Annual Awards

Celebrating Community Health

Each year, the Iowa Primary Care Association recognizes outstanding individuals for their contributions to Iowa’s community health centers. Nominations are submitted by community health center peers and community partners. These individuals are recognized for their dedication to the Health Center Movement and for their extraordinary work on behalf of their peers, patients, and community.

The Awards

• Carl Kulczyk Memorial Award: This award was established in recognition of Carl Kulczyk's outstanding contributions to the Iowa PCA and community health field prior to his death in 2008. This award is presented to an individual who has made outstanding contributions to his/her organization over the course of his/her tenure at the health center.
  • Eligibility: A Board member or staff member who serves in a leadership/management position at an Iowa health center. Nominees have a multi-year history with the health center and have made significant contributions to advancing the mission of the health center and to strengthening the role of the health center throughout the community(ies) it serves.  
• Unsung Hero Award: This award recognizes an individual who has demonstrated a level of excellence in his/her work which distinguishes his/her services and contributions during the past year.
  • Eligibility: An individual who is a staff member or volunteer at an Iowa health center who is not typically recognized publicly for his/her contributions. Nominees may include, but are not limited to, front-line staff, outreach workers, financial assistance staff, interpreters, accounting, and human resources staff. Nominees demonstrate a commitment to the mission of the health center and a dedication to providing outstanding service to health center patients.  
• Outstanding Provider Award: This award recognizes a distinguished provider who exemplifies excellence in clinical practice and demonstrates a dedication to the health center mission and to the patients he/she serves.
  • Eligibility: An individual who is a medical, dental, or behavioral health provider at an Iowa health center. Nominees may include, but are not limited to, physicians, dentists, nurse practitioners, physician assistants, dental hygienists, registered nurses, nurse midwives, social workers, and pharmacists.
• Community Impact Award: This award recognizes an individual that has made an impact on both their community health center and their community. Nominations are submitted by community partners and other stakeholders to celebrate the nominee’s dedication to improving the lives and health of others.
  • Eligibility: An individual who is a staff member or volunteer at an Iowa health center. Nominees demonstrate a commitment to furthering the mission of the health center and enriching the lives in their community.
• Advocate Award: This award recognizes a community health center organization for its advocacy excellence, including performance on grassroots advocacy through the VoterVoice system, engagement with state and federal elected officials, community engagement, and more. 
• Communicators Award: This award recognizes a community health center organization that has demonstrated a commitment to excellence in their ability to convey messages with clarity, creativity, and impact through patient engagement, social media, and other forms of communication. 

Previous Winners