The Clarence H. Moore Award
for Voluntary Service

… to recognize outstanding contributions to public health by volunteers or non-governmental organizations working to improve the lives of the peoples of Latin American and the Caribbean.

Throughout the Americas, the role of civil society is growing. This generates opportunities for creative development, and provides support and services for those in need or those who might be marginalized in society. Partnerships between civil society, the public sector, business, and the international community can be effective mechanisms for social development. In the area of health, such partnerships are being viewed as important constructs for equity and sustainability.

The Clarence H. Moore Award for Voluntary Service, created in 1989, is one of five awards presented by the Pan American Health and Education Foundation through its Awards for Excellence in Inter-American Public Health Program, a partnership between the Foundation and the Pan American Health Organization (PAHO).

To recognize the benefits that the voluntary/non-governmental sector contributes to the public health mission and to improving the lives of the peoples of the Americas, the Pan American Health and Education Foundation established the Clarence H. Moore Award. This award calls attention to the achievements of NGOs operating in Latin America and the Caribbean in public health, and celebrates these achievements.

A distinguished jury of public health professionals reviews nominations, and recommends a candidate to the board of trustees of the Foundation for final selection.

The award is presented at a ceremony organized by the PAHO/WHO Office in the winner's country, and coordinated with the Ministry of Health or other appropriate national institutions. The awardee receives US$2500 and a certificate of merit.

Mr. Clarence Moore was a distinguished public administrator and a man of high idealism and altruistic motivation whose formative years were colored by the Great Depression. He believed that collective action, both through the public sector and on a voluntary basis, could play a leading role in fighting poverty and maintaining human dignity. After university studies in the United States and Europe, he held administrative positions with several of the New Deal agencies created by President Franklin D. Roosevelt, and served during World War II with the United Nations Relief and Rehabilitation Agency in Europe. In 1947, he joined the World Health Organization (WHO) family as an administrative officer in Geneva, and was instrumental in setting up the WHO regional office structure.

Mr. Moore came to PAHO's Office of Planning and Coordination in 1952 to coordinate the expansion of the zone and country offices. From 1957 to 1968, as chief of the PAHO Office of Budget and Finance, he played a major role in implementing program budget concepts and in shaping organizational policy. He served as acting chief of administration, and was a valued consultant to the PAHO Director. Mr. Moore served as executive director and chief operating officer of the Pan American Health and Education Foundation from its inception in 1968 until his death in 1988. For most of that time, Mr. Moore served as a volunteer, accepting no salary for his work for this US non-profit organization.

Through 15 August 2005, the Foundation is accepting nominations for the Moore Award. Nominees may be national or local non-governmental or private organizations operating in Latin America or the Caribbean, whose work has resulted in outstanding contributions in public health. Staff members of PAHO/WHO in active service, sitting members of the Foundation's board of trustees, and members of the Clarence Moore Award Jury are ineligible to receive the award.

To be considered, the nomination must be completed in its entirety.

To make a nomination, please submit and address a letter of introduction (no longer than one page on official letterhead) and a completed nomination form to the Clarence H. Moore Award Jury. Both the letter and completed nomination form must be signed and in English or Spanish. If the letter and nomination form are submitted electronically, they must have an electronic signature. Any unsigned documents will not be considered.

An organizations may nominate itself, but it is strongly suggested that the nomination package also include a letter of support from someone not affiliated with the organization.