Hope Enterprise Corporation Named 2016 Lipman Family Prize Honoree

Philadelphia, PA – Hope Enterprise Corporation (HOPE) was named as an honoree for the Barry & Marie Lipman Family Prize. Chosen from more than 170 applicants around the globe, HOPE will receive executive training support and access to the networks of the Wharton School and the University of Pennsylvania. In addition, HOPE will receive $50,000 to support its work to create opportunity for people living in economically distressed communities across the Mid South states of Arkansas, Louisiana, Mississippi and West Tennessee. 

In addition to HOPE, two other organizations were also honored. Soccer Without Boarders was named the winner of the prize and will receive $250,000 to support their work. Namati was also honored and will receive $50,000.

According to prize founder Barry Lipman, “Our goal is to identify and promote game-changing ideas that solve social problems. Soccer Without Borders, Namati and Hope Enterprise Corporation rose to the top because of their innovative approaches and their potential for social impact. We are honored that we can support the important work of these social change agents.”

“HOPE opened its doors in 1994 as a business loan fund in the Mississippi Delta, one of the most economically distressed communities in the nation,” says Bill Bynum, CEO of HOPE. “Since that time HOPE has leveraged more than $2 billion in public and private resources, shaped policies that improve conditions for people across our service area and more than 650,000 residents in the nation’s most persistently poor region have benefited from HOPE’s work. While the prize will support our continuing efforts to bridge the economic divide for the communities we serve, we believe the support from Wharton and UPenn will be even more valuable to our work in the long run.”

In addition, the unrestricted cash prizes, Soccer Without Borders, Hope Enterprise Corporation and Namati will gain access to a growing network of change-makers and thought-leaders to accelerate cutting-edge change worldwide. The Lipman Family Prize connects those on the cusp of great change with resources, skills, and people-power to expand the impact and influence of their ideas. Benefits include an executive education program, pro-bono consultation from University faculty and staff, peer learning events, as well as expert- and student-driven research to inform and guide their work.

About the Lipman Family Prize

First awarded in 2012, the Lipman Family Prize at the University of Pennsylvania is an annual global prize that advances creative solutions by inspiring people to think together in new ways. Administered by the Wharton School on behalf of the University of Pennsylvania, the Prize is committed to resourcing and connecting change-makers to bring innovative ideas to new places and problems around the world. Previous winners include iDE, READ Global, Breakthrough, and Riders for Health.

About the Wharton School

Founded in 1881 as the first collegiate business school, the Wharton School of the University of Pennsylvania is recognized globally for intellectual leadership and ongoing innovation across every major discipline of business education. With a broad global community and one of the most published business school faculties, Wharton creates economic and social value around the world. The School has 5,000 undergraduate, MBA, executive MBA, and doctoral students; more than 9,200 participants in executive education programs annually and a powerful alumni network of 94,000 graduates.

About the 2016 Honorees

Hope Enterprise Corporation is a not-for-profit Community  Development Financial Institution with a mission of strengthening communities, building assets and improving lives in economically distressed communities in Arkansas, Louisiana, Mississippi and Tennessee, by providing access to affordable, responsible financial products and related services.

Namati is building a global movement of grassroots legal advocates who work with communities to advance justice. These advocates are solving problems on the front lines to ensure that people can protect their land, access essential services, and take part in the decisions that govern their lives.

Soccer Without Borders uses soccer as a vehicle for positive change, providing newcomer refugee, asylee, and immigrant youth with a toolkit to overcome obstacles to growth, inclusion, and personal success.