Applications are now open for the SUEZ–Institut de France Award to lead the development of water services, sanitation and waste management in developing countries.
The SUEZ-Institut de France Award follows the principles and organisation of the “Water for All” competition, which it replaced in 2011. It rewards projects and innovations that contribute to the development of water services, sanitation and waste management in developing countries.
Priorities
The jury will give priority to projects:
- Designed for appropriation by local stakeholders and the project’s beneficiaries (populations, local authorities, etc.);
- Enabling the integration and participation of at-risk populations;
- Applicable to urban and peri-urban environments.
Categories
The SUEZ-Institut de France Award includes two categories, for two types of applicant:
The Access to Essential Services Award
- For a sum of €50,000 (fifty thousand euros) is awarded to a non-profit organisation as a reward for its innovation;
- It aims at creating a bridge between applied research and operational development projects. The objective is to promote the innovations to the greatest number of people so that then they may be used by professionals in the water, sanitation and waste management sectors in developing countries. The innovations, applicable in the field, can be technical, organisational, financial or social, and may concern tools for spreading information and knowledge.
The Social Entrepreneurship Award
- For a sum of €50,000 (fifty thousand euros), is awarded to a social entrepreneur for an initiative in the field of water access, sanitation or waste management;
- It aims at supporting business activities developed by social entrepreneurs in the sectors of water, sanitation and waste management in developing countries. These initiatives, which often generate jobs, have a positive social impact, particularly for poor and at-risk populations.
Eligibility Criteria
The SUEZ-Institut de France Award is open to any non-profit organization (Access to Essential Services Award) and to any social entrepreneur (Social Entrepreneurship Award) who have developed an innovative and replicable project contributing to the development of water services, sanitation or waste management services in developing countries, preferably applicable to urban and peri-urban areas.
Selection Criteria
Applications are selected according to the following criteria. Projects already subsidised by the Foundation SUEZ cannot win the Award:
- The project contributes to the improvement or development of water services, sanitation or waste management;
- The project concerns at least one developing country;
- The project has already produced conclusive results through one or several significant pilot phases;
- The project is replicable (generalisation to different contexts, easy implementation, adapted costs, etc.); The project must be free of all rights or at least not subject to restrictive intellectual property rights;
- The applicant organisation and the team responsible for the project are recognised for their qualifications and experience;
- The application form complies and is complete in form and content, the answers to the requested information are concise and clear, the presentation is clear etc;
- The application form must explain and describe the use that will be made of the Award funds in order to improve water services, sanitation or waste management in developing countries.
- Selection criteria specific to the Access to Essential Services Award
- The application is presented by a non-profit organisation (research institute, training institute, association, etc.). It cannot be awarded to one single person;
- The project is supported or developed locally in collaboration with a public organisation (local authority, decentralised government service, etc.).
- Selection criteria specific to the Social Entrepreneurship Award
- The candidature is presented by a social entrepreneur;
- The project is locally supported or developed in collaboration with local stakeholders