Applications Now Open for $250,000 Annual Award
Philadelphia, PA – This year’s Barry & Marie Lipman Family Prize winner and two finalists will take home twice the amount of their predecessors, thanks to a significant investment from prize founders Barry & Marie Lipman. The winning organization will receive $250,000 in unrestricted funds, up from $125,000 in previous years. The finalists will receive $25,000 each, up from $12,500. Applications are now being accepted from organizations working for social change all over the globe.
“Previous winners of the Lipman Family Prize have shown how well they leverage unrestricted funds and expert advice to unleash their full potential,” says Lipman, a Wharton School undergraduate alumnus (W’70) who started the prize in 2011, with his wife, Marie. “Seeing the huge difference innovative organizations can make when they have the resources they need is a better return on investment than I ever imagined. So we decided to double our investment, to build new knowledge, resources, and solutions for the social sector.”
The Lipman Family Prize is an annual global prize given to an organization that celebrates leadership and innovation in the social sector with an emphasis on impact and transferability of practices. First awarded in 2012, the prize is administered by the University of Pennsylvania through the Wharton School. Past winners include iDE, READ Global, Breakthrough, and Riders for Health.
In addition to financial support, Lipman Family Prize winners and finalists gain access to University of Pennsylvania and Wharton School resources, including a tuition-free executive education program, pro-bono consultation from University faculty and staff, peer learning events, as well as expert- and student-driven research to inform and guide their work. With a core emphasis on education, the Lipman Family Prize cultivates long-term partnership among the finalists, the Prize committee and the School.
“The unconventional nature of this prize is part of what makes it so valuable for an organization like ours,” says John Mulvey, Grants Officer for Breakthrough, a global human rights organization working to make violence against women and girls unacceptable, and winner of the 2014 Lipman Family Prize. “Our main tool for action is cutting-edge multimedia flash campaigns that mobilize communities, which means we have to take advantage of situations as they arise. So the unrestricted nature of the prize is key. It gives us the flexibility to respond quickly, so we can leverage key media and pop culture momentum to bring attention to domestic abuse.”
Furthermore, he says, “Having a relationship with Wharton – the leading business school in the country – is immeasurably valuable. Being able to tap into faculty expertise, network with alumni, and work with top-notch students has been an unexpected benefit.”
Applications for the 2016 Lipman Family Prize will be accepted until August 31, 2015, at 5 p.m. EST. The winning organization will be announced in February 2016. Additional information about the application process can be found on the Lipman Family Prize website.
About the Lipman Family Prize
The Lipman Family Prize at the University of Pennsylvania is an annual global prize that celebrates leadership and innovation among organizations creating positive social impact. Governed by a steering committee comprised of University faculty, staff, and Lipman family representatives, the Lipman Family Prize is administered by the Wharton School on behalf of the University of Pennsylvania.
About the Wharton School
Founded in 1881 as the first collegiate business school, the Wharton School of the University of Pennsylvania is recognized globally for intellectual leadership and ongoing innovation across every major discipline of business education. With a broad global community and one of the most published business school faculties, Wharton creates economic and social value around the world. The School has 5,000 undergraduate, MBA, executive MBA, and doctoral students; more than 9,000 participants in executive education programs annually and a powerful alumni network of 94,000 graduates.
