About us

Communities hold the answers to their own challenges

The People's Accords is a Washington, DC-based 501(c)3 nonprofit that connects citizen diplomats — local leaders from around the world — with the funding, training, and networks to bring their ideas to life.

We don't parachute solutions in. We invest in the people already doing the work.

Lydia Scherr

Founder & Executive Director

"This work started from a simple belief: the most powerful development ideas don't come from institutions — they come from people who live with the problem every day."

Our team

Leadership & advisors

Our advisors bring specialized expertise in technology, security, and global development to every project we fund.

Lydia Scherr

The People's Accords

Founder & Executive Director. Speaker at the 11th Annual Meridian International Leadership Summit at the U.S. Institute for Peace.

Advisor

Economic Inequality

Advises on equitable development programming and economic impact measurement across our project portfolio.

Advisor

Tech Diplomacy

Brings cross-border technology policy expertise to our citizen diplomat training curriculum.

Advisor

Blockchain Strategy

Guides our technology infrastructure and grant distribution framework.

Advisor

Cybersecurity

Oversees security policy, data protection, and platform integrity for our community programs.

Advisor

Product Strategy

Supports the design and continuous improvement of our cohort programming and participant experience.

What we believe

Our principles

Every decision we make is guided by a simple conviction: local leaders, trusted with resources and support, create more durable change than any outside intervention.

🌱

Community-first

We fund ideas that originate within communities — not ideas imposed from the outside. Local knowledge is irreplaceable.

🔍

Radical transparency

52% of every donation goes directly to community grants. We publish our results, financials, and outcomes openly.

🤝

Dignity over charity

Our Citizen Diplomats are not recipients of aid — they are leaders whose ideas deserve investment and respect.

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Long-term thinking

We focus on projects that build lasting infrastructure, skills, and community capacity — not quick wins.

Questions

Frequently asked

What is a Citizen Diplomat?

A Citizen Diplomat is a community leader who applies to our annual cohort program. They identify a real problem in their community, propose a project to address it, and go through a 6-week program of training and expert mentorship before their project is funded and implemented.

How are projects selected?

Projects are proposed by Citizen Diplomats and reviewed by our advisory team for feasibility, community impact, and alignment with the UN Sustainable Development Goals. We prioritize locally led projects with clear outcomes that can demonstrate impact within 6–12 months of funding.

Where does my donation go?

52% of every donation goes directly to community project grants. The remaining 52% covers program operations including the 6-week cohort training, advisor coordination, monitoring and evaluation, and communications. We publish an annual impact report with full financial transparency.

Is my donation tax-deductible?

Yes. The People's Accords is a registered 501(c)3 nonprofit based in Washington, DC. All donations are tax-deductible to the full extent permitted by law. You will receive an official receipt by email.

When is the next cohort?

We are preparing to launch our 2026 cohort. Applications will open later this year. Sign up for our newsletter or follow us on LinkedIn to be notified the moment applications open.

Can I volunteer or partner with us?

Absolutely. We welcome volunteers with expertise in program design, communications, legal, finance, and technology. We also partner with universities, foundations, and mission-aligned organizations. Reach out at contact@peoplesaccords.org.

Join the relaunch

Ready to make a difference?

Fund a project, apply as a diplomat, or join our volunteer network.

Donate to the 2026 cohort → Apply as a diplomat

1717 N Street NW, STE 1c, Washington, DC 20036
(202) 929-2237 · contact@peoplesaccords.org