The Peace Direct Awards ($10,000 Prize Money)

The Peace Direct Awards, formerly the Tomorrow’s Peacebuilders Awards, recognize innovation in local peacebuilding. The annual awards honor organizations that are trying different peacebuilding approaches or new organizations doing peacebuilding where it hasn’t been done previously.

Peace Direct launched its annual awards in 2013. The winners receive global recognition and a cash prize to contribute toward their work. Hundreds of organizations apply each year.

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The recipients have worked with ex-child soldiers in Uganda, young Israelis and Palestinians, villagers hit by drug wars in Colombia, tribal groups in Papua New Guinea and more.

General guidance

• They are interested in finding organizations that have both:
  • Some track record in peacebuilding. If you have never previously undertaken peacebuilding work, you will not be able to win.
  • The potential to grow and expand. In your application, try and show how the prize money will help you scale up your organization, and even more importantly, scale up the impact of your work.
• Show what makes your organization unique. Are you taking an approach that is new? Are you working with communities that have in the past been underserved by peacebuilding activities? The awards aim to recognize organizations trying new/different peacebuilding approaches or new organizations doing peacebuilding where it hasn’t been done before. You stand a much greater chance of success if you can demonstrate how your organization fits with this aim.
• Tell them what your activities are, don’t just focus on the problems or conflicts that exist. They want to know what you do – be specific and not general. Include data (facts and figures) so they can get an idea of the scale of your work. How many people have you worked with? How many volunteers work with your organization? How many communities do you work in? These numbers help outsiders understand the scale of your work.
• Many previous applications have used too much jargon. Try to write in a language that is accessible and clear. Avoid using jargon or technical terms unless absolutely necessary.
• If you have had any evaluations of your work carried out (either internal or external), include the key information from the evaluations.
• Remember that outsiders may not know or understand the problems in your community or country. It is important to outline the problem or conflict you are addressing.
• Present realistic plans. What will change as a result of you winning the prize? You may not be able to solve the conflict in your country, but what change can you make?