Overview OCE Social Innovation Program The Social Innovation (SI) Program advances innovation in the not-for-profit and social enterprise sectors, leveraging talent and partnerships to deploy leading-edge solutions to tough social and environmental challenges by: Building new and enhancing existing partnerships between the not-for-profit, social enterprise and social purpose business sectors and Ontario industry and academia Bringing forward innovative products, services, and business models that meet social and environmental needs and help grow prosperous communities and transition Ontario into an idea- and innovation-based economy The program has two components: 1. Social Innovation Student Competition The student competition is designed to support the next generation of social entrepreneurs by pairing students and recent graduates with mentors from partner organizations, including the Regional Innovation Centres (RICs) and SiG@MaRS, to advise on social enterprise plans, turning student ideas into social enterprises. 2. Social Innovation Partnership Challenge The partnership component will support collaborative projects between NPOs/Social Enterprises/Social Purpose Businesses and industry and academic partners that tackle tough social and environmental challenges in the key focus areas including: - Health improvement (September 29, 2011) - Sustainability and the environment (February 29, 2012) - Poverty alleviation (June, 26, 2012) OCE s social innovation program is designed to integrate social innovation into Ontario s innovation ecosystem. NPOs and SEs will benefit by: fostering direct outreach and partnerships with industry and/or the academic community; and accessing a highly-skilled talent pool and leading-edge research and technologies. Companies will benefit by: developing new products and services that have a social benefit; tapping into not-for-profit networks and gaining access to socially and environmentally progressive markets; and improving their social and environmental performance. The program will engage the academic community and leverage research expertise to tackle social and environmental issues. 1 P a g e
1. Social Innovation Student Competition Objectives Encourage students and recent graduates to become social entrepreneurs Indicators Number of students engaged Number of student-led start-ups initiated; number of start-ups attracting private sector support (mentors and/or investors) Number of sustained relationships (mentors) beyond competition Activities Social enterprise plan competition Pairing students with mentors from partner organizations to advise on social enterprise plans Eligibility Criteria Students at Ontario universities and colleges and recent graduates (3 years) are eligible to participate in the first round Semi-finalists will be invited to compete for awards in final round Assessment Criteria Clearly articulated innovation driven opportunity, with a product or service that will realize a social impact in target areas, with a sustainable business model and a high probability of success Economic and social impact Student Competition Process Round 1: Open call for idea concepts for a social enterprise with an application template provided; identify opportunities where ongoing mentorship and support will be available (e.g. through RICs and other ONE members) and there is significant interest from the private sector; selection of semi-finalists will be by independent committee Round 2: Semi-finalists are paired with mentors from partner SI organizations to advise on venture plans Round 3: Final competition consists of submission of venture plan and elevator pitch; OCE will arrange an external selection committee to make award recommendations The Social Innovation Student Competition offers the opportunity for students who proceed to round 2 to obtain a reimbursement for up to $1,000 of expenses that were legitimately incurred in the course of preparing the venture plan. The expense policy will be as follows: 2 P a g e
All expenses must be incurred AND paid for prior to the final competition. An original receipt showing payment or an invoice is required for all items listed. Invoices MUST include a line showing your payment, including the date of the payment, the method (check, credit card, etc.) and the amount paid. If the invoice does not include this information, that expense will not be accepted for reimbursement. Approved expenses include: purchased research reports, telephone calls required for research, photocopying of business plan for submission, tools required to develop aspects of the product/service, and travel (within Ontario) required for research, and payment to others for services performed (i.e., legal, accounting, etc.) as long as the individuals providing the services are NOT relatives, the services are purchased at fair market value and a receipt for your payment has been issued. Meals, entertainment, or hardware or electronic items for team members are NOT eligible for reimbursement. Student competition awards: 1st place $25K; 2nd place $10K; 3rd place $5K Eligible cost re-imbursement for 10 semi-finalists: $10K (up to $1000 per semifinalist) 2. Social Innovation Partnership Challenge Objectives Facilitate an innovation driven approach to social and environmental problems and the development of new products and services that meet needs Build industry + NPO/SE collaborations Link NPOs/SEs into industry and academic networks to facilitate social innovation Link university and college students to socially innovative projects Leverage academic expertise and leadingedge research across all disciplines for social and environmental benefit Achieve social outcomes: expected change among clients, communities, systems or organizations Indicators Number of NPOs and SEs engaged Number of industry partners engaged Number of academic partners (researchers and students) engaged Number of projects developing new products, services, and business models (innovationdriven and attracting private sector support) Number of partnerships sustained beyond project Number of projects accepted for additional funding under Market 3 P a g e
Quantify social outcomes in economic terms to assess economic impact Lessons learned and sharing of best practices Readiness or equivalent Social Metrics Process for Collaborative Projects Map social impact of project; social/environmental changes resulting from project activities Assess degree to which social impact results in economic impact (revenue, jobs, etc.) Choose measurable indicators and appropriate financial proxies Assess social return on investment (SROI); degree to which social outcomes effect measurable economic impact Activities OCE will convene three Social Innovation Partnership Challenge Forums to stimulate interest and innovation. The purpose of each forum is to: bring together NPOs/SEs/SPBs with potential industry and academic partners to brainstorm and develop proposal ideas in topic areas (scoping exercise); to engage key players (including RICs and other ONE members) in the process, leveraging partner networks and participation; to identify projects suitable for further development and invite EOIs Collaborative projects between: o Industry + NPO/SE/SPB o Industry + NPO/SE/SPB + Academic o NPO/SE/SPB + Academic Project should develop new products, services, or business models that meet social and environmental needs Eligibility Criteria Projects must directly address target challenges identified in the Partnership Challenge Forums; Projects must be innovation driven and lead to solutions and tangible outcomes; realize changes in behaviour and/or condition among target groups; Project should lead to the development of new products, services, or business models that meet social and/or environmental needs; NPOs/SEs partners must add to the innovation process (it must be clearly demonstrated how ALL partners contribute and benefit from the project); OCE supports up to $50,000 per project; Projects must include at least one investing partner 1 and all partners must provide in-kind contributions to the project; A minimum cash contribution(s) of at least one third of the total investment is 11 The investing partner cannot be the same as the Lead Applicant. The in-cash contribution can be shared between several organizations. 4 P a g e
required; Multiple NPO/industry partners on a single project or NPO consortia are permitted; Industry and NPO/SE/SPB partners must have a presence in Ontario and the project must have a direct and realizable benefit to Ontario; Projects with academic partners must leverage the unique capabilities and expertise of the academic partners; Academic partner must be an Ontario accredited public academic institution (college, university, research hospital); Project duration is flexible: from < 1 year up to 2 years; Intellectual Property arising from the project will be managed in accordance with terms of OCE program agreements; Participants must be willing to co-operate in providing project and outcomes metrics including SROI Assessment Criteria Project proposals will be subject to internal and external, independent peer review and rating: Novelty and merit; innovation factor of proposed project (how is the project socially innovative?) Social and economic impact of project, including: changes in behaviour and/or condition among clients and target communities Impact on social and/or environmental issues Education and training opportunities for HQP Partner(s) cash and in-contributions relative to OCE program contribution Partner capacity and commitment Evidence of the effective collaborative experience of the team, either in previous experience together or with other groups Scalability and potential for growth beyond project period Applications with customer (end-user and supplier) involvement and/or input into the innovation process will be given priority; demonstration of innovations (products and services) in the field (participatory approach to project development) Social Return on Investment: degree to which social outcomes will effect quantifiable/measurable economic impact; monetizing social impact Program Process Given the timing and funding constraints OCE will host Partnership Challenge Forum to foster project development and collaboration. The Partnership Challenge Forum process is described below: OCE will convene at least 3 Social Innovation Partnership Challenge Forum(s) in the following focus areas: poverty alleviation; health improvement; and environment and sustainability Forums will be open to all players in the social innovation ecosystem in Ontario and engage key partners and stakeholders, including RICS and other ONE members, leveraging partner networks and participation Forums will bring together NPOs/SEs/SPBs with potential industry and academic partners to brainstorm and develop proposal ideas in topic areas (scoping exercise) 5 P a g e
and identify projects suitable for further development Identified projects will be invited to submit expressions of interest (EOIs) EOIs will be reviewed by OCE and shortlisted projects will be asked to collaborate with an OCE Business Development Manager to develop full proposals for submission Proposals meeting established criteria will be sent to a panel comprised of external, impartial members with appropriate experience and knowledge to contribute to the decision-making process; the external panel will review and rank the submitted proposals and make funding recommendations; Final approval of recommended projects will be by OCE Applicants will be required to complete a collaboration agreement within a fixed period following the approval notice Active projects will provide regular updates and a final report on results and outcomes; multi-year projects are subject to annual review and approval for continued funding It is expected that 12 15 collaborative projects will be successful ; funding will vary with project to match partner contributions Project funds will flow to NPOs/SEs/SPBs; in certain circumstances funds may flow directly to academic partners to support students Deliverables and Timeline MAIN MILESTONES DETAILS DUE DATE 2 nd Partnership Challenge in Environment & Sustainability Forum EOIs Due Invite Applicants for Full proposals Full proposals Due External Panel Review Internal Review Panel Awards Notification Projects Begin Feb 29, 2012 April 5, 2012 April 20, 2012 May 28, 2012 Mid-June 2012 Mid-June 2012 June 2012 July 2012 6 P a g e
SI Student Competition 3 rd Partnership Challenge in Poverty Alleviation Call for initial business plans Business plans due Selection of 10 semifinalists Final business plans due Finals: pitch competition at Discovery Forum EOIs Due Review of EOIs Steering Committee Form External Panel Invite Applicants for Full proposals Full proposals due External Panel Review Internal Review Panel Awards Notification Jan 2012 April 2, 2012 April 9, 2012 May 1, 2012 May 15, 2012 June 26, 2012 August 1, 2012 August 15, 2012 July 2012 August 16, 2012 September 24, 2012 October 10, 2012 October 15, 2012 End of October 2012 7 P a g e