Over the past 4 years Social Venture Network's Innovation Awards have honored some of the next generation's most talented, passionate and effective leaders: the new pioneers of socially responsible business.  

Past Innovation Award Winners include Tom Szaky (TerraCycle), Morgan Simon (Responsible Endowments Coalition), Brent Baker (Tri-State Biodiesal LLC), William Foote (Root Capital), Brenda Palms Barber (Sweet Beginnings) and Phaedra Ellis-Lamkins (Green For All). 

SVN is accepting Innovation Awards applications now through April 17th, 2011.  The Innovation Awards judging panel will select the 2011 Innovation Award winners in July.  This year's judging panel includes pioneers of the socially responsible business movement, including Ben Cohen, Founder of Ben & Jerry's Homemade, Inc.

The 2011 winners will each receive:

• membership in SVN,
• mentorship and coaching from SVN members and partners,
• promotion through SVN's media partners, as well as
• waived conference registration, travel expenses, and special recognition at the 2011 SVN Fall Conference. 

Winners will be honored during an Awards ceremony during the 2011 SVN Fall Conference in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania October 27 - 30. The founder and host of GRITtv, Laura Flanders, will host this year's award ceremony.  During the Awards ceremony, the winners will have the opportunity to share their story with an audience of more than 350 successful socially responsible business leaders, investors and nonprofit leaders.

"The SVN award has been life changing for our organization. The 2009 award put us
on a national stage, which in 2010 resulted in our organization obtaining a loan from
RSF Social Finance.  Being from Indiana, I doubt if RSF would have ever known we
existed without the award.  That loan allowed us to buy equipment and led to
additional resources and investments in our business to the tune of over
$1.3 million dollars so far!  I suspect if I need to say something even years from now,
I will be able to trace it back to the SVN award.  It is truly the gift that keeps on giving."
                                                                                       -  Gregg Keesling, Workforce, Inc.


Photo of the 2010 SVN Innovation Award winners.
To learn more about last year's winners, click here.   

About Social Venture Network
Founded in 1987 by Josh Mailman and Wayne Silby, Social Venture Network (SVN) is a member organization of more than 500 CEO's, investors, and nonprofit leaders committed to building a just and sustainable economy. SVN believes in a triple bottom line for business, one that values people, the planet and profits. SVN members are part of an expanding network of pioneering entrepreneurs who share this vision and are helping to transform the way the world does business.

2011 Annual Innovation Awards Eligibility
To be eligible for the 2011 Innovation Awards, applicants must currently hold positions as C-level executives (CEOs, executive directors, founders, etc.) of businesses or nonprofit organizations implementing an idea that is having a positive social or environmental impact on the business sector. Eligible applicants should be leading an organization that has been operating for more than 6 months and less than 7 years.

For a 2011 SVN Innovation Awards application, complete program information and eligibility guidelines, profiles of past winners, and additional information about SVN, visit: http://www.svn.org/awards. Applications are now being accepted through April 17th, 2011.