The STARS Impact Awards, offered by the STARS Foundation, are annual awards for charities (with income levels of no more than US$ 5 million) that work with disadvantaged children in each of STARS' three chosen areas of health, education and protection. This year, the awards are for organisations located and working in Africa. The Award in each category will be a cash award of US$100,000 as well as consultancy support.

STARS Impact Awards will recognise and support organisations that enhance their impact and effectiveness through a combination of good management practices, entrepreneurship and working with others. Though the Impact Awards are being launched in Africa, they will expand to other regions in the future.

The specific criteria that STARS is interested in are:

• Delivery of programmes that positively affect the lives of disadvantaged children and an ability to measure and demonstrate impact;
• Good governance and accountability to stakeholders;
• Effective finance and administration;
• Use of technology and information and communication technologies (ICTs) to enhance delivery of programmes;
• Innovation and flexibility;
• Learning from and networking with other organisations;
• Collaboration and partnerships;
• Development of staff members;
• Development of volunteers; and
• Inclusion and access.

STARS would also like to know how you would use the Award if your organisation were to be selected as an Award recipient.

In addition, STARS asks each applicant to complete a statement outlining why they believe their organisation should be selected to receive the Award. This is an opportunity to highlight to the judges why your organisation exists, what makes it unique, and how it knows when it is making a difference.

Applicants should email their application to
awards07@starsfoundation.org.uk by 5:00 pm (GMT) on February 16 2007 , and post their signed application by that date as well.

Click here for more information on the award.

Click here for eligibility requirements.

Click here for more information about the application and to request an application form.