Klaus J. Jacobs Best Practice Prizes Eligibility Criteria

Institutions or individuals who implement evidence-based solutions to improve child development and learning in practice are invited to apply for the Best Practice Prizes.

Applications are evaluated based on the following criteria:

• Achievement: The Prize candidate has demonstrated outstanding achievements in advancing evidence-based learning and education.
• Evidence Base: The Prize candidate’s approach is based on evidence from high quality, rigorously applied methods of research. Research evidence supports the approach’s effectiveness, substantiating its potential to generate further results and evidence that might be useful for future projects in similar or different settings. The candidate’s concrete activities have been systematized and externally and independently evaluated; measures to promote the dissemination of results are in place.
• Sustainable Impact: The Prize candidate’s approach has been successfully replicated, scaled up or has the strong potential to do so. The approach is sustainable at the local level through direct beneficiary implication or from a programmatic perspective via a strong business model, partnerships, and/or knowledge transfer to third parties (e.g., government). The approach shows the potential to induce systemic change.
• Strategic Implementation: The organization has a clear results framework and theory of change backed by research evidence and manages resources accordingly. The organization has a sound M&E system and tracks relevant KPIs. Measures are put in place to collect and learn from data and adapt implementation.
• Overall Alignment: The Prize candidate’s approach aligns with the Foundation’s strategy.

The Jacobs Foundation Board of Trustees serves as Jury for the Best Practice Prizes. Each of the up to three Best Practice Prizes laureates is endowed with CHF 200’000 unrestricted funding. Up to ten prize finalists receive support for follow-up activities with the Foundation to promote evidence-based best practice in advancing child learning and education.