COMPETITION DETAILS

Important Dates

- October 1, 2025: Registration Deadline

- November 30, 2025: Submission Deadline

- December 2025: Winner Announced in the first week of December. Exact date TBA.

How to Register

You can register for the competition through the following link. Once registered, you will receive additional information through your email with access to the relevant competition resources. The last possible day to register is October 1, 2025.

Registration Link: https://forms.gle/f3FVM1PhHKnytRWA7

Competition Workshops

To assist in developing your entry, we offer a series of recorded workshops to help you develop your idea. Links will be sent via email to all participants who register for the competition. Workshop topics include:

- From Idea to Impact: Developing Your Project

- Theory of Change

- Risk Analysis

- Financial Planning

- Building Strategic Partnerships

Submission Requirements

The components of the contest entry are similar to what would be expected in a business plan, and must include:

- Project Overview: Detailed explanation of the peacebuilding problem to be focused on and how the program or organization will address this peacebuilding problem. The project overview must explicitly outline what peacebuilding theories support your project approach. 200+ words.

- System Scan: Description of how other organizations are addressing this problem and how your approach builds on previous work and adds value to the space, emphasizing innovation and creativity. 250+ words.

- Financial Sustainability Plan: Detailed description of your funding model and how you will reach/acquire financial support. 250+ words.

- Theory of Change: Detailed description of the theory of change.  250+ words.

- Risk Analysis: Identification and assessment of potential risks and mitigation strategies. 250+ words.

- Management and Organization: Information about the management team, key personnel, and organizational structure. 250+ words.

- One-Year Plan: A detailed 1-year plan outlining what you will accomplish if you win. 200+ words.

Competition participants will submit a 10 - 15-minute recorded video presentation and a 3-5 page written summary of the above components for their final submission. Both the video and written should be submitted by email to [email protected]. The winner will be contacted through email in December 2025.

Written Summary Template: https://docs.google.com/document/d/1rnQxvlwE3jyVzcZxcdLxoGHHDYIbOyU3WQBWcI4vNPM/edit?usp=sharing

Eligibility

- Education: All current students from any university who are majoring, minoring, or taking a certificate in peacebuilding, peace and conflict studies, or a related field are eligible for entry

- Teams: Entries may be from an individual or a team of up to four team members. If entering as a team, only 1 person on your team needs to be majoring or minoring in peacebuilding or a related field.  

-Program Focus: Entries may propose a program, an NGO, a social enterprise, or a business. What is most important is how they apply peacebuilding principles in their solution. Priority will be given to ideas focused on the Asia Pacific region or international contexts.

Honor Code

All aspects of this competition are to be professional and of high quality. An entry can be disqualified if the idea, business, video, presentation, presenters, etc, do not adhere to a professional code of conduct. All components of your presentation should avoid any dishonesty, bullying, profanity, substance abuse, and/or immodesty. All registrants agree to abide by these dress and behavior standards. 

Judges: Information coming soon!

Prize Details

The winning student(s) will obtain a $1,000 cash prize for seed funding, disbursed according to a set budget. The winners will also have the option to be incubated by the Ponopono Peace Initiative to help get their idea off the ground and running. The In-kind support included in the prize package will come in the form of mentorship hours with specific mentors. More details coming soon.