Welcome to the Changemakers "No Private Matter!" Collaborative Competition, which aims to find innovative solutions and catalyze a community of changemakers to help eliminate intimate partner violence.

For more information on entering, the online review, and voting please view the competition criteria and time line below.

Eligibility Criteria
The competition is open to all types of organizations (charitable organizations, private companies, or public entities) from all countries. We consider all entries that:

• Reflect the theme of the competition: No Private Matter! Ending Abuse in Intimate & Family Relations. The scope of the competition is actual domestic violence solutions that will benefit a significant number of people. Entries are invited from organizations in all countries and proposed solutions should inform work being done in the U.S and around the world.

• Are beyond the stage of idea, concept, or research, and, at a minimum, are at the demonstration stage and indicate success.

• Are submitted in English and are complete.

Assessment Criteria
The winners of this Changemakers Collaborative Competition will be those entries that best meet the following criteria:

• Innovation: This is the knock-out test. The application must describe the systemic innovation that it is focused on. For example, an entry that demonstrates innovation would be the one focused on how the Montessori education method will transform the entire field of learning, not about building another school. The innovation should be a unique model of change and ready for large-scale spread.

• Social Impact: It is important that the innovation has begun to have an impact on the field it addresses. Some innovations will have proven success at a small level, while others will have scaled to engage millions of people. Regardless of the level of demonstrated impact, it is important to see that the innovation has the ability to be applied in the U.S. and other countries. This will be judged by considering the scale strategy, ability to be replicated, clear how-tos, and a map to reach the big goals.

• Sustainability: For an innovation to be truly effective it must have a plan for how it will acquire financial and other bases of support for the long-term. Are strong partnerships in place for it to have a ripple effect? Is there a clear financial plan in place?

Competition Deadlines, Procedures, and Rules
Online competition submissions are accepted until March 28, 2007 at noon, U.S. Eastern Daylight Time. Any time before this deadline, competition participants could revise their entries based on questions and insights that they receive in the Changemakers discussion. Participation in the discussion enhances one's prospects in the competition and gives the community and the judges an opportunity to understand one's project more completely.
There are three main phases in the competition:

• January 10 – March 28, 2007: Entries can be submitted until 12 pm Eastern US time on March 28, 2007, and anyone can participate in an online idea review discussion with the entrants.

• February 10: To qualify for the early entry prize, entries must be submitted by 00:00 EST US time on February 10, 2007. Early entry prize: Be one of two organizations featured in a magazine/journal advertisement.

• March 28 – April 17, 2007: Online idea review discussion continues. In parallel, a panel of judges well-versed in the topic and Ashoka staff select the competition finalists.

• April 17 – May 1, 2007: Popular online voting to select the three award winners from the field of finalists. The Changemakers Collaborative Competition winners will be announced on May 3, 2007.

The Changemakers Collaborative Competition will include a cash prize of US$5,000 for the top three winners.
Participating in the competition provides the chance to get feedback on your model and to advise potential investors about how best to change funding/investing patterns for the sector and to maximize the strategic impact and effectiveness of their future investments. The competition will generate an Investor Advisory available to investors, foundations, and other funding agencies. Those participants whose contributions most help frame the contents of the advisory will be acknowledged and may be convened to advise investors at a global meeting

Disclaimer—Compliance with Legal Restrictions
Ashoka complies fully with all U.S. laws and regulations, including Office of Foreign Assets Control regulations, export control, and anti-money laundering laws. All grants will be awarded subject to compliance with such laws. Ashoka will not make any grant if it finds that to do so would be unlawful. This may prohibit awards in certain countries and/or to certain individuals or entities. All recipients will comply with these laws to the extent they are applicable to such recipients. No recipient will take any action that would cause Ashoka to violate any laws.
For more information, contact endabuse@changemakers.net.