Changemakers in partnership with presents:

Competition Guidelines
How to Provide Affordable Housing

Welcome to the Changemakers Innovation Awards for "How to Provide Affordable Housing." Whether you entered the competition or participate in the online discussion that reviews applications, please take a look at the competition criteria and timeline below. We look forward to surfacing and discussing innovative solutions that provide affordable housing. Before you share your comments on the entries in the discussion forum, please read the criteria below.

Eligibility Criteria

The competition is open to all types of organizations (charitable organizations, private companies, or public entities) from all countries. We consider all entries that:

• Reflect the theme of the competition: How to Provide Affordable Housing. The scope of the competition is actual housing solutions for a significant number of people, not only in the location of origin but also at the country, regional, or global level. Initiatives that consist only in housing policy or advocacy fall outside the scope of the competition.

• Are beyond the stage of idea, concept, or research, and, at a minimum, are at the demonstration stage and have demonstrable success.

• Are submitted in English and are complete.

Assessment Criteria

The winners of this Changemakers Innovation Award will be those entries that best meet the following criteria:

• Innovation: The initiative introduces novel elements, for example in the type of housing products/services provided or in the financing mechanism, that contribute to providing housing for a significant number of people, not only in the location of origin but also at the country, regional, or global level. It is based on leveraged points of intervention.

• Impact: The initiative addresses a major roadblock to finding affordable housing and has the potential to benefit a significant number of people.

• Strategy: There is a well-designed operational model to implement the initiative and reach out to beneficiaries. Additionally, there is a solid plan to expand or replicate the model beyond current beneficiary groups/ locations.

• Sustainability: The initiative has demonstrated a cost-effective approach to provide housing solutions. There is a strong funding base and a strategy to sustain it financially over the long-term

Competition Deadlines, Procedures, and Rules

Online competition submissions were accepted until September 6, 2006 at noon, U.S. Eastern Daylight Time. Any time before this deadline, competition participants could revise their entries based on questions and insights that they receive in the Changemakers discussion. Participation in the discussion enhances one's prospects in the competition and gives the community and the judges an opportunity to understand one's project more completely.

There are three main phases in the competition:

• June 15 - September 6: Entries could be submitted until 12 pm Eastern US time on September 6 and anyone can participate in an online idea review discussion with the entrants.

• September 7 - September 26: Online idea review discussion continues. In parallel, a panel of judges well-versed in the topic and Ashoka staff select the competition finalists.

• October 2 - October 16: Popular online voting to select the three award winners from the field of finalists. The Changemakers Innovation Award winners will be announced on October 17, 2006.

The Changemakers Innovation Award will include a cash prize of US$5,000 for the top three winners.

Participating in the competition provides the chance to get feedback on your model and to advise potential housing investors about how best to change funding/investing patterns for the sector and to maximize the strategic impact and effectiveness of their future investments. The competition will generate an Investor Advisory available to investors, foundations, and other funding agencies. Those participants whose contributions most help frame the contents of the advisory will be acknowledged and may be convened to advise investors at a global meeting.

Disclaimer—Compliance with Legal Restrictions

Ashoka complies fully with all U.S. laws and regulations, including Office of Foreign Assets Control regulations, export control, and anti-money laundering laws. All grants will be awarded subject to compliance with such laws. Ashoka will not make any grant if it finds that to do so would be unlawful. This may prohibit awards in certain countries and/or to certain individuals or entities. All recipients will comply with these laws to the extent they are applicable to such recipients. No recipient will take any action that would cause Ashoka to violate any laws.

For more information, contact housing@changemakers.net.

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