PHILADELPHIA, June 28, 2019 — The Wharton School of the University of Pennsylvania announced today a new gift from 1970 undergraduate alumnus Barry Lipman and his wife Marie Lipman to expand the Lipman Family Prize. Building on the prize they originally established in 2011, their new gift will continue to provide an award of $250,000 to the winning organization and will expand the award for the two honoree organizations from $50,000 to $100,000 each. An annual global prize, the Lipman Family Prize recognizes and strengthens the work of organizations devoted to social impact and the creation of sustainable solutions to social and economic challenges.
“The Lipman Family Prize allows a platform for social impact organizations to continue to change, grow, and innovate their ideas to make the world a better place. Barry’s continued financial commitment to our work and the work of our organizations puts our mission into action, sending a message to the community that we as a Prize also want to be models for change,” said Euria Min, Director of the Lipman Family Prize.
In addition to the award, the honorees benefit from an ongoing partnership with the University dedicated to knowledge sharing and support, including engagement with the Lipman Family Prize network of honoree organizations, Penn faculty and alumni, and social impact funders. Honorees also receive access to tuition-free programs at Wharton Executive Education and the Center for Social Impact Strategy, and the exclusive Lipman Nonprofit Leadership Scholarship, given in partnership with the University’s School of Social Policy and Practice. In turn, honorees build new knowledge, resources, and solutions for the social sector.
Among past recipients of the prize, which rewards leadership, innovation, social impact, and transferability, are World Bicycle Relief, which mobilizes people through “The Power of Bicycles;” myAgro, a mobile layaway saving model that enables smallholder farmers to invest in seeds to improve their harvests and move them out of poverty; and READ Global, which brings together education, enterprise, and community development to create social change in rural South Asia.
“With a greater investment, we can enable deeper, more lasting results among the organizations that receive the Lipman Family Prize,” said Barry Lipman. “We’ve been delighted to engage with the recipient organizations over the years, and are pleased to partner with Wharton to provide added encouragement for Penn students to join the sector, and support to the people and organizations that promote a greater good around the world.”
Applications for the 2020 Lipman Family Prize will be accepted from July 1, 2019 through August 1, 2019 until 5:00 p.m. EST. The winning organization will be announced in spring 2020.
Barry Lipman is co-founder of Goldfarb & Lipman LLP, now Goldfarb Lipman, a leading California law firm. He serves as a member of the McNulty Leadership Program Advisory Board at the Wharton School, and, together with his wife, established the Barry R. & Marie Lipman Family Endowed Scholarship for undergraduate Penn students who have worked or volunteered in the nonprofit sector and plan to pursue a career in the field, in addition to their foundational generosity to the Lipman Family Prize.
About the Lipman Family Prize
Now in its ninth year, the Lipman Family Prize at the University of Pennsylvania is an annual global prize that celebrates leadership and innovation among organizations creating positive social impact. Governed by a steering committee comprised of University faculty, staff, and Lipman family representatives, the Lipman Family Prize is administered by the Wharton School on behalf of the University of Pennsylvania.
About the Wharton School
Founded in 1881 as the first collegiate business school, the Wharton School of the University of Pennsylvania is shaping the future of business by incubating ideas, driving insights, and creating leaders who change the world. With a faculty of more than 235 renowned professors, Wharton has 5,000 undergraduate, MBA, executive MBA, and doctoral students. Each year, 18,000 professionals from around the world advance their careers through Wharton Executive Education’s individual, company-customized, and online programs. More than 98,000 Wharton alumni form a powerful global network of leaders who transform business every day. For more information, visit www.wharton.upenn.edu.