The Kraft Center for Community Health at Mass General Brigham (MGB) is pleased to invite applications for the Kraft Prize for Excellence and Innovation in Community Health. The Kraft Prize honors a transformative organization, program or innovation that is making a measurable impact on health outcomes and has the potential to become a scalable model for addressing community health challenges. The prize recipient will be awarded $100,000 and the opportunity to attend and present at the World Medical Innovation Forum in September 2025 with travel and accommodations provided, access to the Mass General Brigham Innovation MESH Network and the MESH Core, and tailored mentorship and investment opportunities through the Mass General Brigham network. Two finalist teams will be awarded $10,000 each and receive entry to the World Medical Innovation Forum. Applicants that have demonstrated measurable improvement in health outcomes using a data-driven, community- and research-informed collaborative approach, are especially encouraged to apply.  

The Kraft Center for Community Health is a hub for excellence in community health innovation. The Kraft Center combines its deep expertise with MGB’s broader innovation infrastructure to drive measurable, impactful change. Since its inception in 2012, the Kraft Center has implemented, tested, and scaled innovative programs to increase access to high-quality, cost-effective health care for communities across Massachusetts. The Center has addressed four critical health conditions that are the major drivers of lower life expectancy, premature mortality and alarming health disparities--substance use disorder, cancer, cardiometabolic disease, and maternal health — recognizing the significant role that social risk factors play in health outcomes. 

Applicants are encouraged to visit the Kraft Center for Community Health website to learn more about the Kraft Center’s mission, governance, and initiatives.

Areas of Focus

Successful applications will demonstrate their impact on community health. Applicants should demonstrate community involvement in the development and implementation of the innovation. Applications will fall into one or more of the following health priority areas with measurable health outcomes.

• Cancer
• Cardiometabolic Disease 
• Maternal Health
• Substance Use Disorder

Innovations can include efforts that address access and quality of care or social factors such as food insecurity, economic mobility, or housing stability that impact these health outcomes. 

Additional Considerations

For all priority areas, meeting one or more of the following criteria for innovative programs or initiatives will be given extra consideration:

• Leveraging technology to increase community health.
• Leveraging policy to increase community health.
• Demonstrating structural improvement or systems change.
• Engaging people with lived experience or those affected by priority area.
• Providing evidence of effectiveness.
• Exhibiting potential to sustain and scale the program or initiative.

Timeline

Eligibility

• United States based community health practitioners, healthcare professionals, non-profit organizations, along with private-sector leaders, innovators and inventors, are invited to apply. 
• Completion of application by the listed deadline using Survey Monkey Apply. 
  • Please note: A Kraft Center staff member will be available to provide technical assistance with Survey Monkey Apply as needed. 
• Two letters of support from external community partners or organizations are required. Letters should describe the relationship to the applicant.
• At least one member of the prize winner’s team or the lead individual will be required to attend the World Medical Innovation Forum on September 15-17, 2025 in Boston to present their work. 
• If an application advances to a finalist presentation, at least one team member or the lead individual must be available to participate in the presentation session to which the application is assigned (sessions will be scheduled for June).
• The prize winner will be invited to participate in year-round innovation programming at Mass General Brigham and The Kraft Center for Community Health, as well as marketing and communications activities. Activities may include a promotional video and materials and meeting with The Kraft Center team to share progress or new initiatives. Prize recipients may also be asked to continue to contribute to the Kraft Prize by providing feedback on the process, suggestions for improvement, or review of applicants.
• Applicants shall be evaluated and awardees selected in an objective and nondiscriminatory manner.  There will be no limitations based on race, gender, creed, religion, national origin, or sexual orientation of any entrant.
• Any potential winner or finalist will be required to sign an affidavit of eligibility and liability release, and where permitted, a publicity release.  Subject to verification of eligibility and compliance with the terms and requirements of the application, the potential winner and finalists will be confirmed.

Application Process

The application is available through Survey Monkey Apply. Applicants will be required to create an account and log-in to complete the application and submit the following information:

• Applicant information: general information on organization, program, main contacts, focus area(s) and target population.
• Applicant questions: specific information on program or innovation including the program overview, problem, evaluation, measurable outcomes, community partnerships, and more.
• Two letters of support: two one-page letters from external organizations or community partners.

Applications that are incomplete, do not meet formatting guidelines, and/or are submitted late will not be considered. Survey Monkey Apply support will be provided by the Kraft Center for Community Health team. Please email Maddie Davies, medavies@mgh.harvard.edu, if assistance is needed.

Evaluation of Applications

All applications received will be evaluated for eligibility, and a committee of Mass General Brigham and external national experts will review and score applications. Additionally, a select number of finalists will be asked to record a video presentation to share with the review committee. In their review, the committee will score and discuss applications with a focus on the following criteria: 

• Overall goals and impact of priority areas addressed
• Measurable health outcomes
• Innovation of program
• Replicability and scalability
• Sustainability
• Demonstrated community partnerships

Benefits of Awardee and Finalists

The winner will receive $100,000 in recognition of their development of innovative solutions towards making a measurable impact on health outcomes that have the potential to become a scalable model for addressing community health. The winner will be provided entry and travel accommodations for up to two people to present at the World Medical Innovation Forum. They will also receive entry to the Mass General Brigham Innovation MESH Network and the MESH Core. Two finalist teams will receive $10,000 and entry to the World Medical Innovation Forum. 

World Medical Innovation Forum 

The World Medical Innovation Forum is a multi-day global gathering of 2,000 senior leaders from healthcare, industry, and investment sectors, including clinicians, venture capitalists, entrepreneurs, and executives from pharma, biotech, and digital health. Held in Boston, the hub of biotech, the Forum highlights emerging trends and breakthroughs that are shaping the future of patient care. Through dynamic panel discussions, keynote presentations, and exclusive “First Look” presentations, the Forum provides an in-depth exploration of cutting-edge advancements in healthcare across a broad range of therapeutic areas, including cancer, neurodegenerative diseases, cardiovascular health, and other chronic conditions. The Forum also features the Emerging Tech Zone, where attendees can engage directly with entrepreneurs and innovators behind the latest digital health technologies, offering live demonstrations of tools and solutions poised to shape the future of healthcare delivery.

• Up to two (2) people from the winning team will receive complimentary registration and travel accommodations (up to $2,500 per person) to attend WMIF 2025, taking place in Boston, from September 15–17, 2025. To learn more about the Forum, visit the website at https://worldmedicalinnovation.org/.
• Up to two (2) people from each of the two finalist teams will receive complimentary registration to WMIF 2025.

Mass General Brigham Innovation MESH Network

The Mass General Brigham Innovation MESH Network is an online platform designed to connect innovators, support collaboration, and provide exclusive access to essential resources for driving healthcare innovation. The platform offers educational opportunities through masterclasses and sessions on topics ranging from patents to digital health. Members can explore the Innovator Directory to find collaborators, mentors, or co-founders, and connect directly within the platform.

• The awarded team (up to 4 people) will receive a one-year membership to the MESH Network, unlocking access to these tools, resources, and a vibrant community of professionals dedicated to advancing innovation.

MESH Core

MESH Core is an intensive, hands-on course designed to advance innovation in healthcare. Open to professionals and learners from diverse fields—including clinicians, researchers, entrepreneurs, and students—the program blends lectures, case studies, panel discussions, and startup pitch sessions. Participants gain practical tools and strategies to address challenges, develop solutions, and drive meaningful change in the healthcare sector. Participants will also have opportunities for extensive networking and collaboration. CME credits are available for physicians.

• The awarded team (up to 2 people) will receive complimentary registration to MESH Core 2026, granting full access to all sessions and activities.

Mentorship, Networking, and Investment Opportunities

The awarded organization, team, or individual will receive tailored support through the Kraft Center for Community Health and other partnering teams at Mass General Brigham. These opportunities will be unique to the prize recipient and depend on the needs and interests in advancing and sustaining the work.

Contact Information

For additional information or if you have any questions about the application, eligibility or Survey Monkey Apply, please contact:

Maddie Davies. Senior Program Manager at the Kraft Center for Community Health, medavies@mgh.harvard.edu