To mark the 30th anniversary of the Snow Foundation, the organisation has announced the creation of Snow Entrepreneurs, fellowships for social change that are supported by grant funding of up to $100,000 for each entrepreneur in the first year.
The foundation is looking for inspiring and passionate entrepreneurial leaders who are tackling problems in new ways to benefit the community in ACT or NSW, leading a team that is persistent in pursuing social causes in one of the foundation’s focus areas.
The chosen entrepreneurs will receive not only funding, but also mentorship and tailored advisory services to develop their early-stage initiatives focused on finding solutions to entrenched problems and help make bold ideas become a reality.
“The Snow Foundation has a long history of supporting up-and-coming entrepreneurs, ground-breaking social enterprises and for-purpose organisations, and then maintaining partnerships with them,” the foundation’s CEO Georgina Byron said. “These fellowships honour our own entrepreneurial beginnings and our founder Terry Snow.
“We’ve always looked for individuals and organisations with strong community backing, a commitment to learning and an alignment with our values of humility, social justice, collaboration, commitment, transparency and empathy,” Byron added. “These new fellowships will embody this.”
With the fellowship, the foundation has reaffirmed its significant commitment to new, innovative or budding social entrepreneurs, committing a minimum of $1.5 million to the program in the first three years. That commitment is exemplified by its partnership with Good360, who repurpose brand-new items of value such as books, clothing, homewares and furniture and give them to Australians in need. Good360 have received more than a million dollars in funding over eight years.
“The Snow Foundation is a founding funder and partner of Good360,” the organisation’s CEO Alison Covington said. “They recognised that philanthropy could play an early role to seed big ideas and support aspiring social entrepreneurs that could make a long-lasting impact.” Covington emphasised the fact that The Snow Foundation offered not just access to funding, but also but a network of support that enabled Good360 to open doors they would not otherwise have been able to.
“This is a fantastic opportunity for three to five inspiring leaders to receive funding and professional wrap-around support tailored by the Social Impact Hub to progress their early-stage social change initiatives,” Byron said. “The benefits to these Snow Entrepreneurs are significant and enduring and I’m looking forward to seeing the applications.”
Applications will accepted until 8 November, after which will undergo a review. Those that make it to the next stage will be asked to submit a detailed application by 15 November.
