Explore Challenges

At Lever for Change, we are committed to openness and transparency in our open call challenges, as well as providing value to each participant. We do this by publicly sharing information about the competition process, including the timeline, evaluation criteria, and judges. We also ensure that as many applicants as possible receive feedback on their proposals. During Lever for Change competitions, all valid proposals move through a process of increasing levels of review, feedback, and diligence. Explore current and upcoming challenges below and learn more about our Challenge Process.

Aerial drone view above Lady Bird Lake showing kayakers on the water and the Austin, Texas skyline in the distance.
Closed; Awarded
Lone Star Prize

On June 15, 2021, Lever for Change and Lyda Hill Philanthropies announced that Meadows Mental Health Policy Institute was selected as the $10 million recipient of the Lone Star Prize, a Texas-based competition launched in early 2020 to improve the lives of Texans and their communities. The Meadows Institute’s “Lone Star Depression Challenge” will improve quality of life and mental health care access for communities across the state.

Health
Workforce
Environment
Young girl with her hair in braids and wearing a red, white and grey sweatshirt smiles at the camera, while running, with her mother in the background wearing a pink dress and dark headscarf, talking on the phone.
Closed; Awarded
Larsen Lam ICONIQ Impact Award

On May 4, 2021, Lever for Change and ICONIQ Impact announced that Resourcing Refugee Leadership Initiative was selected as the $10 million recipient of the Larsen Lam ICONIQ Impact Award, a competition to secure a brighter, more durable future for refugees globally. The Award sponsors successfully raised a total of $24.25 million in funding to distribute to all five finalist organizations dedicated to improving the lives of refugees around the world.

Refugee Support
An African-American man stands at the front of a room, teaching a technology class. Dressed in a green shirt and grey slacks, he is pointing at a screen.
Closed; Awarded
Economic Opportunity Challenge

On December 15, 2020, premier technology workforce development organization Per Scholas was announced as the awardee of the $10 million Economic Opportunity Challenge. The “Proven Pathways to Transformative Careers in Tech” project will improve economic opportunities for low-income individuals within the United States.

Employment/Jobs
Economic Opportunity/Mobility
Chicago CTA train pulling into the platform
Closed; Awarded
Chicago Prize

On August 6, 2020, the Pritzker Traubert Foundation (PTF) announced that Always Growing, Auburn Gresham was awarded the Chicago Prize, PTF’s $10 million grant competition that sought to invest in collaborative initiatives using physical development to spur economic activity, strengthen civic infrastructure, and improve the safety, well-being, and economic mobility of residents in the city’s South and/or West sides. PTF also committed an additional $2.5 million in development funds accessible to the other finalist teams.

Community Improvement/Capacity Building
100&Change logo 2021
Closed; Awarded
100&Change:2021

On April 7, 2021, the MacArthur Foundation announced a $100 million grant to Community Solutions to accelerate an end homelessness in 75 U.S. communities in five years. MacArthur’s Board selected Community Solutions from the six finalists in 100&Change, the Foundation's global competition to fund a single proposal that promises real and measurable progress in solving a critical problem of our time.

Open to Any Subject

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