Kellogg Foundation and ECLAC to Reward Innovative Social Projects

The W.K. Kellogg Foundation and the United Nations Economic Commission for Latin America and the Caribbean (ECLAC) have announced the creation of an annual award to recognize, encourage and promote the dissemination of innovative social projects in Latin America and the Caribbean. The Experiences in Social Innovation Award, implemented by ECLAC with the support of the Kellogg Foundation, will consider activities conducted in the following six areas: community health; basic education; youth programs; rural development, nutrition and food security; income generation; and corporate social responsibility and volunteering.

Entries for the first year’s awards may be submitted from September 15 to November 12. During this period, entry forms will be available on the websites of ECLAC (www.cepal.org) and the W.K. Kellogg Foundation (www.wkkf.org), and also in the offices of the two institutions in Latin America and the Caribbean. To qualify for the awards, entries must be from civil society organizations (non-governmental organizations, community associations or other non-profit institutions) or municipal or local government organizations. Participation by companies is restricted to the social responsibility and volunteering category.

To be considered for the award, projects must illustrate innovation in the implementation of new social development ideas, in their form of inter-institutional management and in the results they achieve. The projects must also observe other requirements: have a positive impact on the quality of life of the population involved; contribute to the creation, expansion or consolidation of the principles of citizenship; be replicable in other locations; and be sustainable. Once an initial shortlist is drawn up by a panel of independent judges recruited by ECLAC, the semifinalist projects will be visited by the judging committee.

The final stage will occur in November of 2005. Although small cash prizes will be awarded to the winners of each category, the primary objective of the award is to raise the visibility of the selected projects and enable success stories to be replicated in other areas. Accordingly, the shortlist of selected projects will be incorporated into a book and included in an online database.

08/02/04