Just got this email from the friend of a friend and wanted to share it with the community. Amazing, for a nanosecond there I wished I was a little bit older than I am!

Dear Colleague:

Which five social innovators should receive the $100,000 Purpose Prize? David Bornstein suggested that I contact you to ask your help in identifying promising candidates for this new prize.

Civic Ventures, a national nonprofit organization based in San Francisco, has received $10 million in funding from The Atlantic Philanthropies and The John Templeton Foundation to launch The Purpose Prize, celebrating social entrepreneurs who are over the age of 60. We welcome your nominations or referrals and would appreciate your help in spreading the word about this program. More information on resources to assist you are mentioned at the end of this communication.

Founded in the late 1990s by social entrepreneurs John Gardner and Marc Freedman, Civic Ventures is reframing the debate about aging in America and working to redefine the second half of life as a time of individual renewal and significant social contribution. See www.civicventures.org. The Purpose Prize campaign, which was launched on December 1, seeks to shift society’s views – through powerful examples -- about what people can achieve in the second half of life. An article on the campaign from the Wall Street Journal is attached. (Go to http://www.omidyar.net/group/artheals/file/4.36.11336246364/get/Civic%20Ventures.pdf to download)

Contrary to common assumption, social innovators are not necessarily people in their 20s or 30s. For years, Civic Ventures has been following the efforts of people over the age of 60 who have demonstrated remarkable creativity and entrepreneurialism. With the first of the baby boomers reaching 60 next year, the opportunity (and need) for harnessing this pioneering spirit for positive social transformation is unparalleled.

Presently, these older social entrepreneurs receive far less recognition and investment than younger innovators. Because they are relatively unknown, there are few national role models for baby boomers to emulate in this way.

The Purpose Prize will challenge this perception by investing significantly in carefully screened social innovators over the age of 60. Each year the organization will award five prizes of $100,000 to individuals who have demonstrated uncommon vision, determination and entrepreneurialism in addressing community and national problems.

To be eligible, a person must:

· Be a U.S. resident age 60 or over

· Currently work in a leadership capacity at a nonprofit organization, government agency or company in support of a social cause

· Demonstrate creativity, passion and fresh thinking to advance his or her work

Individuals working in the public sector and not-for-profits, as well as for-profit organizations focused on social causes, are all eligible. Elected officials and individuals working in a strictly religious or sectarian capacity are not eligible. Due to staff limitations, we are unable to evaluate programs that primarily operate outside the United States.

The prize program will tell the stories of these and dozens of other innovators in the second half of life. Rather than a lifetime achievement award, however, The Purpose Prize is a down payment on what these innovators will do next to transform their communities and our nation. Beyond the Prize, Civic Ventures is establishing a fund for innovation that will make grants to enable these social innovators their ideas to scale or create new breakthrough pathways for solving problems. The fund has initial seeding of $1.5 million, but hopes to attract additional support and grow significantly.

Nominations and self-nominations will be accepted through February 28, 2006. Winners will be announced in June 2006.

To nominate someone (or have them self-nominate), go to the prize website, www.leadwithexperience.org and click on the link to apply/nominate. If you would prefer that we follow up with individuals directly, please send me an email with your candidate’s name, phone number and email address and we will contact the candidate.

Also, please spread about this new prize through your email newsletter, blog, or any other vehicle at your disposal. Sample email communications, newsletter articles, banners and buttons for websites and other resources are available at http://www.leadwithexperience.org/prize/partners.

Thank you for your assistance in helping to identify qualified nominees and spread the word. This is tremendous opportunity to advance a new agenda for engagement among people in the second half of life and I hope you will enjoy being part of it.

Please let me know if you have any questions.

Sincerely,

Jim Emerman Executive Vice President Civic Ventures 139 Townsend St., Suite 505 San Francisco, CA 94107 Ph: (415) 222-7487 Email: jemerman@civicventures.org www.civicventures.org