Nominate Your Rare Hero - NORD Rare Impact Awards

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2026 Rare Impact Awards® Nomination Form

IMPORTANT: Nominees must meet the criteria for the selected nomination category to be considered. Awards recognize contributions primarily (but not exclusively) made in 2025.

Legal Disclosure: View legal disclosures

Deadline: Nominations must be submitted by 11:59 PM Eastern on Friday, February 13, 2026.

About the Nominee

Please select the category for which you are submitting your nominee:(Required)

The Abbey S. Meyers Award honors a NORD patient organization member who has made significant contributions to the rare disease community through strong leadership in advocacy, education, research, patient support services, or raising awareness.

Qualifications

Nominations must demonstrate one or more of the following:

Organizational growth and expansion
Innovation or high-impact programs and services
Major research, regulatory, or legislative achievements
Advancements in patient or medical education and care
Leadership in diversity, equity, and inclusion

The Community Champion Award recognizes volunteers or advocates who have made a meaningful contribution to advance NORD’s mission and improve the lives of people living with rare diseases.

Qualifications

Individual efforts have made a positive impact on the rare disease community at large and not solely disease-specific, including but not limited to:
- Improving access to care
- Collaborations that led to accelerating research or therapeutic development
- Addressing health equity
- Advancing policies or regulations
Individuals must uphold NORD’s values of compassion, inclusion, integrity, collaboration, and innovation.
Special consideration is given to individuals who volunteer or advocate with NORD.

The Policy Changemaker Award recognizes federal and state policymakers who have advanced policies or regulations that improve the lives of rare disease patients in the United States.

Qualifications

Nominees must meet the following requirements:

They must be a U.S. state or federal lawmaker or government employee.
The policies or regulations they are being nominated for must be in the United States.

This award honors individuals who are trailblazers in rare disease clinical care and/or research. Nominees have advanced the field in meaningful, innovative ways and demonstrate strong leadership in patient-centricity through their engagement with patients, caregivers, and patient organizations in their research and care practices.

Qualifications (may include, but are not limited to):

Demonstrated pioneering contributions in rare disease clinical care and/or research (required)
Substantial collaboration and engagement with patients and families
Active participation with patient advocacy organizations (e.g., boards, committees, or events)
Mentorship of emerging scientists, clinicians, or other rare disease professionals

Youth Leader Award recognizes young volunteers or advocates (18 years or younger) who have made a meaningful contribution to advance NORD’s mission and improve the lives of all people living with rare diseases.

For individuals 18 years or younger. Recipients under 18 must have approval from their parent or guardian to accept the award.

Name of Group Nominee(Required)

Nominee City(Required)

Nominee State(Required)

Nominee Email(Required)

Nominee Phone(Required)

Organization I am Nominating:(Required)

Contact Person Phone:(Required)

Contact Person Email(Required)

City:(Required)

State:(Required)

Tell us about your nominee and how they are making an impact in their rare disease community:(Required)

Explain how your nominees’ contributions are impacting the rare disease community as a whole. How does their work help to support those living with rare diseases now, and how will it impact the community in the future?(Required)

Please provide links below to examples of your nominee's accomplishments (this may include blogs, articles or other published pieces recognizing their efforts, and videos):(Required)

Are there any photos you would like to share that help to exemplify your nominee's accomplishments?

Drop files here or

Accepted file types: jpg, jpeg, png, Max. file size: 5 MB.

Contact person if group nominee:(Required)

Provide a brief overview of your nominee and the work they do?(Required)

500 words or less

Describe how their contributions directly advance the goals of this award category.(Required)

500 words or less

Explain how their work benefits the rare disease community more broadly and why it should be recognized now.(Required)

500 words or less

Please provide links below to examples of your nominee's accomplishments (this may include blogs, articles or other published pieces recognizing their efforts, and videos):(Required)

500 words or less

Are there any photos you would like to share that help to exemplify your nominee's accomplishments?

Drop files here or

Accepted file types: jpg, jpeg, png, Max. file size: 1 MB.

Action required: This category is for individual nominees only. Please change your nomination type to Individual above. Submissions cannot be accepted when “Group” is selected for this category.

1. Please describe the nominee’s significant contributions to rare disease research and/or clinical care, including contributions to public health.(Required)

Up to 5 distinct contributions may be included.

2. Please provide links to examples of the nominee’s accomplishments.(Required)

For example: up to four key publications, up to four clinical trials on ClinicalTrials.gov, and/or other notable recognitions. Paste URLs (one per line).

3. Please describe the nominee’s collaboration and engagement with patients and families.(Required)

4. Please describe the nominee’s participation on rare disease advocacy boards, committees, and/or events.(Required)

5. Please describe the nominee’s mentorship of emerging scientists or clinicians.(Required)

Optional: Please upload any photos that help illustrate the nominee’s impact.

Drop files here or

Accepted file types: jpg, jpeg, png, Max. file size: 1 MB.

Note: The Youth Leader Award is intended for individual nominees (18 years or younger). Please change your nomination type to Individual above.

Nominee Age (must be under 18 at time of submission)(Required)

Parent/Guardian Name(Required)

Parent/Guardian Email Address(Required)

Parent/Guardian Approval (required)(Required)

Type AGREE to confirm you have parent/guardian approval to submit this nomination.

Nominated By

Your information (required).

Nominated by email:(Required)

Nominated by city:(Required)

Nominated by state:(Required)

Nominated by phone:(Required)

Legal Disclosures

You must acknowledge the legal disclosures to submit this form.

NORD Rare Impact Awards Legal Disclosures: 2026

Please review the legal disclosures before submitting your nomination.

View legal disclosures

Legal Disclosures Acknowledgment (required)(Required)

Type AGREE to confirm you have read and agree to the legal disclosures.

No Self-Nomination Attestation (required)(Required)

Type AGREE to confirm this is not a self-nomination.