The Nand & Jeet Khemka Foundation and the Schwab Foundation for Social Entrepreneurship, in collaboration with CII and UNDP, is calling for nominations for the “Indian Social Entrepreneur of the Year Award 2007”.
If you think you are a social entrepreneur or if you know a social entrepreneur then this message is for you! Social Entrepreneur of the Year 2007
Social Entrepreneurs are innovators and pragmatic visionaries who tackle the challenges of poverty, marginalization and other pressing social crises (such as health, education, environment, access to technology, job creation etc) through the development and delivery of new products and services. Whether they are set up as for profit entities, hybrid social ventures or not for profit organizations, their primary focus is transformational social change. Until today, the Schwab network includes more than 90 social entrepreneurs. Their social change models have been replicated across several communities and countries. They have demonstrated large-scale systemic change and have developed eco-systems for sustaining their work. In 2006, The Nand and Jeet Khemka Foundation (NJKF) and Schwab Foundation in collaboration with the UNDP and CII received more than 85 applications from leading India social entrepreneurs for the Indian Social Entrepreneur of the Year (SEY) Award 2006. The winner, Vikram Akula of SKS Micro-Finance, attended the Davos Summit and received a cash award from NJKF.
This year too, through an exhaustive search and selection process, the partners will identify exciting and innovative social entrepreneurial initiatives. The finalists of the Indian competition will be invited to the India Economic Summit in December, where the winner will be announced. The winner will be selected into the Schwab Foundation’s global network providing unprecedented opportunities to increase the legitimacy of their models. They will have access to leaders from the public, corporate, media and academic sectors, increasing possibilities for mobilizing capital and in-kind support to strengthen and expand their initiatives. In addition, the winner will be eligible for a cash award of INR 800,000 from the Khemka Foundation and will be named ‘Khemka Fellow’.
To download the application form and view the selection criteria, the benefits and the selection process, please visit www.schwabfound.org/india The deadline for application is August 20, 2007.
For more information on the partners please visit the following websites-
www.khemkafoundation.org www.schwabfound.org
Looking forward to hearing from you and appreciate your support in our endeavour to recognize these outstanding individuals.
Selection Criteria for the “Indian Social Entrepreneur of the Year 2007”
If you are a social entrepreneur who meets the following criteria, then do contact us: 1. Innovation
You have brought about social change by transforming traditional practice. Such transformation has been achieved through • An innovative product or service • The development of a different approach, or • A more determined or rigorous application of known technologies, ideas and approaches.
A salient characteristic of a social entrepreneur is developing a pattern-changing idea and implementing it successfully.
2. Sustainability
Your innovation has generated the social conditions and/or institutions needed to sustain the initiative and you are dedicating all of your time to it. • If set up as a non-profit entity, your organization is achieving some degree of financial self-sustainability through fees or revenues or is engaged in creating mutually beneficial partnerships with business and/or the public sector. Where possible, economic incentives are embraced. In any case, there is a clear difference from traditional charity and a move towards community-based empowerment and sustainability. There is also a difference with traditional business. • If set up as a for-profit entity, the orientation toward social and environmental value creation predominates, with financial return treated as a secondary means to an end, rather than an end in itself.
3. Direct social impact
You have founded, developed and implemented the entrepreneurial initiative directly, together with poor or marginalized beneficiaries and stakeholders. The Impact of your work manifests itself in quantifiable results and testimonials and is well documented. There are no significant negative externalities.
4. Reach and Scope
The initiative has spread beyond its initial context and has been adapted successfully to other settings in the country or internationally, either by your organization, or through others who have replicated or adapted elements of it.
5. Replicability
The initiative can be adapted to other regions of the world to solve similar problems. As an entrepreneur you are open to sharing with others the tools, approaches and techniques that are critical to the adaptation of the initiative.