Q. What is The Purpose Prize®?
A: Five individuals over age 60 who have used creativity, talent, and experience to create new approaches to big problems in an encore career each receive a $100,000 prize. Five other social innovators in encore careers receive prizes of $50,000. The Purpose Prize is not a lifetime achievement award, but is rather an investment in a new generation of social innovators who are tackling critical social problems with innovative and effective solutions.
Q. Why does The Purpose Prize® exist?
A: Civic Ventures has developed The Purpose Prize initiative to highlight people in the second half of their lives who are using tremendous creativity to find new ways to solve big problems. By telling the stories of these social innovators, we can inspire millions of Baby Boomers to find encore careers that benefit the greater good.
Q: How often is The Purpose Prize given?
A: The prizes are given annually, generally in the fall.
Q: Who funds The Purpose Prize?
A: Two foundations, The Atlantic Philanthropies and The John Templeton Foundation provided funding to Civic Ventures for the Prize.
Q: How can the monetary prize be used?
A: There are no restrictions on how the prize money may be used, but our expectation is that the funds will serve as a down payment on future contributions to the greater social good.
Q: What else do Prize winners receive?
A: Winners of The Purpose Prize will receive:
Q: Who is eligible to be nominated for The Purpose Prize®?
A: An eligible candidate is:
Q: What are the characteristics of a potential Purpose Prize winner?
A: The ideal candidate should be:
Q: What kinds of work are Prize nominees doing?
A: Nominees work on every major social problem our communities and nation are facing – from energy self-sufficiency and global climate change to education reform, productive aging, violence reduction, environmental justice, youth civic engagement and creativity, children's health, and reinventing the healthcare system.
Q: Who can submit nominations?
A: Nominations are welcome from any organization or individual with knowledge of a potential candidate. You can nominate someone from your own organization or you can nominate yourself.
Q: Can the candidate be working on non-domestic issues?
A: Yes, we recognize that a substantial number of people in their encore careers are making an impact globally. However, most prizes are awarded to people working within the US.
Q: Does the candidate have to be working for a nonprofit?
A: No. Candidates can be working for different kinds of organizations – nonprofits, government agencies, social purpose ventures, hybrid organizations that mix elements of nonprofit and for-profit, and profit-making ventures – so long as the work is leading to positive social change and has already had a major impact at the local, regional, or national level.
Q: Does the candidate's work have to be an entirely new undertaking?
A: No. The candidate's work could also be using innovative approaches and systems to substantially transform an existing program or organization. However, simply applying strong management skills to improve the performance of an organization is not sufficient to be selected for the Prize.
Q: How will you measure impact at the local, regional, national, or international level?
A: We are looking for a track record of concrete results stemming from the innovative solutions the candidate has used to address the chosen issue. For example, if the work seeks to reduce the health impact of toxic emissions in a community, the candidate should be able to show reductions in emissions, commitments from corporations to remedy adverse health effects, or improved health resulting from the innovative approach that he or she has brought to this issue.
Q: What do you mean by systemic change?
A: We are interested in solutions that are already yielding, or have the potential to yield, an impact beyond one particular location or pilot project. For example, can it be replicated in new locations, adapted by other groups, or adopted by networks or funders?
Q: Can the candidate be either paid or a volunteer?
A: Absolutely, the candidate can be operating in a paid or unpaid capacity – working as a volunteer, receiving a stipend, or paid a salary.
Q: Can the candidate be an organization?
A: No, the Prize recognizes individuals.
Q: Who makes the final selection of Prize winners?
A: An independent panel of judges selects a final slate of winners. The Judges are distinguished national leaders selected for their experience and judgment, and many are themselves social innovators in the second half of life.
Q: What is the timetable for nominations and selection of Prize winners?
A: Winners for 2009 will be announced on October 26, 2009. Nominations for the 2010 prizes are open now and will close at midnight EDT on March 5,2010. Please see the timeline for the latest updates.
Q: When and how will the winners be recognized?
A: An Awards banquet to recognize the winners will be held in the fall. The ceremony will include leading Purpose Prize candidates and thought leaders from government, philanthropy, academia and the private sector.
Q: I'm a reporter. Who can I contact to get an interview with one of the judges or winners?
A: To arrange an interview with Purpose Prize judges or winners, please contact Jennifer Coate, Associate Director of Communication for Civic Ventures, at 415-222-7490. For general information about The Purpose Prize, contact Alexandra Kent, Director of The Purpose Prize, at (415) 222-7486.