PeaceRise

PeaceRise is an initative of Alloy Growth Lab 501(c)3.

PeaceRise is focused on addressing the pervasive issue of conflict and violence that affects communities both locally and globally. The scale of this problem is immense, with an estimated 800 million people living in countries impacted by fragility, conflict, and violence. These challenges not only affect individual countries but also have transnational implications, as they can lead to the displacement of populations, spread of disease, reduced trade, and increased organized crime and terrorism (Link).

In the communities we work in, as well as globally, the factors contributing to this problem include economic disparities, social inequalities, and lack of access to education and healthcare. Our solution is centered around promoting peace through technology and innovation, leveraging the power of collaborative problem-solving to create sustainable change.

We are creating a community focused on developing technology that will become part of a repository of tools that can be leveraged to assist in driving peaceful initiatives.

Our solution is an online community that aligns with our mission to provide technical solutions that support peaceful initiatives. The community is designed to be a collaborative space where individuals and organizations can connect, share resources, and develop innovative solutions.

The PeaceRise Community operates with the following key features:

• Collaboration: Members can form partnerships and work together on projects that leverage technology to promote peace and stability.

• Knowledge Sharing: The platform serves as a repository of tools, research, and best practices in peacebuilding and technology, supporting our vision to become the go-to resource for peaceful initiatives.

• Capacity Building: We offer educational resources and training sessions to enhance the technical skills of our members, empowering them to create more effective peacebuilding solutions. To date we have over 12 hours of educational content from our virtual informational "braintrust" series (YouTube Channel).

• Project Showcase (COMING SOON): Members can present their initiatives, gaining visibility and support from a global network committed to peace.

• Engagement: Through discussion forums and interactive features, the community fosters dialogue and exchange of ideas on how technology can be harnessed for peace.

• Innovation Challenge: A 72-hour competition, running from 12 PM EST May 3rd to 12 PM EST May 6th. The innovation challenge serves as the first community building initiative of PeaceRise. Participants can enter solo or as a team and have the option to present original ideas or select one from a provided list, focusing on sustainability, conflict resolution, and economic prosperity. The challenge is to create a compelling pitch deck, record your pitch, and submit it by noon EST on May 6th. 

By fostering a dynamic and supportive environment we aim to catalyze the development and implementation of technical solutions that contribute to a more peaceful world.

Our solution target population includes:

• Peacebuilders

• Innovators and Technologists

• Educators and Researchers

• Youth and Local Communities

These groups are currently underserved in terms of access to a unified platform that facilitates collaboration and knowledge sharing. PeaceRise addresses their needs by:

• Providing a Networking Platform: Connecting like minded individuals to form partnerships and collaborate on projects.

• Offering Educational Resources: Sharing expertise, best practices, and tools; hosting webinars and workshops to build capacity.

• Showcasing Innovations: Giving visibility to peacebuilding projects and initiatives, enabling members to learn from each other's experiences and replicate successful models.

• Facilitating Discussion and Collaboration: Creating forums for dialogue on various PeaceTech topics, encouraging idea exchange and co-creation.

PeaceRise serves those who want to participate in a like-minded community, focused on providing zero-cost PeaceTech to help them drive their initiatives, along with learning more from each other, on ways they can succeed.

Our Team is a mix of supported FTEs and external volunteers who live as an incubated company inside of a non-profit that has been operating successfully for over 40 years. 

Our first community building initiative is supported by a diverse organizing executive board, ranging in experience from community advocates, technologist, startup ecosystem builders, developers, and strategists. Learn more here.

We have attracted support from people in our local area and it has spread to over 200 PeacePartners (how we fondly refer to our members) around the world.  We have an incredible pool of passionate individuals and organizations who are already fully or partially aligned to the objectives of providing peacetech (often through existing sustainability efforts) and we have only been operating for a little over a month three months. Learn more about some of these here.

Our founders have all launched successful start-ups and have exited in various forms (VC, PE, and Private Acquisitions). That said, we all have much to learn about how to best operate in the PeaceTech space. We are smart, driven, and open-minded - meaning we are very coachable and would like to partner with others to understand the best ways to monetize and support the community while avoiding negative impacts on the outcomes of the community and platform.

As we begin to connect with organizations like MIT and tap our networks for corporate support (staffing, funding, and resources) we will continue to grow.

So far, we have partnered with Disco, an online learning platform to launch our digital community in January 2024. We now have over 200 Peace Partners from 27 countries. 

Our tool repository is growing with dedicated developer hours from Big Kitty Labs and credits to conversational chat bots from Bots Crew.

Our first community building initiative, the PeaceRise Innovation Challenge is schedule from May 3rd - 6th. Learn more here.

All programming is hybrid, including 15 braintrust sessions (YouTube), and an upcoming Peace Panel (link).

We are applying to Solve primarily to amplify the impact of our PeaceRise initiative and connect with like-minded individuals and communities who can help us achieve our mission and vision. Specifically, we hope Solve can assist us in the following ways:

1. Networking: By joining Solve's community, we aim to establish connections with other innovators, peacebuilders, and organizations who share our commitment to fostering peace through technology. These collaborations can enhance our collective efforts and introduce new perspectives and approaches to our work.
2. Visibility: Solve's platform offers an opportunity to showcase our initiative to a broader audience, increasing awareness of our mission and attracting potential partners, supporters, and Peace Partners.
3. Resource Mobilization: We seek to leverage Solve's network to access funding opportunities, technical resources, and mentorship that can support the scaling and sustainability of our platform and programs.
4. Knowledge Exchange: Engaging with Solve's diverse community will allow us to exchange ideas, best practices, and lessons learned, enriching our understanding of effective peacebuilding strategies and innovative solutions.
5. Strategic Partnerships: We hope to forge strategic partnerships through Solve that can provide expertise, resources, and support in areas critical to our growth and impact, such as technology development, community engagement, and impact measurement.
6. Guidance/Support on how to evolve organizationally and as a fully functioning entity.

We believe that joining the Solver community will significantly enhance our ability to connect with like-minded individuals and communities, amplify our impact, and advance our mission of providing technical solutions that support peaceful initiatives worldwide.

Our solution is innovative in several ways:

1. Holistic Approach to Peacebuilding: Unlike traditional peacebuilding platforms that focus on specific aspects such as conflict resolution or humanitarian aid, the PeaceRise Community encompasses a comprehensive range of peacebuilding activities. It integrates technology, innovation, education, and collaboration, providing a one-stop platform for peacebuilders and innovators to connect, learn, and co-create solutions.
2. Leveraging Technology for Peace: We offer innovative tools and resources that enable peacebuilders to amplify their impact. This includes educational content, virtual collaboration spaces, and support for existing tech platforms such as BotsCrew, Disco, Big Kitty Labs.
3. Community-Driven Innovation: Our platform is uniquely designed to be shaped by the community it serves. We prioritize the input and ideas of our Peace Partners, ensuring that the solutions and features we develop are directly aligned with their needs and priorities.
4. Global Reach with Local Impact: The PeaceRise Community transcends geographical boundaries, bringing together a diverse and global network of peacebuilders. This allows for the sharing of best practices and lessons learned across different contexts, while also enabling localized impact through tailored initiatives.
5. Scalable and Sustainable Model: Our platform is designed to be scalable, allowing us to grow our community and impact over time. We also focus on sustainability, ensuring that the solutions developed through the PeaceRise Community are long-lasting and can be integrated into broader peacebuilding efforts.

Our theory of change for the PeaceRise community is as follows:

Activities:

1. Developing an online platform that integrates technology, innovation, education, and collaboration tools.
2. Hosting Braintrust sessions and other educational events to share knowledge and best practices.
3. Facilitating networking and collaboration among peacebuilders, innovators, and existing tech solutions.

Immediate Outputs:

1. Increased access to peacebuilding resources and tools for our target population.
2. Enhanced collaboration and knowledge sharing among members.
3. Development and implementation of innovative solutions for peacebuilding.

Short-term Outcomes:

1. Strengthened capacity of peacebuilders to implement effective peace initiatives.
2. Creation of a supportive and engaged community of peacebuilders and innovators.
3. Increased awareness and adoption of innovative approaches to peacebuilding and solutions to peace-related challenges globally.

Long-term Outcomes:

1. Sustainable and scalable peacebuilding initiatives that have a tangible impact on communities affected by conflict, economic disparities, social inequalities, and lack of access to education and healthcare.
2. A more connected and innovative peacebuilding ecosystem that fosters collaboration and collective impact.

Evidence:

• Barnett, Michael, Hunjoon Kim, Madalene O'Donnell, and Laura Sitea. "Peacebuilding: What is in a name?." Global Governance: A Review of Multilateralism and International Organizations 13, no. 1 (2007).
• Lederach, John Paul. Building peace: Sustainable reconciliation in divided societies. United States Institute of Peace Press, 1997.

The PeaceRise community's theory of change is based on the premise that by providing a platform for collaboration, education, and innovation, we can empower peacebuilders to create more effective and sustainable peace initiatives, ultimately contributing to a more peaceful world.

Our impact goals for the PeaceRise Community are:

Empowerment of Peacebuilders: To enhance the capacity of peacebuilders to develop and implement effective peace initiatives.

• Indicator: Number of peacebuilders who report increased skills and knowledge as a result of engaging with the PeaceRise community and resources.
• Measurement: Surveys and feedback forms completed by community members after participating in educational events or accessing platform resources.

Increased Collaboration: To foster collaboration among peacebuilders, innovators, and organizations to create collective impact.

• Indicator: Number of collaborations or partnerships formed between community members as a result of networking opportunities provided by the PeaceRise platform.
• Measurement: Tracking collaborations reported by community members and monitoring joint projects initiated through the platform.

Innovation in Peacebuilding: To encourage the development and implementation of innovative solutions for peacebuilding.

• Indicator: Number of innovative peacebuilding solutions or projects developed by community members with support from the PeaceRise platform.
• Measurement: Documentation and case studies of innovative projects initiated or scaled through the community.

Global Reach and Diversity: To build a diverse and global community of peacebuilders and innovators.

• Indicator: Number of Peace Partners from different countries and diverse backgrounds joining the PeaceRise Community.
• Measurement: Monitoring the demographics and geographic distribution of new and existing community members.

Sustainable Peace Initiatives: To contribute to the sustainability and scalability of peace initiatives.

• Indicator: Number of peace initiatives that report increased sustainability or scalability as a result of engagement with the PeaceRise Community.
• Measurement: Surveys and interviews with project leaders to assess the impact of the PeaceRise platform on their initiatives.

We align our indicators with the UN Sustainable Development Goals, particularly Goal 16 (Peace, Justice, and Strong Institutions) and Goal 17 (Partnerships for the Goals). We track our progress through monitoring and evaluation, using data collected from the platform, surveys, interviews, and planned case studies to assess our impact and inform continuous improvement.

The core technology powering the PeaceRise solution is an advanced online community platform designed specifically for collaboration and innovation in peace-building. 

Our community, and the platform supporting it, is a functioning repository of open-source technology, mentoring, and access to support for people who are working to drive peaceful initiatives. 

We currently have one FTE, two part time volunteers, and an executive board of seven.

Since October 2023.

Our Peace Rise team is made up of people driven to support peaceful initiatives across the globe, whether it’s in response to a crisis (as in Ukraine or Israel), or solving for hunger in inner cities.  Our community currently has over 220 members from 26 countries representing all genders, ethnicities, languages and cultural beliefs.  

By design and necessity, our team and community are built to support the collaboration of everyone

The PeaceRise community operates on a non-profit model that focuses on fostering innovation and collaboration to address global peace-related challenges. Our business model revolves around securing grants and sponsorships from organizations aligned with our mission, as well as fundraising activities to support our various programs and initiatives. We also aim to generate revenue through community-contributed donations and potentially hosting events and workshops that align with our peace-building objectives. These revenue streams help us sustain and expand our community activities, driving forward our goal to leverage technology and innovation for peace. 

Our first community building iniative, the PeaceRise Innovation Challenge, is another example of how we see this platform evolving in terms of financial sustainability. We have already engaged with businesses and local peaceful initiatives who have expressed interest in leveraging our community platform and tech repository to solve problems for their organizations. 

The financial sustainability plan for PeaceRise involves a multifaceted approach that includes diversifying funding sources, developing strategic partnerships, and exploring revenue-generating activities aligned with our mission. Here's a breakdown of our strategy and evidence of its success so far:

• Partnerships: By collaborating with academic institutions, tech companies, and other non-profits, we leverage their resources, expertise, and networks. These partnerships not only enhance our program offerings but also open up new funding avenues. Our collaboration with local universities and tech incubators has already resulted in shared resources.
• Revenue-Generating Activities: We plan to host workshops, seminars, and peace innovation challenges with corporate challenges and sponsors.
• Licensing: We need to work through this in a way that doesn’t impact people using the technology to help their communities, but there will very likely come a time when we could have licensing fees, paid for by grants that would drive substantial income.
• Data: Privacy and Data are of top concern to us, but many applications of available technology may be able to provide data back to us.