The 2015 Public Service Award
Note: Applications for the 2015 Public Service Award have now closed. Please come back again next year for further information regarding the next cycle.
As part of the Asia Society’s Asia 21 Young Leaders Initiative, each year the Asia 21 Young Leaders select and present the Asia 21 Public Service Award to acknowledge an organization whose work benefits underprivileged social and economic groups, communities, and the public in the Asia-Pacific region.
The Award consists of a grant in the amount of US$10,000 along with continued active support of the Asia 21 Young Leaders Class of 2015 to the winning organization as well as access to the Young Leaders’ network for program development and help to replicate the models of successful projects. This additional in-kind support will help position the award-winning organization with the tools to expand to a higher level of service and to other regions around Asia.
What are the criteria for this award?
Essential Criteria
- Be nominated by an Asia 21 Young Leader
- Be based in the Asia-Pacific region and conduct activities focused on serving the needs of underprivileged communities in Asia
- Be willing to accept ongoing support from the Asia 21 Young Leaders Class of 2015
- Be prepared to devote time, resources, and a dedicated program manager for consultations and work with the Asia 21 Class of 2015
- Be legally permitted to accept funds from the United States of America
- Demonstrate positive impact from their work at the time of submission of their application
- Have an annual budget of less than US$ 3 million
- Have a transparent accounting process for finances
- Have not previously applied more than twice to Asia Society’s Public Service Award
- Must not be an organization wherein a 2015 Asia 21 class member is currently affiliated with either as founder/co-founder, trustee, employee, partner, etc. For reference, please see list of the complete 2015 awardees here.
Desirable Criteria
It is highly desirable that a successful organization:
- Conduct work that is innovative and sustainable over the long-term
- Conduct work with specific and measurable impact that can be tracked over time
- Have a clear mission statement and focus
- Conduct work that meets the needs of a specific underprivileged group or community
- Conduct work that has the potential to grow and be extended to other countries in the Asia-Pacific region
What are the steps needed for applying?
- Register on this website
- After registering, complete the mandatory details and answer the questions online about the organization truthfully. Answers could be saved as draft and edited later
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Prepare the following supplemental information separately for uploading to the site:
- PROJECT PROPOSAL: Your presentation/document (PDF, Word Doc, or Powerpoint) of a proposed project for the new Asia 21 Class of 2015 and how you intend to work with them over a 12 month period. The project should outline how it will be staffed by the organization including the potential for hosting a spring trip from A21 Class of 2015 to support project outcomes. If a spring trip is not possible for your organization applicants are encouraged to outline innovative ways with which to engage the 2015 class and its collective expertise in a meaningful project. Please include details on how your organization could use the PSA award funds, as well as describe any Key Performance Indicators (KPIs) to be used to measure your project's impact. Projects will be evaluated on 'do-ability', effective engagement with the 2015 class, impact, scalability and innovation. Disclaimer: Applications seeking class members to raise funds on behalf of their organization will not be considered.
- ANNUAL FINANCIAL REPORT: The most recent annual report of the organization including an annual financial statement. (Please merge all documents into a single PDF file)
- REFERENCES: Two letters of recommendation from individuals and/or organizations clearly indicating their support for your organization’s nomination to the 2015 Public Service Award, and attesting to your contributions. These supporting letters must come from appropriate project stakeholders e.g. project beneficiaries, government officials, or private sector. (Please merge all documents into a single PDF file)
- OPTIONAL: Additional information that supports your application (such as press releases, reports, video, any other data) relating to projects mentioned in your application. The additional information should be merged into a single PDF document (except for a video-file). We may request for additional information during the review process.
When is the award going to be decided and what are the deadlines of which I should be aware?
- Call for Nominations: July 27 to August 31, 2015
- All proposals for the Asia 21 2015 PSA should be submitted online at THIS SITE by August 31, 2015, 12:00 midnight ET
- Review of proposals and the selection of Top 3 nominees: September 1 to October 30, 2015
- Results will be announced by: November 6, 2015
- Asia 21 2015 PSA Presentation Ceremony at the Asia Society’s 2015 Asia 21 Young Leaders Summit in Hong Kong: December 1-4, 2015
Why is it important for the organization that I nominate to be able to communicate with Asia Society Asia 21 in English?
In addition to the US$10,000, a very important component of the Award is access to the Asia 21 Young Leaders’ network for program development and mentoring. To ensure that the award-winning organization gets the most out of their experience through this exchange, English proficiency is a requirement.
Is the award only for organizations or can individuals also apply?
This award is only for organizations that are based and conduct activities in the Asia-Pacific region.
Can I nominate my own organization if I work at a public service organization?
If you are an Asia 21 Young Leader alumni (and not a member of the current class), then you are also encouraged to nominate your own organizations.
Who should I contact if I have more questions about the Public Service Award?
For further queries, please e-mail the Jury Administrator: Kathryn Cárdenas at KCardenas{at}asiasociety.org.