“Philanthropy at the Inflection Point”

In 2004, Ashoka partnered with UBS, the largest Swiss bank and world’s leading wealth manager, to create the Visionaris Social Entrepreneurship Awards. Through three national Visionaris Awards, UBS and Ashoka recognize and support the work of leading social entrepreneurs in Argentina, Brazil, and Mexico.

Concept
Ashoka and UBS jointly select Visionaris awardees, through a process spanning over four months and comprising a pre-screening stage. Candidacies are welcome from Ashoka Fellows as well as non-Ashoka Fellows who have been pursuing a certain initiative for over three years.

Finalists are invited to a social investor relations workshop, which prepares finalists for the final jury selection and award ceremony and provides training in basic presentation and finance/accounting skills. This workshop and the final award ceremonies are held in each country.

In addition to this training, Visionaris awardees and finalists receive substantial award money. Most significantly, finalists receive unprecedented access to a unique group of philanthropists interested in funding successful social entrepreneurs. As such, the award ceremony brings together over 100 UBS clients for the opportunity to learn about the work of finalists and exchange experiences in philanthropy with leading national and international civil society practitioners.

Visionaris 2007
The theme for Visionaris 2007 is "Philanthropy at the Inflection Point."

Despite their substantial resources, philanthropic resources are scare compared to global challenges and public funding. Philanthropists therefore "like to support causes where a lot of good comes from a little bit of good, or, in other words, where the positive social returns vastly exceed the amount of time and money invested," as the co-founder of eBay, tech billionaire Jeff Skoll argues. In general, this means funding a social initiative at the right point in time, when it is on a growth path.

In keeping with this theme, and by applying the criteria of inflection point, the awards will recognize social entrepreneurs whose organizations are on a sustainable growth path. Being a Visionaris award finalist or winner will provide the potential to render that growth path steeper.

Timeline
Dates for nomination, candidate workshops, selection committee meetings and award ceremony:

Application Deadline
Mexico: April 22, 2007
Argentina: May 7, 2007
Brazil: May 7, 2007

Social Investor Workshop
Mexico: May 22, 2007
Argentina: Early August
Brazil: Mid-July

Award Selection Committee Meeting
Mexico: TBD
Argentina: TBD
Brazil: TBD

Application

For more information on the nomination process, please contact your local Ashoka Country office.

(+52) 55-2624-3211
(+54) 11-4393-8646
(+55) 11-3085-9193