2015 International ReSource Award for resilience in water management

Application Deadline: May 31st 2015

The International ReSource Award for resilience in water management is a prize acknowledging social entrepreneurial thinking and leadership in implementing the principles of sustainability in water management.

The ReSource Award acknowledges social entrepreneurial initiatives which propose to develop, test or scale up new approaches for resolving existing social and/or ecological issues related to sustainable water management practices.

Examples include access to, use and supply of water, sanitation and hygiene in low, lower-middle and upper–middle-income countries as classified by the World Bank.

The prize combines financial and non-financial contributions (coaching/expert advice). Half of the total prize money of USD 150 000 will be allocated to three finalists (USD 25 000 each) from whom the winner (USD 75 000) will be selected. The winner will be supported during the following three years in developing, testing or scaling up his/her social entrepreneurial initiative.

ReSource Award criteria

The short and full proposals submitted will be assessed with regard to the following areas:

• Social and ecological challenge: The proposal demonstrates a profound and authentic understanding of the social and ecological problem to be addressed.
• Impact: The expected social, ecological and economic impact is clearly defined and in line with the scope of the ReSource Award.
• Approach: The proposal outlines a compelling social entrepreneurial approach to address the defined challenge. The defined goal and expected impact can realistically be achieved with the approach presented.
• Financials: There is a financially viable business plan in place based on clear and logical assumptions.
• Competencies: A qualified team with appropriate skills and track record is in place.
• Risk management: All relevant risk drivers and related prevention and risk mitigation measures are defined.

Process

Step I: Short Proposal

• Participants are requested to answer the online questionnaire on their social entrepreneurial initiative by 31 May 2015, 24.00 CET.
• All short proposals received by this due date will be assessed in June 2015 by a team of water and business experts based on previously defined criteria (see below).
• Only forms completed in English will be accepted. Applicants who are unable to submit their application form electronically should contact the Secretary of ReSource Award.

Step II: Full Proposal

• By end of June 2015, authors of the 10-12 best-ranked short proposals will be invited to submit a comprehensive version of their social entrepreneurial initiative online.
• The submitted full proposals will be reviewed and assessed based on an extended catalogue of criteria.
• Oral interviews with the applicants on 17 and 18 August 2015 will conclude the first round of the assessment.
• The four to eight best-ranked full proposals will be invited for jury assessment.

Step III: Finalists

• Three finalists will receive financial support (USD 25 000 each) in addition to six months of tailored coaching from experts to help them refine their proposals (October 2015 – March 2016).
• One representative per finalist will be invited at the end of this period to travel to Zurich, Switzerland, to present their social entrepreneurial initiative to the international jury that will select the winner of the ReSource Award.
• The decisions of the jury are final. Any recourse to legal action is hereby explicitly excluded.

Step IV: Winner

• In addition to the USD 25 000 received while a finalist, the winner will be further supported financially (to a total value of USD 75 000, over three years) and non-financially from April 2016 to April 2019 to implement or scale up the winning social entrepreneurial initiative.
• In all, the winner is supported financially with USD 100 000 and non-financially with specific coaching for up to 3.5 years.

Dates and Deadlines

• 31 May 2015    Application deadline for short proposal
• 26 June 2015    Invitation to submit full proposal
• 31 July 2015    Application deadline for full proposal
• 17 & 18 August 2015    Oral interviews
• 30 September 2015    Announcement of the three finalists for the ReSource Award 2016
• October 2015 to March 2016    Financial and non-financial support to three finalists
• March 2016    Announcement of the ReSource Award winner for 2016
• April 2016 to April 2019    Support to 2016 winner

For More Information:

Visit the Official Webpage of the 2015 ReSource Award Entrepreneurial Solutions for Resilience in Water Management