Deadline: January 23, 2023
Applications are open for the Swiss Re Foundation Entrepreneurs for Resilience Award 2023. The Swiss Re Foundation Entrepreneurs for Resilience Award recognises entrepreneurial initiatives that take innovative approaches to building resilient societies and realising the United Nations Sustainable Development Goals.
While resilience is the core theme of this annual programme, its specific focus changes from year to year. This call for applications is an invitation to social entrepreneurs working in LMICs to make healthcare financially more accessible in low-income communities. The 2023 Entrepreneurs for Resilience Award focuses on innovative, market-based solutions that increase financial access to healthcare in low-income communities, and that:
- increase household resources available for healthcare (e.g. through savings, payment and credit solutions)
- reduce health shocks that can lead to poverty or economic vulnerability after a disease or an accident (e.g. through microinsurance or other “safety nets”)
Award
- A total grant of USD $700,000 for the three finalists. This amount is divided among the winner (which may receive up to USD $350,000) and the two runners-up and paid in instalments over two to three years.
- Non-financial support such as coaching and technical advice from Swiss Re employees and experts, tailored to each finalist’s needs.
- Members of the general public are invited to vote for their favourite finalist. The recipient of the most votes wins the People’s Choice Award and receives a special prize.
Eligibility
- Applicants must demonstrate high levels of social impact and are ideally able to measure it in a reliable manner (eg, improved health indicators or/and reduced out-of-pocket expenses).
- At least 30% of the people served by applicants must come from poor to very poor communities. Applicants should have a deep understanding of the specific circumstances of the people – both women and men – they serve (eg barriers to using financial instruments to better manage their healthcare). They will prioritise enterprises that are gender-inclusive.
- Applicants must operate in countries that are defined as low-income or lower-middle-income by the World Bank.
- Applicants must be formally established, serve at least 20 000 people and have the potential to reach at least 100,000 people in the coming three years. They should also be on a clear path to financial sustainability yet still require grants (or other support) to improve their business model, reach low-income households and/or attain full financial sustainability.
- Applicants must use digital technology or have highly digitalised processes to deliver value to underserved populations at scale.
- Applicants must have a solid management team where responsibilites are distributed and well defined. They should also have a diverse, well-structured workforce.
- Applicants must comply with the legal framework of the country or countries in which they operate and are registered and must be allowed to receive grant funding from a Swiss non-governmental organisation such as the Swiss Re Foundation.
Application
Applicants are asked to complete the online questionnaire by 23 January 2023, 23:59 CET. Only applications submitted in English and before the deadline will be considered. They expect to use the following process and timelines to arrive at the final grant decisions estimated to be made by September 2023.
For more information, visit Entrepreneurs for Resilience Award.