Deadline: August 3, 2018
The Barry and Marie Lipman Family Prize at the University of Pennsylvania is open for applications. This is an annual global prize given to one organization that celebrates leadership and innovation in the social sector with an emphasis on impact and transferability of practices. The Lipman Prize empowers change-makers.
The award recognizes and amplifies the work of organizations devoted to positive social impact and creating sustainable solutions to significant social and economic challenges. The ultimate goal is to spread the global lessons found in local success.
Award
Announced each spring at an award ceremony at the University of Pennsylvania’s Wharton School, the Lipman Family Prize includes
- A $250,000 unrestricted cash award for the winning organization and $50,000 for each of the two other honorees.
- An ongoing partnership with the University dedicated to knowledge sharing and support of the organization. This includes promotion of their work and accomplishments in the Lipman Prize network of organizations, Penn faculty and alumni, and social impact funders.
- Access to tuition-free executive education programs at Wharton Executive Education and the Center for Social Impact Strategy, valued at approximately $15,000.
All three honorees for the Lipman Family Prize receive the same non-monetary benefits. Together with the University of Pennsylvania, each year’s honorees will help to build new knowledge, resources, and solutions for the social sector.
Eligibility
- Organizations from around the globe are encouraged to apply.
- They look for organizations that have a proven effective service model and capacity for growth. While the organization should be building a track record of success, it may not yet have gained significant recognition. For the winner, this Prize brings its work to a larger audience, attracts new potential donors, and provides resources that will help scale the work or improve organizational sustainability.
- Organizations do not have to operate outside of their home country to win the Prize.
- They also equally encourage applicants serving areas of North America to apply along with those from other regions of the globe.
Criteria
The Lipman Family Prize is targeted toward organizations addressing social and economic issues that are usually addressed by the Nonprofit/NGO/Civil Society sector. As a result, the majority of organizations that apply are considered “nonprofit” organizations. They expect that applicant organizations meet the following criteria in order to apply for the Prize:
- Registered as a nonprofit in the United States or hold an equivalent incorporation status in their home country.
- In operation for three years or more.
- Annual operating budget of $500,000 USD or more.
- No funding is directed towards individuals, direct lobbying expenses to influence legislation or elections, programs with religious content, or programs that discriminate on the basis of race, religion, national origin, sexual orientation, age or disability.
Organizations may apply for the work of the entire organization, or for that of a specific program. If submitting a program application, the program must meet the same basic criteria as an organizational applicant:
- The program is part of an organization that is registered as a nonprofit in the United States or holds an equivalent incorporation status in their home country.
- The program has been in operation for three years or more.
- Annual program operating budget of $500,000 USD or more.
- No program funding is directed towards individuals, direct lobbying expenses to influence legislation or elections, programs with religious content, or programs that discriminate on the basis of race, religion, national origin, sexual orientation, age or disability.
They request that organizations and their programs that do not meet these criteria refrain from applying. Any application not meeting these criteria will not be considered.
Evaluation Criteria
- Leadership
- Innovation
- Impact
- Transferability
Application
This first phase of the application includes four essay questions, organizational profile information and the submission of financial documents. Applications are reviewed under the supervision of staff and faculty at the University of Pennsylvania. All applicants will be notified in October whether or not they will continue to be considered in that year’s selection process.
The honorees and winning organization will be announced in April. The winner and honoree organizations will attend a special award ceremony and related events held at the University of Pennsylvania.
For more information, visit Lipman Family Prize.
