ELIGIBILITY:

The Lipman Family Prize is targeted toward organizations addressing globally relevant 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. We 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.

Have been operating as an organization for three years or more.

Have been monitoring and evaluating its work for three years or more and have those results to share.

Have a 3-year average of annual organizational expenses between $500,000 and $5M* USD.

No direct lobbying expenses to influence legislation or elections (e.g. 501(c)4); programs with religious content; or programs that discriminate on the basis of race, religion, national origin, sexual orientation, age or disability.

*The budget size eligibility criterion has been updated for the 2024 Prize. Please see the FAQ page for additional information.

BENEFIT:

The grand prize winning organization receives a $250,000 unrestricted cash award, and the two additional winning organizations each receive a $150,000 unrestricted cash award.

In addition, all three winners receive the same non-monetary benefits including:

An ongoing partnership with the University dedicated to knowledge sharing and support of the organization, including opportunities for resources and relationships to help scale the work or improve organizational sustainability.

Promotion of their work and accomplishments to a large audience, and network development within the Lipman Prize community of winners, and the broader Penn network.

Access to tuition-free executive education programs at the Wharton Executive Education and the Center for Social Impact Strategy, valued at approximately $15,000.

The exclusive Lipman Nonprofit Leadership Scholarship, given in partnership with the University’s School of Public Policy and Practice, valued at approximately $10,000.