Grants for Social Ventures and the Opportunity to Travel to Abu Dhabi 2019

Authority of Social Contribution – Ma’an is offering a grant program open to domestic and international entrepreneurs who are willing to establish and run their own social projects in Abu Dhabi, UAE. At Ma’an, a social impact incubator in Abu Dhabi is being run to encourage innovation and entrepreneurship with the aim of solving social challenges and supporting the common good. Twice a year the Authority will host 10 promising teams through the Ma’an Social Incubator for a period of six months, giving them the tools and resources they need to thrive. 

Terms and Conditions:

1. Applicants must be at least 18 years of age by the start of the program.
2. The social venture must be a non-government organization or social enterprise and established in and serve the Abu Dhabi community.
3. The social venture must have an impact on people of determination in the community, either through offering support services, employment opportunities, transformative products or services or by donating a share of profits to related causes.
4. A team must be a minimum of 2 and a maximum of 3 members.
5. The venture must be the original idea of the applicant(s).
6. The venture must be an idea, basic establishment, or minimum viable product/service stage.
7. The venture must be the original idea of the applicant(s), and cannot have originated under an existing organization. Ideas that are inspired by successful international ventures are welcome, as long as they do not already exist in Abu Dhabi and/or infringe on that organization's intellectual property or copyrights
8. The applicant or applicant's team must be the primary decision maker for the social venture’s development and management.
9. Applicant(s) must be able to make a dedicated commitment to the social venture's development during the incubation program.
10. Applicants must be based in Abu Dhabi, or willing to relocate to Abu Dhabi. If the applicants are not residents, they must be able to obtain a visitor visa.
11. Ma’an Social Incubator will focus on incubating non-governmental organizations (NGOs) and social enterprises. 
12. Selection criteria: Talent, social impact, innovation, and feasibility.

Benefits and Funding:

Mentorship:

Each of the winning teams will be paired with an experienced mentor who holds expertise relevant to the social venture. Mentors will meet frequently with teams on a one-on-one basis and invest their time in providing advice and guidance to help them overcome any challenges they face.

Learning and development:

Learning is at the core of the Ma’an Social Incubator. To help teams grow and succeed, an informative curriculum on core topics will be provided. Building on participant’s technical and soft skills, the program will include informative sessions specifically focused on understanding the needs of people of determination.

Investment and stipend:

Participants will be given access to a living stipend, which will help to cover their living expenses while they are in the program. Ma’an will also cover the housing expenses for participants not based in Abu Dhabi. Ma’an will provide milestone funding, released at every successful milestone the participant reaches. Milestones vary for each venture and will be decided at the start of the program. Participants will also have opportunities to pitch and engage with investors and donors to raise more money at the end of the program.

Networking:

Ma’an Social Incubator is a safe space for people to explore, interact, and build networks. There will be opportunities for entrepreneurs to speak and learn from each other, while also facilitating networking events with prominent and inspiring individuals. Participants will also get exposure to people outside of the Ma’an Social Incubator, such as leaders in the third sector, global startups, investors and donors, and regional and global industry leaders.

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