Nomination Information

Nominations for the James and Sarah Fries Prize for Improving Health and/or the Elizabeth Fries Health Education Award should be submitted online. Self-nominations are not permitted. The Fries Awards Jury may request additional information if necessary, following submission of your nomination.

Letters of intent to nominate are encouraged (but not required) by January 31 at 11:59 PM EST each year. To submit a letter of intent, please prepare to use the appropriate online form below to state who you plan to nominate, for which award, and why you feel this nominee is a good candidate for the award (not to exceed 175 words.)

James and Sarah Fries Prize for Improving Health:

  • INTENT TO NOMINATE FORM
  • Nominators should be able to demonstrate the quantitative impact of the nominee’s work within the nomination.

Elizabeth Fries Health Education Award: 

  • INTENT TO NOMINATE FORM
  • Nominators should be able to demonstrate how the nominee’s work has benefited the health of the public within the nomination.

Nominations will be accepted through April 4 at 11:59P PM EST each year. To submit a nomination, please prepare to provide the following information via the appropriate online nomination portal link below:

James and Sarah Fries Prize for Improving Health: 

  • NOMINATION FORM
  • Nominators should be able to demonstrate the quantitative impact of the nominee’s work within the nomination.

Elizabeth Fries Health Education Award: 

  • NOMINATION FORM
  • Nominators should be able to demonstrate how the nominee’s work has benefited the health of the public within the nomination.

Information needed to submit an online nomination: PDF

FAQ

  • Is the winner required to attend the associated conference where the award is presented? Yes, and must give a presentation.
  • May I nominate someone again? Yes, up to three times.
  • Can I nominate myself? No, we do not accept self-submissions.

 

Martha Katz, Gregory Fries, Dr Anne Schuchat and Dr. Judy Monroe pose with the 2023 Fries Prize

Where to Submit a Nomination

Intent to Nominate declarations and Nominations for the James and Sarah Fries Prize for Improving Health and the Elizabeth Fries Health Education Award should be submitted electronically to the CDC Foundation via the online forms on this web page. As of November 2024, nominations will no longer be accepted via email or mail.

About the Awards

The late Dr. James F. Fries, formerly professor emeritus of medicine at Stanford University, came up with the idea for the James and Sarah Fries Prize for Improving Health in a 1987 ascent of Nepal’s Makalu—one of the world’s highest peaks—when his party became trapped in a severe snowstorm and was ultimately unable to scale the mountain. Following that experience, Dr. Fries returned to sea level and set about establishing a foundation to support a Nobel-like prize for health that now annually awards a $100,000 prize to an an outstanding leader judged by an expert panel to have done the greatest good for the greatest number of people in the field of health. In 1992 the Elizabeth Fries Health Education Award was established in honor of Elizabeth Fries, daughter of James and Sarah Fries. The $50,000 prize is awarded annually to an individual judged to have made substantial contributions to their area of health education and health promotion. Sarah Fries remained active in the Fries Awards for Health program until her death in May 2017, and Jim Fries remained active in the awards until his death in November 2021.

The CDC Foundation is honored to partner with the James F. and Sarah T. Fries Foundation, which established and funds the award. As of 2016, the CDC Foundation manages and administers the Fries Awards for Health program, which include the James and Sarah Fries Prize for Improving Health and the Elizabeth Fries Health Education Award.