High Desert Museum Opened Prize Nominations
The Bend institution is accepting entries for the 2027 Jordan Schnitzer Prize of the West, which includes a $50,000 cash award.
Updated on Oct. 14, 2026 in Awards
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The High Desert Museum has opened nominations for the 2027 Jordan Schnitzer Prize of the West. This second annual award honors innovation and collaboration in addressing environmental and conservation challenges across the American West.
Why it matters
The award seeks to highlight solutions to urgent regional issues including water scarcity, wildfire, tribal sovereignty, and ecosystem change. It recognizes work that directly addresses complex stewardship challenges in the American West.
The prize offers a $50,000 cash award to an individual or small group working on environmental conservation. Nominations remain open until the December 31, 2026, deadline.
The players
High Desert Museum
Located in Bend, Oregon, this museum focuses on the natural and cultural history of the high desert region of the American West.
Brad Parry
He was the inaugural 2025 prize recipient for leading the ecological restoration of the 1863 Bear River Massacre site.
The details
Candidates must submit documentation through the museum website detailing their innovation, impact, and collaborative efforts. The selection committee evaluates projects based on their effectiveness in addressing modern land management and ecological challenges.
Timeline
The original Bear River Massacre took place in 1863.
The inaugural prize was awarded to Brad Parry in 2025.
Nominations are being accepted through December 31, 2026.
The 2027 Jordan Schnitzer Prize will be formally awarded in 2027.
Culture Shift
The prize reflects a broader societal shift toward acknowledging the intersection of environmental conservation and cultural preservation. It signals a move away from siloed ecological projects toward holistic land stewardship that integrates tribal sovereignty and historical healing.
Local conservationists and researchers can submit their projects online to vie for the $50,000 grant. Prospective applicants should prepare comprehensive documentation of their work to satisfy the museum's strict innovation and collaboration requirements.
The takeaway
This prize incentivizes community leaders to develop scalable solutions for the Wests most pressing environmental crises. Those working in conservation should ensure their projects demonstrate clear, measurable collaborative impacts to remain competitive for the 2027 grant.
What happens next
The nomination period for the 2027 cycle will conclude on December 31, 2026, after which the selection committee will begin its review process.
Further reading
Find more details on regional honors in the Bend Awards section.
More information
For full details, visit the nomination and eligibility information page.
Source note: This article includes information reported by Idaho Business Review.
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