Resolution Social Venture Challenge at WorldMUN 2012

Want to change the world? … why wait?

The Social Venture Challenge is your opportunity to get funding, advice and an energetic community to support your project. Whether you want to fight climate change or promote educational opportunities, this is your chance to make a tangible difference in the lives and communities who need it most.

This year, Resolution will again sponsor actual proposals by delegates at WorldMUN 2012 for projects or organizations that can have real impact. Preparing a project for the SVC will involve some planning before the conference. You will need to submit the following information online:

  • • Team sign-up. Identify the problem you would like to address and sign-up your team by February 19th.
  • • Project summary. Describe further the problem you will address and your proposed solution by February 26th.
  • • Action plan. Develop a specific proposal clarifying the impact you seek, the steps you need to take, potential partnerships, the resources you will require and the measures of your success by March 7th.

At the conference:

  • • Social Venture Forum. All eligible submissions will be invited on March 12th to showcase their proposals to WorldMUN delegates, faculty advisors and judges at the Social Venture Forum on the second day of the conference. Teams should bring posters and other materials to promote their proposals.
  • • Finalist Panel. Selected teams will be invited to present their project to a panel of judges on March 14th. Team presentations will be followed by Question and Answer sessions.

The winning teams will be awarded Resolution Fellowships, which include seed funding and support throughout the following year to implement their ventures. This year's Resolution Fellowships will be announced during Closing Ceremonies. Prizes will be distributed as follows:

  • • $3,000 in seed funding for the top finisher and $1,500 for each of the two runner-ups, along with advice and support from a network of alumni mentors
  • • Up to $1,000 in seed funding for other winning proposals

Judging

A Social Venture can be any delegate-created, delegate-led organization, program, or business that benefits the community. The venture must be a new venture or a major new initiative of an existing organization, must be sustainable with clear attainable goals, and must involve two or more team members who will be attending WorldMUN. At a minimum a Venture must adhere to the following principles:

  • • Your Venture benefits the community.
  • • Your Venture is youth-created and youth-led.
  • • Your Venture is a new organization.
  • • Your Venture has the support of an adult Ally.
  • • Your Venture is ongoing and sustainable (not a one-time event).
  • • Your Venture has clear, attainable goals.
  • • Your Venture has a realistic budget.
  • • You are a part of a Team that is trustworthy and committed to ethical standards.

Judging Criteria

Judging will be done by qualified individuals selected by Resolution's Board of Directors. If any judge has a relationship with an applicant, the judge will recuse him/herself from judging that applicant. Selection of Fellows will be made without regard to race, color, national origin, age, disability, sex, religion, sexual orientation or political beliefs. In judging your Venture, panelists will be assessing your Venture on the following criteria:

Social Impact & Innovation

  • • Problem/Issue -- Is there a discernible problem? Has the social issue been articulated clearly and effectively?
  • • Social Impact -- What is the specific need the Venture fulfills? Who is helped? How are they helped? How many are helped?
  • • Integration of Missions -- Do the Venture's social mission and identified problem align? Does the idea address the issue?
  • • Innovative Service or Product -- Is this approach innovative or unique? Can the innovation be leveraged through other organizations to bring about faster or greater social returns?

Viability

  • • Model -- Is the idea for delivering the social innovation viable? Can is be executed upon immediately?
  • • Fundability -- Does this venture have the potential to receive financial support from additional investors/donors?
  • • Marketability -- Is there a clear demand for these products or services in the marketplace?

Strategic Plan

  • • Scalability -- Is there potential for growth or replication of the venture?
  • • Performance Benchmarks -- Does the venture have clear methods to track, monitor, and access the goals articulated in the Action plan?
  • • Risk Assessment -- Are there risk factors associated with the Venture and development of the venture? Have they been identified? Is there a plan for mitigating them?