Bend, OR. — The High Desert Museum has announced the creation of the Schnitzer Prize of the West, a new annual $50,000 award honoring individuals or teams addressing environmental and conservation challenges across the American West.
The initiative is a collaboration between the Museum, Jordan D. Schnitzer, and the Harold & Arlene Schnitzer CARE Foundation. Nominations are open through January 1, 2026, on the Museum’s website.
The Prize recognizes innovation, social impact, and collaboration in tackling urgent issues such as water scarcity, tribal rights, land stewardship, and climate change. It aims to elevate solutions that can serve as models for other regions.
“The Schnitzer Prize of the West is an exceedingly timely and relevant effort to shine a light on the innovators, collaborators and visionaries among us,” said Dana Whitelaw, Ph.D., Executive Director of the High Desert Museum. “Their work demonstrates that we can look toward our future together even as we consider the economic and ecological challenges before us.”
Jordan D. Schnitzer, President of Schnitzer Properties and the Harold & Arlene Schnitzer CARE Foundation, said the award celebrates “remarkable individuals and teams who, through their uncommon collaborations, are producing actionable solutions to the legacy challenges we face in the West.”
An advisory panel including former tribal leaders, farmers, water policy experts, historians, poets, and academic directors will review nominations. Selected nominees will be invited to apply formally in early 2026. The winner—who will also receive a commissioned artwork—will be announced in spring 2026 at an award ceremony in Portland, Oregon.
Nominations not selected will carry over for two additional cycles. For eligibility details and the nomination process, visit highdesertmuseum.org/schnitzer-prize.
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