Business/Enterprise

Equator Ventures

Equator Ventures is an innovative development and investment initiative capitalized by grants and loans from resources in the public and private sector. Its mission is to provide a “blended” offer of debt finance and enterprise development support to viable small and medium sized biodiversity businesses. These enterprises must contribute to biodiversity conservation and poverty reduction in Equator Initiative and Conservation International priority areas.

Equator Ventures is tailored to address the incremental risk associated with small and medium enterprise projects (SMEs) by integrating loans and capacity development grants. By helping to develop good business practices and solid credit histories, Equator Ventures will demonstrate that conservation SMEs are good investments and capable of attracting new sources of financing for the SME market.

Equator Ventures will invest in ventures at all stages of development. Loans between US$30,000 to US$500,000 will be provided for the sustainable growth needs of projects. Complementary grants will support a comprehensive business development and capacity building programme, tailor-made to meet the needs of successful entrepreneurs from the developing world.

The Equator Ventures approach is driven by five core principles:

Integrate biodiversity conservation and poverty alleviation into enterprise delivery;

Enhance capacity for impact, scaling-up, and repayment;

Measure and report on challenges and success for broad-based learning;

Build an active public-private community that is supportive of environmentally sustainable entrepreneurship;

Achieve financial sustainability.

The pilot phase of Equator Ventures was launched in January of 2005 with a $1 million pilot fund. Pending success of the pilot, the fund will be expanded.

Link to further information on Equator Ventures and on-line application

The Rolex Awards for Enterprise

The Rolex Awards for Enterprise aim to encourage a spirit of enterprise in individuals around the world by supporting outstanding efforts in areas that advance human knowledge and well-being. Five Laureates are selected each year.

Applicants must show that they have turned an original idea into a concrete working project and how through initiative and drive, they intend to execute their goal and attain their stated goal.

Prize: Each Laureate receives US $100,000

Closing dates: May 31, 2005 for projects from Asia, the Pacific and North, Central and South America

September 30, 2005 for projects from Europe, the Middle East and Africa

Link to further information and the Rolex Awards on-line application

Global Development Awards

The Global Development Network (GDN) is currently accepting submissions for the Sixth Annual Awards Competition.

The competition is held in three main categories:

1. Japanese Award for Most Innovative Development Project

2. Japanese Award for Outstanding Research on Development

Prizes will be awarded to 3 finalists for each of the Awards.

3. Medals for Research on Development

Medal-winners chosen for each of the following themes:

Theme 1: Institutions and Poverty Reduction

Theme 2: The Effect of Institutions on Long-Run Growth

Theme 3: Institutional Development and Change in the Health Sector

Theme 4: Political Institutions, Governance and Development

Theme 5: Globalization, Institutions, and Development

Submissions will be accepted for ongoing development projects, completed research, or a new research proposal.

Prize: The competition carries prizes in cash and travel of over $300,000. The three finalists in the large award categories and the five finalists in each of the five medal categories will present their papers at the Seventh Annual Global Development Conference to be held in St. Petersburg, Russia in January 2006.

Closing date: The deadline for Japanese Award for Most Innovative Development Project is August 22, 2005. The last day for submissions for the Japanese Award for Outstanding Research on Development and Medals for Research on Development is September 16, 2005.

Link to further information and the Global Development Awards on-line nomination

Communications/ICT

The 'Facing Sustainability Award' is an international photography competition organised by the German Council for Sustainable Development in cooperation with National Geographic Deutschland and the BLK-Programme Transfer-21, designed to contribute to the UN Decade of Education for Sustainable Development.

Amateur and professional photographers of all ages are invited to enter up to three photographs for review by a high-profile panel.

Prize: The winner will receive €1000-worth of ecological capital investment products from Versiko AG. Other prizes include a ‘solar package’ (solar radio, solar pocket torch and solar rucksack), an outdoor jacket and a gift hamper full of fair trade products. The winners and their subjects will invited to Berlin for an awards ceremony at the Annual Congress of the German Council for Sustainable Development.

Closing date: July 22nd 2005

The Stockholm Challenge Award 2006 invites excellent ICT projects in six categories (public administration, culture, health, education, economic development, and environment) from all over the world to compete for the prestigious challenge trophies.

The challenge is searching for the best initiatives that accelerate the use of information technology for the social and economic benefit of citizens and communities.

The objective is to help local entrepreneurs, who work to close the digital divide, by bringing in research communities, development organisations and strong corporate initiatives.

Prize: winners and finalists will be presented with specially designed trophies at a ceremony held in the Stockholm City Hall in May 2006

Closing date: December 31st 2005

The IPDC/UNESCO Prize is intended to recognize a meritorious and innovative activity in improving communication in rural communities, mainly in developing countries.

It will be awarded during the twenty-fifth session of the Intergovernmental Council of the International Programme for the Development of Communication (IPDC), to be held at UNESCO Headquarters, Paris from 21 to 23 March 2006.

Prize: US $20,000

Closing date for submissions: 1st October 2005

Environment/Conservation

The Energy Globe Award

The Energy Globe Awards are presented to the best-implemented projects from around the world, which contribute to the protection of the four basic elements of life, earth, fire (energy), water and air.

Anyone from anywhere can participate in this unique competition with an initiative or project that concerns itself with the sustainable and efficient use of the four elements and has stirred and strengthened environmental awareness on a broad level.

Prize: A prize of €10,000 will be awarded in each category.

Closing date: July 15th 2005

Link to further information on the Energy Globe Award and on-line application

The Tyler Prize for Environmental Achievement is one of the most prestigious awards for environmental science, energy and medicine conferring great benefit upon mankind.

Through their work, Tyler Laureates have focused worldwide attention on environmental problems by their discoveries and the solutions that resulted.

Prizes are awarded for any one of the following:

The protection, maintenance, improvement or understanding of an ecological or an environmental condition anywhere in the world.

The discovery, further development, improvement, or understanding of known or new sources of energy.

Medical discoveries or achievements with such worldwide implications that they significantly benefit environmental aspects of human health.

Prize: US $200,000

Nomination Deadline: 15th September 2005

Link to further information on the Tyler Prize

The International ReSource Award for Sustainable Watershed Management

Swiss Re, one of the world’s largest reinsurers, is calling for proposals to the 2005 International ReSource Award for Sustainable Watershed Management.

The award attempts to actively support the planning, evaluation and implementation of water-related projects with the aim of promoting awareness and encouraging the efficient use of this precious resource.

NGOs, private, scientific or public institutions and similar bodies from developing and emerging countries are invited to participate. In order to qualify, participants are required to have a proven track record in sustainability and in project planning and/or management in the specific field of water and source management.

Submissions should be concrete projects which genuinely seek to contribute to raising awareness of the ecological, social and economic significance of water sources and watersheds.

Preference will be given to those projects which demonstrate innovative preventative measures for protecting water resources and involve local community and/or regional institutions.

A detailed timetable including project aims, milestones, deliverables and a budget breakdown must be submitted with the application in order to assess the project’s feasibility.

Total prize money is US$150 000 to be shared between winner(s).

Deadline for submissions: 31st August 2005

Link to further information on the International ReSource Award

The Stockholm Water Prize

The Stockholm Water Prize is a global award presented annually to an individual, organisation or institution for outstanding water-related activities.

The activities can be within the fields of aid, awareness building and education, technology, management or science.

Stockholm Water Prize Laureates have over the years represented many water-related activities, professions and scientific disciplines and have come from around the world.

Any activity or actor which contributes broadly to the conservation and protection of the world’s water resources, and to improved water conditions which contribute to the health of the planet’s inhabitants and our ecosystems, is eligible to be nominated for the Stockholm Water Prize.

The Stockholm Water Prize Laureate is announced each March in connection with the UN World Water Day.

Prize: US $150,000

Nominations: the nomination period for the 2006 Stockholm Water Prize begins in April 2005. http://www.siwi.org/

Link to further information on the Stockholm Water Prize

UNEP Sasakawa Environment Prize

The Prize is awarded every year in November to individuals who have made outstanding contributions to the protection and management of the environment, which are consistent with the policies, aims and objectives of UNEP. Candidates can be associated with any field of the environment. Those eligible to make nominations include, but are not limited to, specialists in environmental sciences, academies of science, engineering and research, members of the United Nations system, governments and intergovernmental organizations, trade unions and non-governmental organizations. No candidate may nominate himself or herself. Past recipients cannot be nominated.

Prize: The winner is awarded US $200,000.

Closing date: Entry is by nomination only, nominations for 2005 Prize currently open

Link to further information on the Sasakawa Prize and on-line nomination

The Blue Planet Prize

The Asahi Glass Foundation established the Blue Planet Prize in 1992, an international award that recognizes individuals and organizations who have made outstanding achievements in scientific research and its application, and in so doing have helped provide solutions to global environmental problems. Two winners are chosen each year from a pool of nominations.

Prize:each winner receives 50 million yen (approximately US $450,000) and is invited to give a commemorative lecture in Tokyo.

Closing date for nominations: October 2005

Link to further information on the Blue Planet Prize

Partnerships