Suporting Innovations for Scaling-Up Services That Reach the Poor

Contact: Ms. Li Li
Tel: 86-010-58617850
E-mail: lli2@worldbank.org

Supporting: through funding, knowledge sharing, recognition, publicity, partnerships

Innovations: rewarding new and creative approaches

Scaling-Up Services: two award platforms:

• Up to USD 30,000 for innovative poverty alleviation ideas that deserve to be scaled-up to a project to test out its effectiveness

That Reach the Poor: for projects that benefit the poor and broadly support the reduction of poverty

How it Works

The China Development Marketplace (CDM) will reward the most creative projects that support innovations for scaling-up services that reach the poor. Rewards will take the form of recognition and grants. Opportunities will also be provided for learning, networking and post contest support.

Theme: Supporting Innovation for Scaling-Up Services that Reach the Poor
Award Size: USD up to 30,000
Partners:

• Government: State Council Leading Group for Poverty Alleviation and Development, Ministry for Civil Affairs
• Multilateral Agencies: Asia Development Bank, European Union, International Finance Corporation
• Business Associations: American Chamber of Commerce, PRC, European Union Chamber of Commerce in China, China Enterprise Confederation
• Civil Society Organizations: World Bank/IMF Staff Marco Polo Society, NPO Network, China Association for NGO Cooperation, Mercy Corp, Oxfam

Target Groups: Chinese Civil society organizations in partnership with one of local government, business, academia, other NGOs
Total awards: USD 1 to 2 million (targeted amount)

WHAT IS A MARKETPLACE?

SELLERS: development entrepreneurs who "sell their ideas" in exchange for financial and technical support

BUYERS: sponsors who fund the projects, partners who share knowledge and skills

MARKET MECHANISM: Open and transparent contest

1. Applicants first submit project concepts
2. Group of finalists selected by independent assessors
3. Finalists travel to Beijing to compete in final marketplace event
4. Winners selected by independent jury.

There are two main components of the China Development Marketplace:

1. A Competition of innovative projects that will grant Chinese civil society organizations up to USD 30,000 to implement projects that support innovations for scaling-up services that reach the poor,
2. A Knowledge Conference that brings together civil society organizations, government, the business sector and development agencies to explore ways to work together in partnership to fight poverty in China. In support of this, a number of learning events may be held throughout the year for civil society organizations on a variety of development topics to increase their capacity.

Both activities will culminate in a two-day event in Beijing, December 7th and 8th, 2005. Selected finalists will bring their projects for a pubic exhibition and knowledge sharing. At the Competition, they will be interviewed by a jury, which will announce the winning projects that will receive funding for implementation at a ceremony in the Great Hall of the People.

Objectives

The objectives of the China Development Marketplace are to:

1. Identify 'what works' in terms of supporting the scaling-up of services that reach the poor. This process will identify local social service innovators and provide donors with a large pool of new highly motivated partners to work with.
2. Stimulate thinking about new ways in which civil society organizations, the business sector, the government, development agencies and academia can work together in partnership to improve service delivery to the poor.
3. Provide credibility to the emerging civil society sector. This event will provide civil society organizations with a government approved national platform to demonstrate to the government and the public their contributions to poverty alleviation.
4. Empower local civil society organizations by building capacity. This event will encourage emerging civil society organizations through the competition process to learn basic project management concepts such as project proposal writing, project budgets, monitoring and evaluation, and record keeping etc. Working alongside the other stakeholders will also provide capacity learning opportunities.
5. Provide networking opportunities for civil society organizations with other CSOs, the government, funders and academia.

DEVELOPMET MARKETPLACE IS ABOUT PARTNERSHIPS to forge lasting alliances between organizations and individuals involved in poverty alleviation

• Between civil society organizations and donors
• Between civil society organizations and the government
• Between donors
• Between different civil society organizations
• Between civil society organizations and businesses
• Between civil society organizations and concerned individuals

BENEFITS OF BEING INVOLVED IN CDM

As a sponsor to the CDM, the organization will benefit in the following ways:

• Work as a partner with the World Bank on a highly focused development project with low operating cost to your organization
• support the best project ideas irrespective of origin and source
• contribute to the selection of CDM winners;
• award prizes in a thematic area or subject that the sponsoring organization feels is particularly important;
• have an opportunity to provide follow-on funding to winners build contacts with civil society networks, individuals and service providers working on key issues that the sponsoring organization is interested in.

CONTRIBUTE TO THE CDM IN ANY OF THE FOLLOWING WAYS:

1. Cash Contributions
   Donors may choose from either of two options for contributions: (1) donor transfers funds to WB account, with grant agreements being signed between WB and the winning proponents; or (2) donor disburses the funds and signs grant agreement directly with the winning proponents. Both options will have to go through the pre-screening and selection process described in the concept note. Donors may participate in this as assessors or jurors
2. Special Awards
   Sponsors or donors may give special awards during the competition. These awards, to be given alongside the competition grant awards, may represent specific thematic thrusts of interest to the partner or donor.
3. Contributions in Kind/Services
   Sponsors or donors may give contributions in kind that can help reduce the costs of the competition event. Examples include hotel accommodation and travel arrangements for competition finalists.

Individual Contributor Category

Business Contributor Category