‘Green Ideas’ competition aims to stimulate and encourage innovation for green business ideas at the local level and explores the role of philanthropy in engaging local communities to generate green business ideas that utilize local resources and revitalize disappearing traditional production chains and community-based markets. By supporting innovative, local sustainable economic development initiatives, Philanthropy for Green Ideas aims to substantively contribute to building a peaceful, competitive, and prosperous Western Balkans region.

Value Statement: What does the “Green Ideas” competition stand for?

The “Green Ideas” competition works on the principles of: environmental responsibility, ethical conduct, diversity, inclusion, and empowerment, not dependency for the purpose of promoting the well-being of local communities, by boosting entrepreneurship and enabling people to understand and take control of their full potential.

The Main Purpose/Focus:

The aim of the “Green Ideas” competition is to support business initiatives that promote social inclusion, through integration and employment, and local economic development through environmentally friendly ideas.

Application criteria:

• It’s a green idea in an embryonic phase or in the initial phase of implementation;
• The project idea mobilizes the work and expertise of local resources and makes use of their traditional abilities;
• The project idea has a plan on how to grow the activity and financial sustainability;
• The project idea is based on a detailed business plan and is environment-friendly;
• The applying entity must show that has information or has performed an evaluation of local market showing the existing need; knows its competitors` and its idea presents competitive advantages;
• The project idea will support the revitalization of traditional local economies and link among people and community.
• The project idea is innovative in comparison with other businesses and/or projects in the community.

Who can apply:

The competition is open to:

Individuals;

Civil society organizations;

Small business ventures. (with an annual turnover no more than 8,000,000 ALL)

Financial terms:

The grant will support green project ideas for no longer than one year and with maximum funding of no more than 650.000 ALL.

Co-financing from alternative sources is encouraged.

The required documents:

1. Application Form
2. Financial Form
3. A document certifying the legal status of the applicant entity (Court registration and TIN)
4. For individual applicants, in case their idea wins, before the signing of the contract they should register as a non-profit organization or small business according to the legislation in place.

Selection process:

The selection process will be conducted by a jury of experts from economic, environment, business and academia field.

The evaluation process will be conducted in two phases:

• The first phase will consist of the selection of the ideas that fulfill the application criteria, selection to be made by Partners Albania;
• The second phase will consist of the selection of three best ideas by the Jury of experts, as part of an open public competition. This selection will be based in the pre-selection list from the first phase.

Three winning ideas will be automatically part of the regional competition organized by Rockefeller Brothers Fund, in Albania, on July 2019.

Assistance to applicants:

Partners Albania in cooperation with Grant Thorton Albania will organize a two – day training program on the design of the Business Plan; and Marketing and Promotion, to support individuals and entities who will express an interest in applying at Green Idea Competition.

Training on Drafting a Business Plan will be organized on April 19, 2019!

Training on Marketing and Promotion will be organized on April 23, 2019!

Individuals and other entities may express their interest in attending these trainings no later than Wednesday, 17 April 2019, at kkeruti@partnersalbania.org!

 Orientation sessions calendar:

To assist all interested applicants, Partners Albania will organize orientation sessions about the procedures and application process. The following is the calendar of the orientation sessions:

The deadline for sending applications is May 5, 2019 !

The application can be submitted electronically at : kkeruti@partnersalbania.org .

Partners Albania will issue a second announcement about the date of the competition.

Monitoring process:

All winners at the national and regional level will sign a contractual relationship as part of this financing, where will be clearly defined the reporting requirements according to indicators set in the project idea and the funding agreement.

Format and language:

The project ideas should be presented in the Albanian language.