You can tell when an idea is ready to be shared by the trail it leaves. A stack of scribbled notes. A sketch on the back of a coffee-shop receipt. The texts and emails you send to yourself so you will not forget what surfaced in your last burst of brainstorming. The Sullivan Impact Prize recognizes that trail and offers a clear path forward, moving a concept from first draft to first pitch to first result. That is how the Prize now feels across our network of students and young alumni. A possibility has become a path. The Sullivan Impact Prize competition is calling for thoughtful, workable concepts that answer real needs where you live and serve. It promises not just a check, but a stage, a community, and a great reason to hone your idea until it is ready to meet the world.
The framework is clear. Applicants under 35 who are connected to the Sullivan community, including award and scholarship recipients and those engaged through Fellows, Ignite, Service Corps, or other programs, are eligible to apply. Submissions move through a simple first step that asks you to frame a problem, describe your solution, and show how you will pilot and measure it. From there, judges select finalists who earn an invitation to pitch at the Ignite Retreat in spring 2026, a weekend gathering designed to sharpen skills and strengthen networks. The Prize winner receives a $1,000 award, recognition across the Sullivan network, and eligibility for up to $10,000 in follow-on funding as the project gains traction. It is funding coupled with a compass, pointing toward a launch, partnerships, and community benefit.
Here is what the road ahead looks like. Application materials are live now. A short application with a brief video is due in December 2025. Judges meet in January 2026 to select five finalists. Finalists pitch at the Ignite Retreat, March 27–29, 2026, at Lake Junaluska, North Carolina. The winning team will be highlighted at the Sullivan Showcase in April 2026, where supporters, partners, and alumni gather to celebrate milestones and invite your next chapter of work. For many applicants, the real prize will be the discipline the process requires, the mentors you meet along the way, and the moment you can point to and say, this is when my idea became real.
If you are considering it, begin with what you already know. Choose a problem that bothers you enough to keep you up at night, one that you can map out on a single page. Write down the people who are most affected and why, the version of your solution that could be most likely piloted, and the evidence you would need to decide whether to keep going or to change course. Talk to a small group of the stakeholders involved to gain reality-based feedback. Revise as needed.
The Sullivan Impact Prize invites this kind of practical imagination. It rewards clarity and momentum over polish. And when you finally step onto the Ignite stage, you will not be alone. You will be surrounded by peers who decided to turn a good intention into a working plan, faculty and alumni who want you to succeed, and a network ready to open doors once your plan is tested and ready for daylight.
Ready to throw your hat in. The application portal is on the Sullivan website: Click Here.
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