Skoll Foundation Announces Final Deadline for 2011 Skoll Awards for Social Entrepreneurship

The Skoll Foundation is looking for new applicants for the Skoll Awards for Social Entrepreneurship. The foundation’s flagship program invests in leading social entrepreneurs around the globe who are advancing promising solutions to some of the world’s most pressing problems.

The program seeks social entrepreneurs whose work has the potential for large-scale positive change in the areas of tolerance and human rights, health, environmental sustainability, peace and security, institutional responsibility, and economic and social equity. In addition to alignment with one or more of these issue areas, Skoll Award winners typically exhibit many of the following characteristics: are led by a visionary, effective social entrepreneur serving as a spokesperson for their issue; have strong leadership team and board; have a clear mission and implementation model; demonstrate an unwavering focus on their mission; boast strong, well-established partnerships; have a commitment to systems, including for measurement and learning; and have diversified and mission-aligned funding sources.

The Skoll Awards provide later-stage, or mezzanine, funding, which is generally structured as a $1 million award paid out over three years. In most cases, the grant is provided for core support to help organizations expand their programs and capacity to deliver long-term, sustainable equilibrium change. The awards are not intended for new or early-stage programs or initiatives. Programs submitted for consideration should have a track record of no less than three years. In addition to core support, the Skoll Foundation supports the participation of award recipients in the annual Skoll World Forum on Social Entrepreneurship.

The program anticipates awarding seven to ten awards in 2011.

The next and final deadline for applications for the 2011 awards is August 4, 2010. Following this deadline, the foundation will be making adjustments aimed at streamlining and simplifying the application process.

For eligibility criteria, FAQs, and application instructions, visit the Skoll Foundation Web site.