2021 Elevate Prize

We are looking for leaders, innovators, activists, and risk-takers who are impacting their community every day. Does your work have the potential to elevate humanity and inspire others to act as engines for social good?

Prize Overview

The Elevate Prize annually awards $5 million in prize funding and services to a radically diverse group of 10 leaders who are tackling the most urgent issues of our time around the world.

The Elevate Prize’s mission is to dramatically amplify the impact of innovators, activists and problem-solvers. Together, we can build a powerful platform to mobilize communities, catalyze positive change and awaken the hero in all of us – at a time when it’s never been more needed.

The challenges facing us are complex and urgent; mitigating and adapting to the impact of climate change, creating safe environments where people can prosper, ensuring access to quality education and healthcare – even as the Coronavirus pandemic brings our inequity and inequality into stark light.

Our increasingly interconnected world needs innovators and activists who can lead by example, stand as role models, and inspire more action, more change, and more good in the world. We are looking for extraordinary people leading high-impact organizations who are:

• Elevating opportunities for all people, especially those who are traditionally left behind
• Elevating issues and their solutions by building awareness and driving action to solve the most difficult problems of our world
• Elevating understanding of and between people through changing people’s attitudes, beliefs, and behaviors

In an age where an idea can go global at the speed of a text, there’s more opportunity than ever before to reach further, mobilize diverse communities, and amplify impact. Here’s how the Elevate Prize can help you do just that:

• MONEY. A minimum of $300,000 (USD) shared between you and your organization, so you can drive change.
• AMPLIFICATION. Our strategic marketing and media expertise can take you to the next level. Be a social impact influencer. Find your fans. Build a platform. Think bigger. Do great things. Change the world.
• MENTORSHIP. Our network of partners, executives and decision-makers offer the kind of professional development and business guidance money can’t buy.
• CONNECTIONS. Each cohort is a radically diverse group of people leading innovative organizations. As a member of this cohort, you will have the opportunity to learn from each other, create shared experiences, and build lasting relationships.
• SUPPORT. Get the most out of your win. We take the time to thoroughly understand your needs as an individual and organization then create a tailored program that will help you reach your goals and beyond.
  10 winners. 1 goal: To change the world.

Eligibility

The Elevate Prize is open only to applicants from registered nonprofit organizations who are:

• Founders
• CEOs
• Executive Directors
• Members of their Organization’s Executive Team
• Submissions must be written in English.
• Applications must be submitted by an individual on behalf of themselves and their nonprofit organization.
• In the event that an organization has multiple Co-Founders, team Members, etc. who are eligible to apply, they must select one individual delegate to submit the application.
• Individual applicants must be at least 18 years old.
• Individual applicants must be affiliated with a legally established nonprofit entity/public charity (formed either under U.S. law or under the laws of the country of their residence).
• Staff members of The Elevate Prize Foundation, Inc., members of the Judging Panel, and such individuals’ family members are not eligible for The Elevate Prize.

TIMELINE

Accepting applications
The Elevate Prize Opens – March 8, 2021
Deadline to Submit – May 5, 2021

Refining Applications
Elevate Prize Phase 2 Application Opens for Selected Applicants – June 8, 2021
Deadline to Submit Phase 2 Application – June 28, 2021

Evaluating Applications
Finalist Interviews – August 30, 2021

For any questions about the Elevate Prize, please email: help@solve.mit.edu