Submission open for Lipman Family Prize 2027

The Barry & Marie Lipman Family Prize at the University of Pennsylvania recognizes nonprofit organizations demonstrating exceptional leadership, innovation, and measurable social impact in addressing global challenges. Each year, three nonprofit organizations receive unrestricted funding of up to USD 300,000, executive education opportunities, leadership scholarships, and long-term collaboration with the University of Pennsylvania.

Program Overview: Global Prize for High-Impact Nonprofit Organizations

The Barry & Marie Lipman Family Prize is an annual international award that honors nonprofit organizations creating sustainable, innovative, and scalable solutions to significant social challenges.

Beyond financial support, the programme strengthens nonprofit leadership by connecting winners with the University of Pennsylvania’s academic community, executive education programmes, and global social impact networks.

Key Objectives of the Prize

• Recognize outstanding nonprofit leadership
• Reward innovative solutions to social challenges
• Support measurable and sustainable social impact
• Promote organizational excellence
• Encourage replication of successful nonprofit models
• Strengthen nonprofit capacity and long-term sustainability
• Foster global collaboration and knowledge sharing

Priority Focus Areas

Leadership Excellence

• Visionary nonprofit leadership
• Organizational effectiveness
• Strategic management
• Sustainable governance

Innovation

• Creative solutions to social challenges
• New service delivery models
• Scalable interventions
• Social innovation

Social Impact

• Demonstrated measurable outcomes
• Long-term community benefits
• Evidence-based programming
• Monitoring and evaluation

Transferability

• Replicable nonprofit models
• Adaptable best practices
• Knowledge sharing
• Global learning opportunities

Organizational Sustainability

• Financial stability
• Institutional growth
• Capacity building
• Long-term organizational resilience

Prize Structure

Grand Prize

• USD 300,000 unrestricted funding

Additional Winners

• Two prizes of USD 150,000 each in unrestricted funding

Additional Benefits for All Winners

All three winning organizations receive:

• Partnership opportunities with the University of Pennsylvania
• Promotion through the Lipman Prize and Penn networks
• Tuition-free executive education through Wharton Executive Education and the Center for Social Impact Strategy (valued at approximately USD 15,000)
• Lipman Nonprofit Leadership Scholarship through the University’s School of Social Policy and Practice (valued at approximately USD 10,000)
• Long-term networking and collaboration opportunities

Who is Eligible?

Eligible organizations must:

• Hold nonprofit status in the United States or an equivalent legal status in their home country
• Have operated as a nonprofit organization for at least three years
• Monitor and evaluate their programmes
• Have at least three years of documented impact results
• Maintain a three-year average annual operating budget between USD 500,000 and USD 5 million

Ineligible Organizations

Organizations are not eligible if they:

• Primarily redistribute grant funds
• Engage mainly in direct lobbying to influence legislation or elections
• Deliver programmes with religious content as the primary focus
• Discriminate based on:
  • Race
  • Religion
  • National origin
  • Sexual orientation
  • Age
  • Disability

Selection Criteria

Applications are evaluated based on:

Leadership

• Strong organizational leadership
• Strategic vision
• Effective governance

Impact

• Measurable outcomes
• Sustainable social change
• Evidence-based results

Innovation

• Original approaches
• Creative problem-solving
• New models of service delivery

Transferability

• Ability to replicate or adapt successful practices
• Potential for wider adoption
• Contribution to the global social impact sector

How to Apply (Step-by-Step)

Step 1: Verify Eligibility

Confirm that your organization meets all nonprofit status, operational history, budget, and impact measurement requirements.

Step 2: Document Organizational Impact

Compile evidence demonstrating:

• Measurable results
• Monitoring and evaluation data
• Long-term outcomes
• Organizational achievements

Step 3: Prepare the Application

Include:

• Organizational background
• Leadership information
• Programme description
• Innovation approach
• Impact evidence
• Financial information
• Sustainability strategy

Step 4: Submit the Application

Complete and submit the application with all required supporting documentation.

Step 5: Review and Evaluation

Applications are assessed based on:

• Leadership
• Innovation
• Measurable impact
• Transferability
• Organizational sustainability

Step 6: Winner Selection

Three nonprofit organizations are selected annually to receive awards and participate in the Lipman Prize network.

Importance of the Prize (Why It Matters)

The Barry & Marie Lipman Family Prize helps:

• Recognize outstanding nonprofit organizations
• Increase global visibility for social innovators
• Strengthen nonprofit leadership
• Expand organizational capacity
• Promote evidence-based social impact
• Encourage replication of successful solutions
• Build international partnerships through academic collaboration

Common Mistakes to Avoid

• Applying without sufficient impact data
• Failing to demonstrate measurable outcomes
• Providing unclear evidence of innovation
• Not explaining how the model can be replicated
• Submitting incomplete financial information
• Ignoring organizational sustainability
• Applying despite not meeting eligibility requirements

Tips for a Strong Application

• Present clear evidence of measurable impact
• Highlight innovative approaches to solving social challenges
• Demonstrate strong organizational leadership
• Explain how your model can be adapted in other settings
• Include robust monitoring and evaluation data
• Show financial sustainability and organizational stability
• Emphasize long-term community impact

Frequently Asked Questions (FAQ)

1. What is the Barry & Marie Lipman Family Prize?

It is an annual international award recognizing nonprofit organizations that demonstrate leadership, innovation, measurable impact, and sustainable solutions to global social challenges.

2. How much funding is available?

The grand prize winner receives USD 300,000, while two additional winners each receive USD 150,000 in unrestricted funding.

3. Who can apply?

Eligible nonprofit organizations operating for at least three years, with documented impact results and a three-year average annual operating budget between USD 500,000 and USD 5 million.

4. Are organizations outside the United States eligible?

Yes. Organizations with nonprofit status in the United States or an equivalent legal status in their home country may apply.

5. What additional benefits do winners receive?

Winners receive executive education, leadership scholarships, promotion through University of Pennsylvania networks, and long-term partnership opportunities.

6. How are applications evaluated?

Applications are assessed based on leadership, measurable impact, innovation, and the ability to transfer successful practices to other contexts.

7. Which organizations are not eligible?

Organizations that primarily redistribute funds, engage in direct lobbying, deliver primarily religious programmes, or discriminate based on protected characteristics are not eligible.

Conclusion

The Barry & Marie Lipman Family Prize recognizes nonprofit organizations that combine visionary leadership, innovative solutions, measurable impact, and sustainable organizational practices to address global social challenges. Through substantial unrestricted funding, executive education, leadership development, and long-term collaboration with the University of Pennsylvania, the programme helps exceptional nonprofits expand their impact and inspire transformative change worldwide.