Harmony Foundation Environmental Essay Prize

Essays should focus on the experience of working with Indigenous communities and share lessons learned that can inform others in working with and within Indigenous communities. We aren’t looking for the theoretical in these essays, but rather stories that can inform direct action and change.

The five main criteria we consider in selecting a winner are:

1. Is the essay on the topic of work with and within Indigenous communities for the improvement/protection of the environment, culture and/or their economies?
2. Does the essay reflect on the experience of the author and potentially serve to inform or inspire others to work with Indigenous communities?
3. Does the essay engage with Indigenous knowledge and experiences?
4. Does the essay consider any relevant ethical considerations of the work? For example, data sovereignty, consent for research, etc.
5. Is the essay well structured and proofread?

The winner will be awarded $1,500 and second place will receive $500. First and second-prize winners will also be inscribed into the commemorative wall in RAVEN’s office.

The deadline for entries for the Harmony Environmental Essay Prize is Jul 1, 2025. Submissions open Mar 17, 2025. All Masters and professional program (Law, Med, etc.) students are eligible.

Participants should send essays to executivedirector@raventrust.com, with “Harmony Essay Prize” in the subject header.

Please send papers as PDFs with a separate title page with name, program, institution, and email address. No author identification can be on the essay pages themselves.