ERSTE Foundation Award for Social Integration

Deadline: extended till 15/12/2010
Open to: organisations from Bosnia and Herzegovina, Croatia, Czech Republic, Hungary, Kosovo, Macedonia, Moldova, Montenegro, Romania, Serbia, Slovakia and Slovenia with completed projects until the deadline.
Prize: totalling EUR 610,000 for 30 winning projects and different awards

What is it?

The ERSTE Foundation Award for Social Integration promotes and recognises organisations in the public and non-profit sectors that engage people’s abilities, capacities, and initiatives for socially-oriented practice and progressive change in society. The Award is integral to the ERSTE Foundation Social Development programme, which emphasises a commitment to human and cultural diversity, holistic human development, social and economic justice, and individual and group self-determination.

The ERSTE Foundation Award for Social Integration adds value to social practice by highlighting innovative projects in CSEE countries. The Award gives due recognition to the role of individuals and groups in that region in creating societies with equal opportunities for everyone. Social integration is applied here to mean policies and programmes which foster stable, safe and just societies and therefore are inclusive of disadvantaged, vulnerable groups and people with special needs.

The Award is given to innovative and creative social integration projects that have made a valuable impact and difference in the lives of intended beneficiaries. The financial component of the Award is intended to further the awardees in their social practice.

In addition to the financial grant, the Award provides wide exposure so that winning projects get more visibility. It creates opportunities for the winners to have better access to networks of possible partners and supporters, as well as to the databases of ERSTE Foundation.

Projects have to demonstrate outcomes, results, and sustainability. The Award is open to the public sector, civil society, private initiatives, and religious communities as well as to the media.

The 2011 edition of the award promotes the idea that every single person can make a change for the better, all that is needed is strong will and dedication. Equally small and big organisations have proven this in the previous editions of the Award. People and organisations don’t have to wait for changes to just happen, or to join impressive forces in order to start an action, but we can all achieve our goals if we are really committed and take action.

Who can apply?

The Award addresses organisations of all sizes equally. The only important thing is for these organisations to apply with an innovative approach to a project that proved to have a visible impact in the people’s lives.

The Award is given to a project in the field of social integration.

Eligible projects must be:

1. Completed before the date of application, Ongoing / not yet completed – but with presentable outcomes, results, and/or sustainable elements.

2. Implementation Location must be in one (or more) of the following countries:
Bosnia and Herzegovina, Croatia, Czech Republic, Hungary, Kosovo, Macedonia, Moldova, Montenegro, Romania, Serbia, Slovakia and/or Slovenia.

Any legal entity can apply with one or more projects: the public sector, civil society, private initiatives, religious communities and media outlets.

A project with potential to receive the Award should have:

* Identified an innovative product, service or approach to a social integration problem;
* Applied practical solution(s) to a social problem, combining innovation, resourcefulness and sustainability;
* Demonstrated accountability to the constituencies it served;
* Refined and adapted in approaches and methods in response to participant feedback;
* Worked with both vision and a well thought-out roadmap;
* Openly shared insights of the project aiming at wider replication

For more info visit the official website