The Effective Peace Prize is an initiative by EPI to encourage and reward innovative and scientifically rigorous peacebuilding interventions. This annual prize aims to foster evidence-based practices in the peacebuilding community, addressing the critical need for clear evidence on what works to reduce organized violence and deaths from armed conflict. Inspired by successful innovation prizes like the X Prizes, the Effective Peace Prize is designed to spur progress in peacebuilding by providing financial support, publicizing successful interventions, and encouraging an evidence-based culture in the community.

• Provide financial support to individuals and organizations committed to gathering evidence about effective peacebuilding interventions.

• Publicize research on successful peacebuilding efforts to inspire similar research and help raise funding.

• Encourage donors to fund evidence-based interventions and scientific impact assessments.

• Develop an evidence-based culture within the peacebuilding community.

• Amount: $100,000

• Eligibility: Non-violent interventions aimed at reducing deaths due to organized, armed conflict.

• Methodology: Any scientifically rigorous methodology is accepted, but a clear statement of methods and evidence is required.

• Judging Committee: A diverse committee including academics from multiple fields and individuals with significant peacebuilding experience.

• Preference for projects studying interventions in recent conflicts.

• Studies demonstrating that widely used interventions did not reduce violence are also considered.

• Applicants studying interventions by independent NGOs must agree to allocate at least 25% of the prize to the entity unless explicitly declined.

• To apply for the Effective Peace Prize, interested individuals and organizations should prepare a comprehensive proposal detailing their intervention, methodology, and evidence. Applications should also include a plan for utilizing the prize money if awarded.

• A clear statement of the intervention, methods, and evidence.

• Explanation of how the prize money will be used.

• Agreement to allocate at least 25% of the prize to the NGO conducting the intervention, if applicable.

• Information Sessions Coming Soon: February 2025

• Applications will be accepted in early 2026