San Francisco, CA: The Holman Prize for Blind Ambition is awarded annually to three blind individuals who wish to push limits and change perceptions about blindness around the world.

Why every blind person should apply for the Holman Prize

On January 15, applications open for the third annual Holman Prize for Blind Ambition, funded by the LightHouse for the Blind – San Francisco Bay Area. This prize awards up to $25,000 each to three blind individuals who wish to push their own limits and carry out a “dream” project of their own creation.The 2018 winners, social entrepreneur Stacy Cervenka, teacher Conchita Hernández and adventurer Red Szell explain why they applied for the prize — and just how easy it is. To learn more, visit holmanprize.org/apply.

Posted by Holman Prize on Tuesday, 8 January 2019

It is named for James Holman, a nineteenth-century blind explorer, who was the first person to circumnavigate the globe. This endeavor celebrates people who want to shape their own future instead of having it laid out for them, and provides financial backing – up to $25,000 – for three individuals to explore the world and push their limits.

The ideal candidate is someone who is willing to probe their environment and eager to savor the richness of a world that is so often thought of as inaccessible to the blind. This exploration may involve travel, community organizing, physical daring, creative exploration and more.

Previous winners have included an extreme triathlete who will attempt an ascent of Am Buachaille in Scotland, a beekeeper from Uganda, a blind baker and chef, and an educator who is bringing blindness education to families of blind kids in Mexico.

The Prize begins with a challenge: blind applicants must submit a first-round pitch, in the form of a 90-second YouTube video. Later, a select group of semifinalists will submit in-depth written proposals, and an even smaller group of finalists will be selected by a group of exclusively blind professionals from around the world. Applications are open until February 28, and we invite any and all blind people around the world to apply.