Second Annual Competition for Innovative Social Projects Invites Organizations to Participate

The competition “Experiences in Social Innovation”s second edition, organized by the Economic Commission for Latin America and the Caribbean (ECLAC) with the WK Kellogg Foundation´s support, issued a new invitation for participation. The 2005-2006 version carries on after a successful start last year, when it which received 1.600 applicants. Last year’s competition is currently in the final selection phase.

The purpose of this competition is to identify and reward innovative initiatives in the social development field, which can be analyzed and lessons extracted, and to spread the news of successful experiences more widely. By providing more information about them, the organizers hope to contribute to improving social policies and practices and thereby benefit the population of the region’s countries, particularly low income groups.

The competition has brought to light innovative experiences in six areas: community healthcare, basic education, youth programmes, income generation, corporate social responsibility and volunteer work, rural development, nutrition and food security.

Projects presented fall into one of the six categories and must have introduced or created innovative forms of social assistance, especially with regard to increasing participation from communities and beneficiaries, as an expression of the increase in the sense of citizenship, the foundation of democracy.

The first prize on this occasion will be US$30,000, the second, US$20,000, the third, US$15,000, the fourth US$10,000 and the fifth US$5,000. Another 15 finalists will receive an honorary mention. Moreover, the 50 semi-finalists will receive ample coverage throughout the region.

Municipal or local governments, community associations, religious communities, national and international non-governmental organizations and other private sector, non-profit institutions working in ECLAC member countries in Latin America and the Caribbean can all participate. The second version also invites state, regional, provincial and other levels of government to participate. Profit-oriented bodies may participate, but only in the corporate responsibility category.

08/23/2005