Ashoka Changemakers and the David and Lucile Packard Foundation are seeking innovative ideas that activate empathy to nourish stronger, more vibrant communities and future changemakers.
New online competition will award $500,000 in prizes to initiatives that activate empathy in order to strengthen communities in five California counties
“Empathy-based ethics are the essential foundation for 21st century changemaking,” says Bill Drayton, the CEO and founder of Ashoka. “If we had to name a single, overarching success factor among our global network of social entrepreneurs, it would be the ability to put empathy into action.”
Ashoka’s Start Empathy initiative has been working with schools across the country to help children begin mastering this crucial changemaking skill. Now, Ashoka Changemakers and the David and Lucile Packard Foundation are launching an online competition to award support to organizations that cultivate empathy skills in order to strengthen communities and equip young people to become future leaders of change.
The Building Vibrant Communities: Activating Empathy to Create Change competition will award four prizes of $100,000 each, and up to two $50,000 Idea Prizes, to early stage initiatives. Winning solutions will be showcased at the Packard Foundation’s 50th Anniversary celebration event.
