Deadline: January 17, 2016
Nominations are now invited for the 2016 Nelson Mandela – Graça Machel Innovation Awards. Now in its 11th year, the awards recognize civil society activists and organisations for their excellence, innovation, and brave risk-taking. Is there an individual, organisation or donor in your country, city or community creating positive social change that everyone should know about? Nominate them now.
This year, nominations are open for Youth Activists, Individual Activists, Civil Society Organisations, and for the first time ever, they are opening nominations for donors under a new category: Brave Philanthropy.
The Innovation Awards are now part of the Be the Change campaign platform, which seeks to showcase and celebrate civil society activism and campaigns around the world. Led by CIVICUS through the Civic Space Initiative, Be the Change and the Innovation Awards highlight the importance of actively protecting global civic space.
Award Categories
The awards will recognise outstanding examples of civil society activism and campaigns that demonstrate innovative approaches; perseverance and creative responses to challenges; sound strategies; and measurable impact. One award will be conferred in each of the following categories.
- Youth Activist: An individual who has worked for positive social change and is younger than 30 on November 1, 2015.
- Individual Activist: An Individual who has worked for positive social change and is 30 years of age, or older, as of November 1, 2015.
- Civil Society Organisation: A registered non-profit organisation that has worked for positive social change and consists of two or more full-time employees.
- Brave Philanthropy (Donor): An individual or organisation that has provided financial support for an activist, organisation or campaign engaged in social change despite financial or other risk, public perception, or donor-norms.
Award and Benefits
The two activist and organisation category winners will receive the following:
- Round trip airfare to International Civil Society Week (ICSW) in Bogotá, Columbia from 25-28 April 2016; with accommodation, the majority of meals and a daily stipend included, for the activist and organisation winners.
- Waived ICSW registration fees for all winners, including the Brave Philanthropy winner.
- A grant of $1500 for the activist and organisation winners.
- Award presented during our award ceremony.
The Brave Philanthropy winner will be invited to attend ICSW, with the cost of attendance of the conference waived.
The winners will be notified in the last week of February 2016.
All eligible nominees will be posted in the Nomination Gallery where YOU will be able to endorse the candidates that you support in each category! Nominees will be evaluated by a panel of judges, and the shortlisted five candidates in each category will be announced on 1 February 2016. All shortlisted candidates will receive widespread visibility through our CIVICUS social media channels, and the opportunity for even more endorsements from the public.
Eligibility
- The Awards are open to any individual, civil society organisation or donor, including but not limited to non-profit, non-governmental, socially responsible and/or voluntary organisations and movements that are involved in the affairs of civil society and/or campaigns and projects for positive social change.
- Applicants can nominate themselves or organisations they are affiliated to or nominate other activists or organisations, limited to one nomination per category.
- Nomination entries must be based on specific actions that took place between 1 July 2014 and 31 October 2015. IV.
Criteria
The Awards are open only to Nominees that fulfil one of the following criteria:
- Youth Activist:
- The Nominee’s activities or campaign that they are being nominated for, occurred during the period of 1 July 2014 and 31 October 2015. Any application submitted on behalf of a Nominee that was based on activities that took place outside of this time frame will not be considered.
- The Nominee must be younger than 30 by November 1, 2015. Any applicant that does not fall within this age range by November 1, 2015 will not be considered.
- Only one entry is allowed per Applicant. IV. No member of the Civic Space Initiative or individual who is otherwise involved with the Nelson Mandela – Graça Maçhel Innovation Awards, whether as an officer, director, employee, or independent contractor, may be eligible for this nomination.
- Individual Activist:
- The Applicant’s activities or campaign that they are being nominated for, occurred during the period of 1 July 2014 and 31 October 2015. Any application submitted on behalf of an Applicant that was based on activities outside of this time frame will not be considered.
- The Applicant must be age 30 or older as of November 1, 2015. Any applicant who is younger than age 30 on November 1, 2015 will be considered for the Youth Activist category.
- Only one entry is allowed per Applicant.
- No member of the Civic Space Initiative or individual who is otherwise involved with the Nelson Mandela Graça – Maçhel Innovation Awards, whether as an officer, director, employee, or independent contractor, may be eligible for nomination.
- Civil Society Organisation:
- The Nominee’s activities or campaign that they are being nominated for occurred during the period of 1 July 2014 and 31 October 2015. Any 3 application submitted on behalf of a Nominee that was based on activities outside of this time frame will not be considered.
- The applicant must be a registered non-profit organisation that is working for positive social change. Private, profit-making or governmental organisations are ineligible.
- One entry is allowed per Applicant.
- No member of the Civic Space Initiative or individual who is otherwise involved with the Nelson Mandela Graça – Maçhel Innovation Awards, whether as an officer, director, employee, or independent contractor, may be eligible for nomination.
- Brave Philanthropy (Donor/Philanthropist):
- The Nominee’s philanthropic activities that they are being nominated for occurred during the period of 1 July 2014 and 31 October 2015. Any application submitted on behalf of an Applicant that was based on activities outside of this time frame will not be considered.
- Nominees can either be an individual or an organisation.
- One entry is allowed per Applicant.
- No member of the Civic Space Initiative or individual who is otherwise involved with the Nelson Mandela Graça – Maçhel Innovation Awards, whether as an officer, director, employee, or independent contractor may be eligible for nomination.
How to Nominate
- First read the Terms and Conditions to check that your nominee is eligible for one of the following categories: Youth Activist, Individual Activist, Civil Society Organisation or Brave Philanthropy.
- Compile the information required, as per the guidelines in the terms and conditions, before filling in the nomination form.
- When you have everything ready, click on the nomination category to nominate.
- Fill in the required information about the nominee online, explaining why you think they should win. Please note the character limit in each section.
- Once you have provided the required information, click SUBMIT and the posting will be available online shortly thereafter.
- Be sure to share your nomination on social media!
For more information, visit Nelson Mandela – Graça Machel Innovation Awards.
