In 2008, the Essl Foundation provided sufficient financial resources to be invested, and used in subsequent years, for the presentation of the Essl Social Prize.
In the future, third parties are to be given the opportunity to participate, by way of donation, in the support of social projects receiving an award from the foundation, as well as in the promotion and training of social entrepreneurs.
Benefactors Martin and Gerda Essl, as well as the decision-making bodies of the Essl Foundation, guarantee an appropriate investment in local and international social projects based on their social and entrepreneurial
competence.
Projects that qualify for support may be nominated only by the Essl Social Prize-Nomination Committee.
Essl Social Prize - Nomination Committee
The Nomination Committee is composed of the following persons and organisations:
- benefactors Martin and Gerda Essl (for life)
- all previous winners of the Essl Social Prize
- selected universities and institutions
Nomination Procedure
The Nomination Committee is instructed to nominate extraordinary and effective social projects by social entrepreneurs.
Social projects which are nominated must meet the following strict criteria:
- they must be social projects of the highest quality
- they must focus on the alleviation of need
- they must ensure that the majority of the prize money will benefit the social project itself (with the minority being used for administrative purposes)
The nominations are submitted to the Selection Committee.
The final decision regarding the projects to be nominated lies with the Board of the Essl Foundation, who will comply with the proposals made by the Selection Committee.
To avoid any exertion of influence, information concerning both nominees and nominators, and the entire selecting process, will be treated as confidental for a period of 50 years.
