Global Changemakers Prize 26 – Decision

On December 12, 2025, the HRH Princess Belle Rachel Foundation announced the launch of the Global Changemakers Prize, which officially opened for applications on January 12, 2026.

The application period remained open until February 28, 2026, and the submission portal was closed on schedule. As of March 2, 2026, the Foundation was no longer accepting applications for this challenge.

Following the close of applications, the Foundation’s evaluation committee undertook a careful review of the projects and initiatives submitted.

Evaluation Outcome

After careful consideration, the committee concluded that none of the projects submitted met the criteria required for the Foundation to responsibly award the Global Changemakers Prize in this edition.

This decision was not based on the quality of presentations or the applicants’ ability to communicate their ideas. The committee’s focus was on the substance and maturity of the projects themselves — including their structure, feasibility, sustainability, scalability, community need, and potential for long-term impact.

We received ideas with potential. However, a number of the projects would have required significant restructuring and further development before they could be considered ready for investment.

The Foundation’s role is not to restructure an immature project after funding has been awarded. Our responsibility is to identify initiatives that have a sufficiently solid foundation to make responsible use of the resources entrusted to us.

We Do Not Select Winners Just for Show

The Global Changemakers Prize is not an award created simply to announce a winner.

We believe that awarding funding carries a responsibility.

When the structure and fundament of a business or social-impact project are not sufficiently solid, providing funding without addressing those fundamental weaknesses can significantly increase the probability of failure. For the Foundation, that would not constitute responsible investment.

Our objective is therefore not to distribute funds simply because a competition has been launched or because an edition is expected to produce a winner.

We want to allocate resources where they have the greatest potential to multiply — creating sustainable enterprises, strengthening communities, generating opportunities, and producing lasting impact.

For this reason, the Foundation has decided not to designate a winner for this edition.

We understand that this may be unexpected. However, we believe that maintaining high standards is essential if the Global Changemakers Prize is to become a credible and meaningful platform for social entrepreneurs around the world.

A Commitment to Fairness and Independence

The Foundation also remains committed to ensuring that the Prize is conducted with fairness, transparency, and independence.

The Global Changemakers Prize is intended to identify exceptional projects regardless of whether applicants have any existing relationship, affiliation, or connection with the Foundation.

The evaluation process must therefore be based on the merits of each project and its potential for sustainable impact, rather than personal relationships or affiliations.

This principle is fundamental to the credibility of the Prize and to the Foundation’s responsibility to its mission.

A New Chapter

Rather than ending the initiative, the management of the HRH Princess Belle Rachel Foundation has decided to strengthen the program and launch a new edition with a longer application and evaluation period.

The additional time will allow us to reach more potential changemakers and give applicants greater opportunity to develop and present projects that are genuinely investment-ready.

The next edition will place particular emphasis on:

• The maturity and structure of the project
• A clear and realistic business or operational model
• Demonstrated community need
• Financial and operational sustainability
• Potential for measurable social impact
• Scalability and long-term viability
• The ability of the project to continue beyond the initial funding

The Foundation is not looking simply for ideas that sound promising.

We are looking for ideas that can become sustainable realities.

📅 December 14, 2026 — Next Edition Announcement

The Foundation is already preparing the next edition:  the Global Changemakers Prize 27.

On December 14, 2026, the HRH Princess Belle Rachel Foundation will make an official announcement containing all key dates and important information for the next edition, including the application period, submission deadline, evaluation timeline, and subsequent stages of the selection process.

We encourage prospective applicants to use the time ahead to strengthen their projects, validate their models, understand their communities’ needs, and prepare initiatives capable of demonstrating genuine and sustainable impact.

Looking Ahead

We sincerely thank everyone who participated in the inaugural Global Changemakers Prize and shared their vision with us.

Not every idea is ready for funding at the moment it is conceived. Sometimes, the most responsible answer is not to fund a project prematurely, but to give it the opportunity to become stronger, more structured, and more sustainable.

The Foundation’s commitment remains unchanged:

We will not fund simply for the sake of funding. We will invest responsibly, with the ambition that every resource entrusted to us can contribute to creating lasting value and meaningful change.

The next edition will bring a renewed opportunity for changemakers whose projects are ready to take that step.

HRH PRINCESS BELLE RACHEL FOUNDATION
Supporting sustainable ideas. Empowering changemakers. Creating lasting community impact.