Meet Our Winners
Lipman Family Prize winners show us what’s possible when we equip cutting-edge change-makers to build on and expand promising solutions. Our winning organizations are dedicated to a range of global causes including social justice, healthcare, education, poverty alleviation and environmental sustainability. Whether bringing a creative strategy to end gender-based violence in India to college campuses in the U.S., or expanding a sanitation project from one country to five, our winners are extending smart solutions around the world.
Since 2011
2025 Winners
For the 2024-2025 cycle, the Lipman Family Prize received applications from over 150 organizations tackling important social issues including education, economic empowerment, environmental sustainability, mental health, legal aid, and poverty alleviation. The three winners below were chosen after rigorous phases of evaluation with committees of faculty, students, and staff from across the University of Pennsylvania, the Lipman Family, and key external partners of the Prize.
The three winners will be celebrated at our 14th annual Lipman Family Prize award ceremony on April 24, 2025, where the grand prize winner will be announced. The grand prize winning organization will receive an unrestricted cash prize of $250,000, and the two additional winning organizations will each receive $150,000.
Previous Winners
For the 2023-2024 cycle, the Lipman Family Prize received applications from 132 organizations tackling important social issues including education, economic empowerment, healthcare, environmental sustainability, child exploitation, hunger and poverty alleviation.
The three winners were celebrated at our 13th annual Lipman Family Prize award ceremony on April 18, 2024. Seacology was the grand prize winner and received an unrestricted cash prize of $250,000. The other two winning organizations, Food for Education and Simprints, each received $125,000.
Seacology works with island communities around the world to safeguard their local ecosystems and unique species, many of which are threatened with extinction. …
For the 2022-2023 cycle, the Lipman Family Prize received applications from almost 100 organizations dedicated to a range of global causes including economic development, education, environmental sustainability, gender equality, healthcare, human rights, food security, legal aid, and poverty alleviation.
The three winners were celebrated at our 12th annual Lipman Family Prize award ceremony on April 20, 2023. Build up Nepal was the grand prize winner and received an unrestricted cash prize of $250,000. The other two winning organizations, ADES and Healthy Learners, each received $125,000.
ADES works to preserve Madagascar’s forests and alleviate poverty with solar and energy-saving cookers, reforestation projects, and education measures that protect nature and create perspectives….
For the 2021-2022 cycle, the Lipman Family Prize received applications from almost 100 organizations dedicated to a range of global causes including job training and skills development, health and well-being, education, small farmers’ economic development, clean water and sanitation, legal and social justice, poverty alleviation, immigration, and refugee rights.
The three winners were celebrated at our 11th annual Lipman Family Prize award ceremony on April 21, 2022. CDD Society was the grand prize winner and received an unrestricted cash prize of $250,000. The other two winning organizations, Make a Difference and Yamba Malawi, each received $100,000.
Consortium for DEWATS™ Dissemination Society (CDD Society or CDD) exists to innovate, demonstrate, mainstream and advocate for inclusive, sustainable, and resilient nature-based solutions to tackle water and sanitation issues across various geographies….
For the 2020-2021 cycle, the Lipman Family Prize received applications from more than 115 organizations dedicated to a range of global causes including education, agricultural and economic development, healthcare, immigration, legal empowerment, and poverty alleviation.
The three winners were celebrated at our 10th annual Lipman Family Prize virtual award ceremony on April 23, 2021. EarthEnable was the grand prize winner and received an unrestricted cash prize of $250,000. The other two winning organizations, The Luminos Fund and PEAS, each received $100,000.
EarthEnable provides rural families in Rwanda and Uganda with affordable and environmentally sustainable solutions to unsanitary homes with dirt floors, which continually jeopardize their health….
For the 2019-2020 cycle, the Lipman Family Prize received applications from over 130 organizations dedicated to a range of global causes including economic development, education, environmental sustainability, financial services, gender equality, health care, human rights, food security, legal aid, poverty alleviation, and workers rights.
The three winners were to be celebrated at our 9th annual Lipman Family Prize award ceremony on April 26, 2020, which was cancelled due to the COVID-19 pandemic. A special announcement video was released instead. Sanku was the grand prize winner and received an unrestricted cash prize of $250,000. The other two winning organizations, Digital Green and Trees for the Future, each received $100,000.
For the 2018-2019 cycle, the Lipman Family Prize received applications from more than 100 organizations dedicated to a range of global causes including community-based healthcare, externalities of war, education, gender equality, hunger and poverty alleviation, social justice, and environmental sustainability.
The three winners were celebrated at our 8th annual Lipman Family Prize award ceremony on April 26, 2019. World Bicycle Relief was the grand prize winner and received an unrestricted cash prize of $250,000. The other two winning organizations, ACEV and the Global FoodBanking Network, each received $50,000.
World Bicycle Relief builds and distributes specially designed, locally-assembled, rugged bicycles for people in need, improving access to education, healthcare, and economic opportunities in developing regions of the world where distance is a challenge….
The Global FoodBanking Network (GFN) is an international non-profit organization working towards a hunger-free future in more than 40 countries by sustaining, uniting, and strengthening food banks….
For the 2017-2018 cycle, the Lipman Family Prize received applications from over 100 organizations dedicated to a range of global causes including economic development, education, disaster relief, gender and racial equality, healthcare, human rights, food security, legal aid, and sanitation.
The three winners were celebrated at our 7th annual Lipman Family Prize award ceremony on April 20, 2018. MyAgro was the grand prize winner and received an unrestricted cash prize of $250,000. The other two winning organizations, Operation ASHA and Ubuntu Pathways, each received $50,000.
myAgro is a nonprofit social enterprise that enables smallholder farmers in West Africa to use a mobile layaway model to invest their own funds in high-quality seed, fertilizer, and agricultural training to increase their harvests and income….
Operation ASHA (Op ASHA) is decentralizing tuberculosis (TB) diagnosis and care through a community-based model to improve the delivery of health care services for low-income patients in India and Cambodia, which have some of the highest burden of TB globally….
For the 2016-2017 cycle, the Lipman Family Prize received applications from more than 115 organizations dedicated to a range of global causes including economic development, education, environmental sustainability, gender equality, healthcare, human rights, food security, legal aid, safe water, poverty alleviation and workers rights.
The three winners were celebrated at our 6th annual Lipman Family Prize award ceremony on April 28, 2017. Philadelphia-based Women Against Abuse was the grand prize winner and received an unrestricted cash prize of $250,000. The other two winning organizations, Seeding Labs and We Care Solar, each received $50,000.
Seeding Labs harnesses the power of the scientific and philanthropic communities to unleash the potential of talented scientists in the developing world to pursue bold research and train the next generation….
We Care Solar promotes safe motherhood and reduces maternal mortality in developing countries by providing health workers with reliable lighting, mobile communication, and medical devices using solar electricity. …
For the 2015-2016 cycle, the Lipman Family Prize received applications from over 170 organizations dedicated to a range of global causes including economic development, education, environmental sustainability, gender equality, healthcare, human rights, food security, legal aid, safe water, poverty alleviation and workers rights.
The three winners were celebrated at our 5th annual Lipman Family Prize award ceremony on April 28, 2016. Soccer Without Borders was the grand prize winner and received an unrestricted cash prize of $250,000. The other two winning organizations, Hope Enterprise and Namati, each received $25,000.
Soccer Without Borders (SWB) uses soccer as a vehicle for positive change, providing newcomer refugee, asylee, and immigrant youth with a toolkit to overcome obstacles to growth, inclusion, and personal success….
Hope Enterprise Corporation (HEC) is a not-for-profit Community Development Financial Institution (CDFI) with a mission of strengthening communities, building assets, and improving lives in economically distressed parts of Alabama, Arkansas, Louisiana, Mississippi and Tennessee….
For the 2014-2015 cycle, the Lipman Family Prize received applications from almost 100 organizations dedicated to global causes including disaster preparedness, economic development, education, environmental sustainability, gender equality, healthcare, human rights, food security, safe water and poverty alleviation.
The three winners were celebrated on April 24, 2015. Riders for Health was the grand prize winner and received an unrestricted cash prize of $125,000. The other two winning organizations, CareMessage and Innovation: Africa, each received $12,500.
For the 2013-2014 cycle, the Lipman Family Prize received applications from over 150 organizations dedicated to a range of global causes including economic development, education, gender equality, healthcare, human rights, environmental sustainability, and disaster relief.
The three winners were celebrated on April 24, 2014. Breakthrough was the grand prize winner and received an unrestricted cash prize of $125,000. The other two winning organizations, KickStart and Not for Sale, each received $12,500.
Not for Sale equips and empowers survivors of human trafficking and vulnerable individuals through stability and restoration services, educational tools, professional development, and opportunities for future dignified work….
For the 2012-2013 cycle, the Lipman Family Prize received applications from over 115 organizations dedicated to a range of global causes including disaster preparedness, economic development, education, environmental sustainability, healthcare, housing, and safe water.
The winners were celebrated on April 23, 2013. READ Global was the grand prize winner and received an unrestricted cash prize of $100,000. The other two winners were d.light and Microclinic International.
In its inaugural year, close to 300 organizations from around the globe applied for The Lipman Family Prize. The winners were chosen after two months of intensive research, data collection and evaluation by a committee of faculty, students and staff spanning the University. The grand prize winner, iDE, was announced at the Lipman Family Prize Un-Conference that was held in Philadelphia on April 12-13, 2012 and received an unrestricted cash prize of $100,000. The other two winners were Komaza and MedShare.
iDE is an international nonprofit organization unleashing the power of innovation and market forces for poor rural households in the developing world, helping them access the tools and knowledge they need to increase their income. …
The Lipman Family Prize winners are working to address all of the 17 UN Sustainable Development Goals.
In 2015, the member states of the United Nations adopted the 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development as a “shared blueprint for peace and prosperity for people and the planet.” This call to action outlines 17 Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) that are universal across economic, social, and environmental dimensions. The UNSDGs provides a common framework for connecting the work of the global community around global concerns.
Click on each of the 17 SDGs below to see which of our Lipman Family Prize winners are working toward each goal.
Beacon Awards
The Lipman Family Prize was thrilled to announce the 2020 Beacon Awards winners. CareMessage and HOPE Enterprise received $250,000 each in unrestricted funds. The Beacon Awards were designed to reward and support Lipman Family Prize winners who demonstrated success in growing their social impact efforts.