Grinnell College, a liberal arts institution in Iowa, recently announced the creation of a $300,000 annual prize program to honor individuals under the age of 40 who have demonstrated leadership in their fields and who show creativity, commitment and extraordinary accomplishment in effecting positive social change.

The  "Grinnell College Young Innovator for Social Justice Prize" will recognize up to three individuals each year, and for each $100,000 in prize money, half will go to the individual and half to an organization committed to the winner’s area of interest.

The Nation commends Grinnell for sponsoring the award and encourages all eligible readers to apply for this prize, which is one of the largest of its kind available in the US.

Nominees may be US citizens or foreign nationals, and no affiliation to Grinnell College is necessary. Grinnell encourages entries across a wide range of fields, such as science, business, the arts, the environment, social services, religion and ethics, as well as projects that cross several fields.

“In creating this prize, we hope to encourage and recognize young individuals who embody our core values and organizations that share our commitment to change the world,” says Grinnell College president, Raynar S. Kington.

Nominations for the 2011 prize are due on February 1, and the winners will be announced in May 2011.

Details of the program and its nomination process are available at www.grinnell.edu/socialjusticeprize.