Skoll Award for Social Entrepreneurship
Supports transformative social entrepreneurs driving large-scale change through innovative solutions.
- Program Type
- Grant
- Deadline
- Dec 1, 2024
- Locations
- Global
- Source
- Skoll Foundation
- Reviewed by
JJ Ben-Joseph- Last Updated
- Oct 28, 2025
Skoll Award for Social Entrepreneurship
Overview
Skoll Award for Social Entrepreneurship is a comprehensive grant administered by Skoll Foundation. Supports transformative social entrepreneurs driving large-scale change through innovative solutions. It is designed to move ambitious projects from concept to execution by pairing targeted funding with visibility, networking and capacity-building benefits that can help applicants accelerate their strategic goals.
Applicants gain access to a funding package valued at $2,000,000 over four years, and the program maintains a deadline of 2024-12-01. Prospective candidates operating in Global should plan backwards from the closing date to build a disciplined production schedule that includes discovery, coalition- building, draft refinement and stakeholder reviews.
This opportunity prioritizes themes such as social enterprise, impact, leadership, philanthropy, global. Organizations that can demonstrate an existing commitment to these focus areas—through metrics, case studies, or lived community partnerships—will be able to articulate a compelling narrative that resonates with reviewers searching for mission alignment.
Opportunity Snapshot
| Detail | Information |
|---|---|
| Program Name | Skoll Award for Social Entrepreneurship |
| Opportunity Type | Grant |
| Funding Available | $2,000,000 over four years |
| Key Deadline | 2024-12-01 |
| Primary Geography | Global |
| Administering Organization | Skoll Foundation |
| Official URL | https://skoll.org/skoll-award/ |
Funding Strategy
Funding through Skoll Award for Social Entrepreneurship goes beyond a simple cash infusion. Program officers look for thoughtful financial stewardship, so applicants should map funding categories—staffing, technology, research, equipment, outreach, evaluation—to clear outcomes tied to supports transformative social entrepreneurs driving large-scale change through innovative solutions.. Incorporate co-funding or in-kind contributions when available to demonstrate sustainability and leverage.
Because reviewers evaluate long-term viability, applicants should include a twelve-to-eighteen-month cash flow forecast that illustrates how the $2,000,000 over four years allocation will drive measurable outputs. Reserve room for contingencies, compliance costs, and knowledge-sharing to show that the project can withstand operational surprises while still meeting milestones tied to social enterprise, impact, leadership, philanthropy, global.
| Support Area | Recommended Actions |
|---|---|
| Financial Planning | Develop line-item budgets with clear justifications and internal controls. |
| Capacity Building | Outline mentoring, hiring, or training activities funded by the award. |
| Partnerships | Identify collaborators who strengthen delivery in priority regions or sectors. |
| Sustainability | Explain revenue, policy, or philanthropic pathways that extend impact beyond the award. |
Eligibility Deep Dive
Eligibility for Skoll Award for Social Entrepreneurship centers on demonstrating readiness, credibility and community impact. Review each criterion below and translate it into a specific asset within your organization—such as a credentialed team member, a validated prototype, or a memorandum of understanding with beneficiaries.
- Social entrepreneur leading an organization with proven impact. Expand on how your initiative satisfies this requirement using quantifiable evidence.
- Systemic change potential. Expand on how your initiative satisfies this requirement using quantifiable evidence.
- At least three years of impact data. Expand on how your initiative satisfies this requirement using quantifiable evidence.
Strategic Positioning
To stand out, connect the opportunity’s objectives with macro trends affecting Global. Reference regional economic data, regulatory changes, or community testimonials that highlight the urgency of your solution. Use the program narrative to show how the grant will accelerate progress across the full lifecycle—from research and development to scaling and knowledge dissemination.
Align your language with the program’s mission keywords, including social enterprise, impact, leadership, philanthropy, global. Integrate them naturally into headers, captions, and executive summaries so search engines and human reviewers alike immediately recognize thematic fit.
Ideal Applicant Profile
| Attribute | Description |
|---|---|
| Organizational Maturity | Demonstrates governance, financial systems, and a clear theory of change. |
| Innovation Readiness | Shows a validated solution or research agenda with distinctive differentiation. |
| Impact Measurement | Tracks outcomes with dashboards, logic models, and mixed-method evaluation. |
| Scalability | Plans for regional, national, or global expansion through partnerships and policy. |
Application Roadmap
| Phase | Suggested Timeline | Key Deliverables |
|---|---|---|
| Opportunity Monitoring | Immediately | Assign owner to review guidelines, FAQs, and updates weekly. |
| Concept Development | Weeks 1-3 | Facilitate stakeholder workshops, refine problem statements, gather data. |
| Drafting & Budgeting | Weeks 4-6 | Write narratives, build budgets, obtain letters of commitment. |
| Review & Submission | Weeks 7-8 | Conduct red-team review, finalize attachments, submit before 2024-12-01. |
| Post-Submission | Weeks 9-12 | Plan for interviews, diligence, or supplemental documentation. |
Plan sprints around major deliverables and integrate internal approval gates. A shared project management workspace keeps contributors on schedule, while a risk register anticipates bottlenecks such as delayed letters or data pulls.
Budget Narrative Guidance
Successful applicants pair quantitative budgets with narrative justifications. Use charts or tables to show cost-per-beneficiary, return on investment, or emissions avoided if relevant. Each line item should reinforce the program’s core promise that supports transformative social entrepreneurs driving large-scale change through innovative solutions.
Integrate compliance costs such as audits, legal review, translations, accessibility adaptations, or data security upgrades. These items demonstrate foresight and respect for community safeguards, boosting reviewer confidence that the project can scale responsibly.
Impact Storytelling
Articulate the human stories behind the metrics. Describe a beneficiary persona, stakeholder coalition, or community champion who illustrates the transformation Skoll Award for Social Entrepreneurship will unlock. Weave in quotes or field notes that underscore qualitative value alongside numeric targets.
When relevant, connect your initiative to global frameworks such as the Sustainable Development Goals, national recovery strategies, or ESG benchmarks. Doing so signals that the program’s benefits ripple beyond a single grant cycle and advance broader policy commitments.
Metrics and Reporting
- Establish baseline data prior to launch to quantify change.
- Use mixed methods—surveys, interviews, environmental sensors—to capture outcomes holistically.
- Report progress quarterly, highlighting lessons learned and pivots.
- Share knowledge assets such as toolkits, datasets, or playbooks with the wider field.
Common Mistakes to Avoid
Avoid common pitfalls such as vague budgets, generic letters of support, or failure to document risk management plans. Every attachment should reinforce a single cohesive story about your organization’s ability to deliver measurable impact with integrity.
Frequently Asked Questions
How competitive is this opportunity?
Competition levels are high, but applicants who pair data-rich storytelling with authentic community partnerships are well positioned to rise to the top. Benchmark your proposal against past awardees whenever possible to ensure your scope and scale are realistic.
What supporting documents strengthen an application?
Comprehensive resumes, audited financial statements, letters from implementation partners, and data privacy plans all reinforce capacity. Organize files with intuitive naming conventions to streamline reviewer access.
Can smaller organizations compete?
Absolutely. Emphasize nimble decision-making, deep community roots, and the ability to pilot quickly. Partner with larger entities when compliance or procurement requirements demand additional infrastructure.
How should we prepare for post-award obligations?
Map grant reporting cycles and build dashboards before funding arrives. Assign internal owners for finance, program, and communications tasks so you can activate quickly if Skoll Award for Social Entrepreneurship selects your proposal.
Expert Tips
Form an internal grant squad that blends finance, program, legal, and communications expertise. Weekly stand-ups keep everyone aligned and surface issues before they jeopardize the submission timeline.
Invest in visual assets—infographics, dashboards, or journey maps—that make complex data intuitive. Embedding these visuals in your appendix can convert passive reviewers into active champions.
Ready-to-Use Resources
- Draft a one-page concept note summarizing need, solution, and outcomes to share with stakeholders early.
- Schedule a compliance review to ensure procurement, data protection, and ethical standards are documented.
- Prepare multimedia testimonials or pilot results to embed in digital appendices or microsites.