Changemakers presents:

Collaborative Competition Guidelines
Entrepreneuring Peace: Innovation in Managing Group Conflict

Welcome to the Changemakers Collaborative Competitions for "Entrepreneuring Peace: Innovations in Managing Group Conflict." 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 innovative, high impact solutions for managing group conflict. 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: Entrepreneuring Peace: Innovations in Managing Group Conflict. The scope of the competition is actual conflict resolution solutions for a significant number of people, and that can be replicated for not only the location of origin but also at the country, regional, or global level.

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

• Are submitted in English, Spanish or Arabic, and are complete.

Assessment Criteria

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

• Innovation: This is the knock-out test. Even if the application meets all the other criteria, it will be knocked out of the race if the entry does not clearly show a systemic innovation that it is focused on. For example, an entry that demonstrates innovation would be the one focused on how the Montessori education method will transform the entire field of learning, not about building another school. The innovation should be a unique model of change and ready for large-scale spread.

• Social Impact: It is important that the innovation has begun to have an impact on the field it addresses. Some innovations will have proven success at a small level, while others will have scaled to engage millions of people. Regardless of the level of demonstrated impact, it is important to see that the innovation has the ability to affect the world and not just one village. This will be judged by considering the scale strategy, ability to be replicated, clear how-tos, and a map to reach the big goals.

• Sustainability: For an innovation to be truly effective it must have a plan for how it will acquire financial and other bases of support for the long-term. Are strong partnerships in place for it to have a ripple effect? Is there a clear financial plan in place?

Competition Deadlines, Procedures, and Rules

Online competition submissions were accepted until January 10, 2007 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:

• October 25 - January 10, 2007: Entries were accepted until 12 pm Eastern US time on January 10, 2007, and anyone can participate in an online idea review discussion with the entrants.

• January 10 - January 31: Online idea review discussion continues. In parallel, a panel of judges well-versed in the topic and Ashoka staff select the competition finalists.

• January 31 - February 14: Popular online voting to select the three award winners from the field of finalists. The Changemakers Collaborative Competition winners will be announced on February 15, 2007.

The Changemakers Collaborative Competition 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 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 peace@changemakers.net.

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