Projects for Peace

Apply for Projects for Peace - Summer 2026

Proposals Due: December 14, 2025 at 11:59 p.m. (PST)

About Projects for Peace 

On the occasion of her 100th birthday, Mrs. Kathryn Davis, an international philanthropist alumna of I-House New York, who died in 2013 at age 106, felt some urgency to spark initiatives for building prospects for peace in the world. She committed $1 million to fund one hundred $10,000 projects for peace as she believed that today’s youth – tomorrow’s leaders – ought to be challenged to formulate and test their own ideas.

Projects for Peace is an initiative that is open to residents of International House - UC Berkeley to design grassroots projects for the summer, anywhere in the world, which promote peace and address the root causes of conflict among parties.

We encourage applicants to use their creativity to design and implement innovative projects that engage participants by focusing on conflict resolution, reconciliation, and finding solutions for resolving conflict and maintaining peace. Projects will be selected for funding at $10,000 each.

Projects for Peace logo

Climathon Kano Project: Climate Conflict Mitigation for Sustainable Peacebuilding in Nigeria

Hussein Orekoya (Nigeria) - 2024

The Projects for Peace Initiative is made possible by Kathryn Wasserman Davis.

Resources

Key Questions to Consider

About Projects for Peace

Middlebury: Past PFP Projects

Apply for a Summer 2026 Grant with I-House Berkeley

Eligibility

I-House Berkeley Resident during Academic Year 2025-26 semester in good overall standing.

Projects for Peace Alumni are not eligible.

Timeline

Timeline for I-House Berkeley applicants:

  • Info Session: September 10, 2025 from 6-7 p.m., Great Hall

  • (Optional) Projects for Peace Virtual Panel: November 18, 2025 

  • Proposals Due: December 14, 2025 at 11:59 p.m.
  • Announcements: April 2026

  • Implementation: Summer 2026

Application Guidelines

Find the detailed proposal instructions here:  Project For Peace Proposal Guidelines (PDF) 

*The submission date for I-House residents is December 14, 2025, and differs from the date listed in the PDF.

The Project Proposal includes two parts: proposal narrative and the budget spreadsheet.

PART A: Proposal Narrative

  • Project summary, background, implementation, anticipated results

PART B: Budget Template 

Selection Process

A committee will use the following rubric to review all I-House Berkeley submissions. 

Projects for Peace Scoring Table

CRITERIAPOINTSSCORECOMMENTS
1. Alignment with Mission of Projects for Peace 30
a. Project operates on grassroots level 10
b. Project aligns with and promotes their definition of peace 10
c. Project identifies and addresses root cause of conflict among parties 5
d. Application followed all instructions and application is complete 5
2. Proposal Narrative and Application 50
a. Project demonstrates innovation and/or experimentation in finding solutions 10
b. Project goals are realistic given personnel, budget, and time constraints 10
c. Project indicators of success are measurable and achievable 10
d. Project makes use of partnerships or collaborations with local community groups, nonprofits, or businesses 5
e. Letter of support from faculty, mentor, or content expert included in application 5
f. Applicant demonstrates knowledge of field of study 5
g. Applicant demonstrates an understanding of the culture(s) and possible risks in which the project will be operating 5
3. Budget 10
a. Budget is realistic and allows applicant to achieve desired results 5
b. Budget is balanced in terms of allocation across areas 5
4. Sustainability 10
a. Project demonstrates sustainability beyond the length of the grant 10
TOTAL 100
Scoring Key Table
SCORING KEY
1/5 Unsatisfactory: Applicant does not adequately answer the question/address the content area of question.
2/5 Below Average: Attempts to answer the question, but thoughts or ideas are not fully articulated. The reader is left with significant questions about the project.
3/5 Average: Answers the question but does not provide significant detail. The reader may be left with questions.
4/5 Above Average: Answers the question with detail, and thoughts and ideas are articulate. The reader has limited questions regarding specific elements of the project.
5/5 Exceptional: Answers are creative, innovative, and fully articulated. The reader fully understands the project.

Previous Award Recipients

Summer 2025

Cervicare for Peace: A Path to Health & Lasting Unity for Kaya Yei in Ghana

Ahmed Abjbakari (Ghana)

This project addressed the dual issues of health inequity and peacebuilding among Kayayei (female headporters) in Accra, Ghana, by providing cervical cancer screening, reproductive health education, peer educator training, and an avenue for peace dialogue. We collaborated with the Zongo Care Initiative, Kayayei, local health facilities, and the Kayayei Youth Association to provide screening services and facilitate peace dialogues that strengthened solidarity among the women from diverse ethnic backgrounds.

Sparks of Hope: Fighting Genocide Ideology Through Sports

Christian Yesashimwe (Rwanda)

This project aimed to use basketball as a tool to teach unity and reconciliation values to youth in one of the reconciliation villages in Rwanda, providing a safe space for sports and civic education for peacebuilding. By constructing a basketball court in collaboration with the Ministry of Sports, and mobilizing additional funds and community support, the project created a model not only for community professional-level courts but also a foundation for long-term youth empowerment.

The Growing Peace Project

Esther Mburu, James Supeyo Kibiro (Kenya, UC Berkeley), Glory Wangui (Kenya), Joshua Wachira (Kenya)

The Growing Peace Project addressed student malnutrition and limited practical education resources at Mugumo-ini Primary School in Kiambu County, Kenya, through the construction of a comprehensive school garden system featuring eight raised beds, complete irrigation infrastructure, and curriculum integration. Working directly with 1,500 students, teachers, and community members, the project employed a participatory design-build methodology that engaged learners in every phase of development from site preparation through final planting and maintenance protocols.

Peace Through Water Access

James Mawien Manyuol Dau (South Sudan)

Summer 2024

Excellence Anurika Joshua

Building Peace Through Digital Empowerment in Anambra State, Nigeria 

Youtube Summary:https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=GSr2weYo9z8

Hussein Orekoya

Climathon Kano: Climate Conflict Mitigation for Sustainable Peacebuilding in Nigeria Project, Nigeria

Youtube Summary: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=xOKsfgsJchk

Okechukwu Iroegbu

Clean Water for Communal Health, Sanitation, and Peace: A Pilot Project for Villages Impacted by Lack of Drinkable Water in South-Eastern Nigeria 

Summer 2023

Dinah Lawan
Foundations of Peacebuilding, Empowerment and Political Education: Building a Voice for Indigenous Women in Areas Most Impacted by the Boko Haram Insurgency, Nigeria

Read the blog post, Dinah Lawan on Advancing Projects for Peace in Nigeria(link is external)

Martin Ssemulugo
Hygiene & Sanitation4Peace at Kigungu Landing Site, Uganda

Read the blog post, Martin Ssemulugo on Promoting Hygiene and Sanitation for Peace in Uganda(link is external)

Eric Assan
Digital Literacy & Mentorship for Peace, Ghana

Read the blog post, Eric Assan on Advancing Digital Literacy for Peace in Ghana

Summer 2022

Title of project: Documentaries for reconciliation

Juan Jose Conforto and Carlos Amat
Title of project: Teaching how to teach: Education to bring light to Honduras

Paulina Tarr
Title of project: Cultivating Peace and Community in West Oakland

Molly Nantongo
Title of project: Ntongo Skills4Peace

Summer 2020/2021

Summer 2020 Winners (conducted in Summer 2021 due to COVID):

Sayantan Mitra “Sunny”
Title of Project: Sondhe Holo, Khelte Cholo: It's Evening, Let's Play!

Oluwagbemisola Akinspe “Gbemi”
Title of Project: The Hope Project

Summer 2019

I-House Worldwide Winner: Sarah Lebu (Kenya)

Title of Project: First Friday: The Peaceful Side of the Street

UC Berkeley Campuswide Winner: Maha Siddiqui (U.S.A.)

Title of Project: Activism in Heart, Health, and Medicine

Questions?

Contact rio@ihouseberkeley.org
Zoom
Patrick Thelen, 2017 Projects for Peace winner

2019 Projects for Peace Presentations

Davis Projects for Peace: UC Berkeley Summer 2019 Winners