The EEA and Norway Grants support cross-border and transnational project initiatives in ten non-EU Member States. Proposals that fall within the scope of the Terra Viva Grants Directory include environment, energy, and climate change projects, among other focus areas. Grants are available for national and local authorities, NGOs and civil society organisations, private and public enterprises, educational and research institutions, students and teaching staff and social partners. Eligible entities must apply as a consortium, consisting of entities from a minimum of three countries (a list of eligible countries is shared in the announcement). A total of €15 million is made available in the first call for proposals. Deadline for the first step of the application process is 01 July 2018. Details
social enterprise
Rice University — Business Plan Competition for Early-Stage Startups
The Jesse H. Jones Graduate School of Business at Rice University (Texas, USA) invites student teams to participate in the Rice Business Plan Competition 2018. Entrepreneurs receive the opportunity to pitch their startups to investors, receive mentoring, network with the entrepreneurial ecosystem, and enhance their startup strategy. Typically, startups have a technology component in one of the three sectors (1) Energy/Clean Technology; (2) Life Science/Biotechnology; or (3) Information Technology. The competition is open to degree-seeking students currently enrolled at a U.S. or non-U.S. university. The grand prize winner receives a $300 thousand investment. The application deadline is 09 February 2018. About the Competition 2018
Swiss Re Foundation — Leadership Prize in Water Management
The International ReSource Award is a prize acknowledging social entrepreneurial thinking and leadership in addressing social and/or ecological issues related to sustainable water management practices in developing and emerging countries. Each of three finalists will receive US$20 thousand and expert assistance to further develop their proposals in order to compete for a first prize of US$75 thousand. Eligibility for the ReSource Award extends to charities, non-profit organizations, and revenue-generating social enterprises working in the areas of water, sanitation, and hygiene in the developing world. The application deadline for short proposals (Step I) is 16 March 2018. Here
Misk Foundation — Misk Grand Challenges (1st application window)
The Misk Foundations seeks innovative ways to positively engage young people (under the age of 30) in Global Citizenship. Participants are invited to propose innovative and creative solutions that uses new knowledge to positively engage young people in efforts that will reduce inequality related to six Global Goals: (1) No poverty; (2) Zero hunger; (3) Good health and well-being; (4) Quality education; (5) Gender equality; and (6) Clean water and sanitation. Over a three-year period, Misk Grand Challenges will launch new challenges, offering 100 young innovators across the world a grant of $100 thousand to develop their ingenious ideas into a concrete proof of concept. The application deadline for the current window is 13 May 2018. Activating Global Citizenship Challenge
National Geographic Society — Sustainable Cities
The National Geographic Society seeks proposals from around the world that aim to test innovative approaches to issues surrounding the production or consumption of energy, food, infrastructure and fresh water in and around cities. Projects may be focused around conservation, education, research, storytelling, or technology. Applicants may request from US$10 thousand to US$150 thousand to be used over one or two years. Short deadline: 03 January 2018. See the Request for Proposals
American Academy for the Advancement of Science — Global Innovation through Science and Technology 2018
The program Global Innovation through Science and Technology (GIST) invites scientists, entrepreneurs, researchers, and innovators in 136 emerging countries to compete in the GIST Tech-I Competition 2018. The competition is open to everyone between the ages of 18 to 40 in any sector who has either an idea or a startup in the form of an invention, a product, a service, an app, any combination of these, or something entirely unique. Each participant in the competition submits an executive summary and a promotional video. The top 10 semi-finalists will advance to the Tech-I finals during the 2018 Global Entrepreneurship Congress in Istanbul, Turkey to showcase their ventures and receive intensive training. The application deadline is 28 December 2017. More here
Columbia Center on Sustainable Investment — Innovative Use of Land Contracts
The Columbia Center on Sustainable Investment (CCSI) will make two grants of US$10 thousand each for innovative uses of www.OpenLandContracts.org, an online repository of publicly available commercial agriculture and forestry contracts. Users of the website can search contracts by different categories; view summaries of key social, human rights, environmental, fiscal, and operational provisions; compare certain provisions across contracts; and download full contracts. CCSI offers the grants to support and advance innovative uses of the repository and of the content available through it. Applications must be received by CCSI on or before 31 January 2018. Link
MIT Center for Collective Intelligence — Climate CoLab: Absorbing Climate Impacts
The MIT Climate CoLab organizes contests to solicit the world’s best ideas to prevent and adapt to climate change. The current contest invites projects that focus on the question “How can climate risk insurance be linked with other forms of social protection to help vulnerable communities absorb climate impacts?” The UN Climate Resilience Initiative A2R and InsuResilience will provide seed funding for the implementation of the winning proposal (€40 thousand) and mentoring, training and technical assistance (€12 thousand euros). The deadline for proposal submission is 11 February 2018. Learn more about this contest
European Commission and Indian Department of Science and Technology — EU-India Water Cooperation
The European Commission (under Horizon 2020), the Indian Department of Science and Technology (DST), and the Indian Department of Biotechnology (DBT) invite proposals for a multinational research approach in the field of water. The proposed project should develop new and/or adapt existing innovative and affordable solutions for Indian conditions, both in urban and rural areas. This includes drinking water purification, waste water treatment, and real time monitoring. Proposals must be submitted by a consortium of at least three legal entities from India and three legal entities from Europe. Eligible partners can be from public/private funded academic or research institutions, companies, universities, and non-governmental organisations. The overall project contribution is € 3-5 million for the duration of 3 to 5 years. The joint proposal must be submitted by 27 February 2018. Find the detailed call for proposals
Grassroots Justice Prize — Legal Empowerment for Communities
The Grassroots Justice Prize recognizes grassroots institutions across the globe that are working to put the power of law into people’s hands. Three awards, each of US$10 thousand, are available to non-profit organizations, social enterprises, and public institutions that focus on legal empowerment to tackle poverty, injustice, or other social problems. (Note: These problems may include subject areas in the Terra Viva Grants Directory). The deadline to nominate an organization is 10 November 2017; the deadline for applications is 24 November 2017. Link