A pre-selection team of partnership experts and practitioners will select the ten finalists, to be announced in November 2006.

A multi-stakeholder, international group of highly recognized experts and practitioners will serve as the Jury and select five winners. The second class of Seed Award winners will be announced at a gala ceremony, to be held on the margins of the UN Commission for Sustainable Development’s 15th Session in New York (May 2007).

Criteria

The same criteria will be applied at all stages of selection:

• Entrepreneurship/innovation:
  The partnership takes an entrepreneurial or innovative approach.
• Benefits:
  The project has the potential to make a significant contribution, i.e. deliver tangible benefits, in the following ways:
      Social benefits
      Environmental benefits
      Economic benefits
• Sustainability of the project:
  The project is likely to be financially viable and socially and environmentally sustainable.
• Partnership:
  Partnership is the most effective way to achieve the objectives of the project.
  All partners will share benefits and risks.
• Local drive and focus:
  The project reflects local expertise, interests, and commitments.
  Local partners and/or their communities benefit from the project.
  Local partner/s is/are fully engaged in the project.
• Potential impact:
  The Seed Initiative support can potentially have a big impact in furthering the success of this partnership.

Deadline and timetable