Canary Impact Prize

The Canary Impact Prize, initiated by the Canary Impact (previously known as the Canary Impact Fund or CIF) is designed to promote community, build capacity, and provide support to formerly incarcerated leaders focused on achieving transformative impact through the launch and implementation of creative systemic solutions. Rooted in the collective drive for transformative change, this prize is a rallying call to advance systemic solutions that untangle the webs of mass incarceration in the United States. With the unwavering belief that those directly impacted possess the wisdom and vigor to drive meaningful change, the Prize heralds the rise of formerly incarcerated leaders as architects of a just and reformed judicial landscape.

Mission and Purpose:
At the heart of the Canary Impact Prize beats an unwavering mission: (1) to cultivate a collaborative community of formerly incarcerated social justice entrepreneurs to promote the development and potential reach of solutions that address complex and interrelated issues, (2) to leverage the innovation of formerly incarcerated leaders to plant the seeds of social justice solutions that have the greatest potential for decarceration and re-enfranchisement, and (3) to invest in formerly incarcerated leaders and visionaries closest to the issues, namely those that are driving creative, innovative, and systemic approaches to advance social justice. We believe that investment in formerly incarcerated leaders and visionaries who are closest to the issues is crucial. Namely, these individuals are driving creative, innovative, and systemic approaches to advance social justice. We do so by cultivating a collaborative community of formerly incarcerated social justice entrepreneurs, aiming to promote the development and potential reach of solutions that address complex and interrelated issues. By leveraging the innovation of formerly incarcerated leaders, we plant the seeds of social justice solutions with the greatest potential for decarceration and re-enfranchisement.

Guiding Principles:
The Prize’s essence is distilled into guiding principles that illuminate its purpose:

Empowering Visionaries: The Prize thrives on investing in formerly incarcerated leaders and visionaries who stand closest to the fires of injustice. These torchbearers illuminate the path with creative, innovative, and systemic approaches, igniting change where it is needed most.
Forge a Collaborative Frontier: Canary Impact recognizes the interconnectedness of the issues that underpin mass incarceration. It endeavors to nurture a collaborative community of social justice entrepreneurs, each bearing the hallmark of direct or indirect impact, to amplify the breadth and depth of transformative solutions.
Cultivating the Seeds of Change: The prize harnesses the innovative prowess of formerly incarcerated leaders, sowing the seeds of social justice solutions that carry the promise of decarceration and re-enfranchisement. These solutions germinate in the fertile soil of experience, ready to blossom into lasting reform.

Monetary Seed: A $10,000 prize, a symbol of recognition and empowerment, kindles the flame of transformative ideas.
Year-Long Nurturing: Beyond the immediate, the Prize offers a year-long immersion in a nurturing ecosystem, fostering growth, development, and refinement of groundbreaking solutions.
Cohort Camaraderie: A unique cohort experience binds awardees together, weaving a tapestry of shared wisdom, collaboration, and collective progress.