The Skoll Awards for Social Entrepreneurship are designed to support and celebrate social entrepreneurs whose work has the potential for large-scale impact on the critical challenges of our time: tolerance and human rights, health, environmental sustainability, peace and security, institutional responsibility, and economic and social equity.

The Award includes funding to the organization of up to U.S. $1 million paid over three years for core support and an award (non-cash) to the social entrepreneur leading the organization’s work at the Skoll World Forum on Social Entrepreneurship.

There are three changes in how the program is now administered:

·      YEAR-ROUND APPLICATIONS – The Skoll Foundation is now accepting applications and awarding funding on a year-round basis, with new Awards celebrated once each year in March at the Skoll World Forum on Social Entrepreneurship at the University of Oxford. 

·      ELIGIBILITY QUIZ -- All applicants will need to complete an Eligibility Quiz in order to proceed to the Online Application. The Eligibility Quiz is designed to help applicants assess their competitiveness and avoid preparing an application that is unlikely to be a strong match to Skoll’s selection criteria.

·      24-MONTH WAIT PERIOD -- Starting in August 2007 applicants who are not selected must wait 24 months (from application date) before reapplying. This is not retroactive; therefore, applicants who applied prior to 2007 may reapply if they believe that they now fit the Skoll Award criteria.

Internal review of applications begins on August 27.  To be considered for funding in advance of the 2008 Skoll World Forum, applicants must submit an Online Application no later than September 24, 2007. Applications submitted after that date will continue to be reviewed and funded throughout the year, with Awards celebrated at subsequent Skoll World Forums. 

Visit the Skoll Foundation's website for complete application instructions, the Eligibility Quiz and the Online Application.

The selection process will continue to be highly competitive, with 10-12 Awards in each twelve month cycle.

Do you have an opinion – on EVERYTHING? Do you think you make good decisions? 
 
Well here’s a challenge for you – put those amazing decision making skills to the test and see if you've got what it takes to be a master speculator.
 
GlobalGiving has a unique opportunity for you  – YOU trade “stock” in development here, and earn points by buying low and selling high. By earning the most points you can win prizes and recognition on GlobalGiving.
 
GlobalGiving and Pact’s Capacity Building Services Group are experimenting with the application of prediction (decision) markets for determining quality international development projects.

This innovative pilot is being run through August 31 at GlobalGiving Decision Markets.
 
A prediction market (decision market) is a speculative market designed to make predictions on the outcome of a particular event. It is like a stock market, where people buy and sell shares of ‘project stock’ instead of company stock.
 
When the market closes on August 31, projects will be added to the Global Giving website where they will be able to fundraise. We will track the success of the projects over the next few months and report back to the all the ‘traders’ in the market. Top traders get awards from GlobalGiving!!
 
Click here to check it out!  We want to hear from you.
 

It's time to enter this year's Knight News Challenge, which awards big money for innovative ideas using digital experiments to transform community news.
 
The contest is run by the John S. and James L. Knight Foundation. Last year's winners won awards ranging from US$15,000 to $5 million.
 
Winning projects included:
 
* Open-source software that will let citizens find public information about their neighborhoods.
 
* Young journalists covering the 2008 presidential election on mobile phones, for mobile phones users.
 
* Online games to inform and engage players about key issues confronting New York City.
 
* Digital newscasts for Philadelphia's immigrant community distributed through a new citywide wireless platform.

Investors' Circle Conferences bring together angel investors, professional venture capitalists, philanthropic investors, entrepreneurs, and thought leaders who are using private capital to promote the transition to a sustainable future. Since 1992, Investors’ Circle, a national network with 200+ members, has invested more than $112 million in 183 deals in such areas as renewable energy, organic food, education, health care and community development.

Worker Engagement and Social Responsibility in China: Ways Forward
October 15th, 2007
Shenzhen, China

Engaging workers in social and environmental responsibility offers promise as an avenue towards greater impact of Corporate Social Responsibility (CSR) efforts. 

Please join us in Shenzhen, China for a one-day symposium to explore the successes and challenges of various approaches to worker involvement in CSR.

Creating Mutual Value at the Base of the Pyramid
September 9-11, 2007
Ann Arbor, MI

On September 9-11, 2007, the William Davidson Institute at the University of Michigan is hosting a Base of the Pyramid Conference, bringing together 350 leading thinkers and practitioners in the field. Keynote speakers include C.K. Prahalad and Stuart Hart. The remaining slots are available on a first-come, first-serve basis.

MISP is an international and first level Master program (70 ECTS, 1.650 hours) whose duration is 16 months (February 2008-June 2009).
 
The curriculum includes also a four-month internship in profit and non profit organizations and a final thesis.

The most relevant experts and scholars from philanthropic institutions - both profit and non profit - will be part of the Faculty.

The best students - following the entrance range - will have the possibility to attend the second semester in the following universities: Center on Philanthropy of Indiana University (U.S.A.), Conservatoire National des Arts et Métiers (France), School of Arts and Humanities at Oxford Brookes University (UK). Moreover, an exchange programme with the School of Development Studies at the KwaZulu-Natal University (South Africa) has been defined. In those cases, the students will receive a double degree.
 
Following the entrance range, fellowships and free enrolment fees will be given to the students.

The deadline is fixed by December 18th, 2007.

Tuesday, September 4, 2007
6:30pm Cocktail reception
7:15pm Awards program
8:45pm Dessert and coffee

One Pace Plaza - Pace University
New York, NY 10038


The Innovators in Social Responsibility Awards Gala is taking place in New York City on the evening of September 4th. The gala will celebrate eight inspiring leaders from CEOs to student activists who are using entrepreneurial approaches to make our world a better, safer place to live.
 
Four of the Innovators are former corporate executives who are now using the business acumen they gained from top jobs on Wall Street and in Silicon Valley to make a social impact. They have started social enterprises that create jobs in the Middle East, offer credit to the global poor, ensure children have access to clean water, and reduce our carbon footprint.
 
The awards night will also honor four Young Innovators. These young leaders have launched innovative co-existence campaigns in their communities, persuaded their cities to adopt clean energy laws, convinced their universities to divest from Darfur, and even created a “Boot Camp” for young people in the U.S. who want to effectively advocate for child survival worldwide.

You can purchase your tickets here.