions. This means the nominator can be a relative, a board member of the individual’s organization, or affiliated with the College (e.g., a student). Ideally, the nominator should be someone who is well acquainted with the nominee’s work and can attest to the nominee’s qualifications. Nominators should be available for possible follow-up questions throughout the selection process.

Yes, so long as your nominee meets the current nomination year’s eligibility criteria for the Grinnell Prize. Please note that the criteria may be slightly different from year to year.

Yes, absolutely, so long as you meet the current criteria. 

Yes, you may nominate up to two individuals who are working collaboratively on an innovative effort. Each of the individuals must independently meet the prize criteria and eligibility, and an effort should be made to elaborate on the collaborative or synergistic aspect of their relationship.

Yes, you may submit as many nominations as long as they are individuals that meet the criteria and eligibility requirements; however, each nomination is limited to two individuals and each nominee may be nominated only once.

Yes, of course! On the nomination submission form, however, please enter the contact information of the person who will be the main contact with the College.

Yes! The College strongly encourages nominators to collaborate with their nominee(s) to put forth a strong, well-informed nomination.

Yes! Each nomination must include a letter of consent from each nominee as described in the nomination criteria.

Nominees selected as semi-finalists will be contacted by January 2022 for additional information about their work and organization. Finalists will be notified by February 2022 by Prize staff and asked to submit supplemental materials. At this time, nominators are also informed of their nominee’s selection as a semi-finalist and finalist.

Curriculum vitae or resume, educational history, letters of recommendation, photos news articles, letters of reference, as well as organizational, policy, and fiscal documents may be requested if a nominee is selected as a Prize finalist. Finalists will also be interviewed by student research assistants for specific details about their problem-solving model, how that approach addresses the root causes of the need, and the demonstrated impact of their work. Finalists will also be asked to grant permission for additional due diligence forms to demonstrate the nominee’s and organization’s adherence to legal standards and organizational best practices. It is the nominee’s responsibility to provide the information the College is requesting. Failure to provide the requested information will automatically disqualify the nominee from further consideration.

No. Additional information will not be reviewed. If your nominee is chosen as a finalist, the College will request specific supplemental information at that time.

In essay question #2, you may share a link to a website that has a visual representation or infographic of the nominee’s model for addressing the social justice issue. The remainder of the nomination responses should be concise and self-contained (thoughtfully addressing each question).

No, the nominee does not have to be associated with a nonprofit organization. Nominees may also be associated with a for-profit or not-for-profit organization.

Yes. The individual’s innovation or organization, however, should not include proselytization or substantial lobbying.

The Prize cannot be awarded posthumously (one of the criteria is that the winner must be able to attend the award ceremony and symposium events on campus). Please nominate the other person individually.

Yes, of course! On the nomination submission form, however, please enter the contact information of the person who will be the main contact with the College.

Yes! The College strongly encourages nominators to collaborate with their nominee(s) to put forth a strong, well-informed nomination.

Yes! Each nomination must include a letter of consent from each nominee as described in the nomination criteria.

On Criteria/Eligibility

The Grinnell Prize seeks to honor individuals who demonstrate a critical, multifaceted, and nuanced understanding of the issue they are addressing.

When considering demonstration of depth of understanding and critical assessment of the need, a nominator might consider the following questions:

  • Is the nominee demonstrating a complex or deeply nuanced understanding of the issue they are addressing, including past or current unequal distributions of power, or oppression of a group that has created or continues to perpetuate injustice?
  • Does the nominee’s work center on a specific demographic group or region that is most in need of social justice or most affected by this type of oppression?
  • Does the nominee see the social justice need as caused by barriers to resources or concerns that can be addressed, rather than as a product of community deficiencies?

Is the nominee assessing the need and related issues from multiple interconnected perspectives?

Nominations will be evaluated according the following scale for demonstration of depth of understanding and critical assessment of the issue:

Most depth: The nominee or nominator clearly articulates the nuances of the social justice need and how multiple, interconnected surrounding issues and power dynamics relate to the need.

Moderate depth: The nominee or nominator simply articulates the social justice need and how key surrounding issues relate to the need.

Limited depth: The nominee or nominator clearly articulates the need and how one or two surrounding issues relate to the need.

No depth: No articulation of the complexity of the issue being addressed.

The Grinnell Prize seeks to honor creative problem solvers who develop and implement change-making models that are distinctive. Such models are the first of their kind or are different from other models addressing the same issue either in context or application. In addition, they involve stakeholders and facets of the issue or surrounding issues that others have ignored, and address challenges in a manner that is more equitable than what others have done.

When considering innovative models, a nominator might consider the following questions (according to the nominee, nominator, or your experience):

  • Is the nominee pioneering a distinctive model (method or technique) to solve a problem?
  • Is the nominee's model distinguishable from others addressing the same need either in context or application?
  • Is the nominee involving stakeholders others have ignored and honoring their expertise about the need and potential solutions?
  • Is the nominee addressing the challenge in a manner that is more equitable than what others have done?
  • Is the approach more comprehensive than others working on the same issue?

Nominations will be evaluated according the following scale for innovative model:

Most innovative: The model is pioneering or is distinguishable from others addressing the same need, is comprehensive, involves stakeholders others have ignored, AND addresses the challenge in a manner that is more equitable than what others have done.

Moderately innovative: The model is distinguishable from others addressing the same need, is somewhat comprehensive, involves stakeholders others have ignored OR addresses the challenge in a manner that is more equitable than what others have done.

Less innovative: The model for addressing the need is somewhat distinguishable from others addressing the same need, but is much less comprehensive, and does not involve stakeholders others have ignored or address the challenge in a manner that is more equitable than what others have done.

Not innovative: The model is very common and is not distinctive.

The Grinnell Prize seeks to honor visionaries who address root causes of a complex, chronic issue, pushing beyond more temporary or superficial solutions.

When considering systemic solutions, a nominator might think about the following questions:

  • Does the nominee's model address not only the symptoms, but also the root causes of the issue they are working to change?
  • Does the model support both short term and longer term sustainable solutions to the challenge?
  • Does the work reduce systemic inequalities through building more just relationships instead of requiring cultural assimilation?
  • Does the work address flaws in existing policies that foster injustice or support efforts to create new policy solutions to overcome existing inequities?
  • Does the solution give authentic and long-term agency to those most directly impacted by the problem to create more equitable solutions?
  • Does the model include solutions such as:
    • unblocking or identifying new resources that can improve how an existing system functions;
    • introducing new elements or eliminating harmful elements
    • improving information flows;
    • creating or changing rules that regulate behavior in the system;
    • reducing barriers to access caused by discriminatory attitudes or unchallenged assumptions about specific demographic groups.

Nominations will be evaluated according the following scale for systemic solution:

Most systemic: Model addresses immediate needs related to the issue, multiple systemic factors or root causes of the issue itself, and creates more equitable power, resource and/or information distribution.

Moderately systemic: Model addresses immediate needs related to the issue as well as one or two systemic factors or root causes of the issue itself.

Slightly systemic: Model identifies some of the systemic reasons for the issue, but presently only addresses symptomatic issues.

Not systemic: Model only addresses immediate needs related to the issue.

The Grinnell Prize seeks to honor nominees who articulate and provide concrete evidence of their impact in the community and/or environment in which they are working. The Prize not only recognizes proven accomplishments to date, but also the potential impact of newly launched initiatives.

When considering social or environmental impact, a nominator might think about the following questions:

  • Are there proven or measureable results?
  • How can the nominee’s impact be described in terms of quantity? (e.g., number of people, villages, cities, countries affected)
  • How can the nominee’s impact be described in terms of quality? (e.g., effect on underserved, vulnerable, or disadvantaged population, improved policies, more equitable distribution or resources, access to decision-making, and/or opportunities to work directly to resolve the social justice need)
  • Does the nominee’s model leverage elements of a system to increase demonstrated or potential impact, rather than relying entirely on scaling up the organization?
  • What are the positive indirect impacts fostered by the nominee’s approach to the social justice need?
  • How does the nominee define success or determine whether their innovation is making a difference?
  • Can the nominee's model be scaled or replicated in other contexts?

Nominations will be evaluated according the following scale for social or environmental impact:

Most impact: Very strong demonstrated impact and/or tremendous potential for future impact

Moderate impact: Significant demonstrated impact and/or likely significant future impact

Slight impact: Slight demonstrated impact and/or slight possibility for future impact

No impact: No demonstrated impact and no potential for future impact

To see examples of innovative, impactful and systemic solutions created by previous Grinnell Prize winners, please visit the past winners page.

While less recent innovations will be considered, the College would also be interested in whether the individual continues to innovate.

Innovators are bringing about positive change in every community, but many are not recognized outside of their immediate community or field. These unrecognized innovators would benefit most from the Grinnell Prize. Telling the stories of these innovators will highlight what is possible and inspire others to effect positive social change.

Yes. All successful nominees should have some level of recognition within their community or field. The College is looking for innovators who may be well known and respected within their immediate community or field, but not with the wider public. If you are uncertain whether your potential nominee is well known outside his or her community or field, please proceed to submit a nomination.

Because the Grinnell Prize program targets innovators who are not recognized outside of their immediate community or field, candidates receiving significant awards for their innovation will be evaluated to determine the impact of those awards on their broader public recognition. If, since the receipt of a major award, the candidate contributes a new innovation unrelated to the award, the nominator should proceed to submit a nomination emphasizing the nominee’s most recent innovation.

It is the nominee’s responsibility to provide the information the College is requesting. Failure to provide the requested information will automatically disqualify the nominee from further consideration.

Proceed to nominate the individual. Conflict of interest concerns will be evaluated on a case-by-case basis. Due to the volume of nominations received, the College cannot provide pre-nomination, individual determinations on conflict of interest concerns or otherwise offer personal consultations on possible nominations.

Additional Resources

The following links may be helpful as you articulate the work of your nominee.

Innovation

“Defining Social Innovation” (Stanford University)

Social Innovation Theory and Research: A Guide for Researchers (TEPSIE)

Impact

“What is Social Impact?” (Ross School of Business, University of Michigan)

Systems Thinking, Systems Change

“Beyond Organizational Scale: How Social Entrepreneurs Create Systems Change” (Schwab Foundation for Social Entrepreneurship)

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