UK Ashden Awards
Overview
Why apply?
The annual Ashden Awards are free to enter, and benefits for winners include a cash grant, access to funders, and a promotional film about their work. All finalists receive publicity and opportunities as part of the Ashden network.
- Winning an Ashden Award brings a prize of up to £10,000 (UK winners) as well as ongoing development support.
- They put winners in front of funders, investors, policymakers, journalists and others who know the unique value of an Ashden Award and the strength of our rigorous assessment process.
- They create promotional films about your winners’ work and tell their story in mainstream and specialist media, and through our growing digital channels. We’ve helped previous winners gain coverage at Sky News, The Telegraph, Times of India, Al Jazeera, New Scientist and other leading platforms.
- Award winners’, views, needs and insights are at the heart of their influential reports, toolkits and events – which shape the views of key climate decision makers.
- All winners join the Ashden network – giving them the chance to connect with new partners through masterclasses, investor pitching events and introductions to influential policy makers.
Who can apply?
Businesses, NGOs, government organisations, social enterprises and community groups are all eligible. Work must be currently available to clients, customers or beneficiaries.
UK Awards
Ashden Award for Energy Innovation in the UK
Award prize: £10,000
Lowering the carbon impact of our energy use is essential to the UK’s shared zero carbon future. The Ashden Award for Energy Innovation (UK) will boost trailblazing technologies, services and business models with the potential for major impact.
The winning organisation’s energy innovation could be speeding the rollout of smart energy systems, making our energy system more flexible, or giving consumers more control over decarbonising their home or business.
Applicants will need to show their solution has the potential to scale up and deliver big carbon savings. It should be creating a more equal low carbon future, and new opportunities for marginalised groups.
Find out more about this award
Supported by: IMPAX Asset Management
Ashden Award for People's Energy
Award prize: £10,000
When communities take control of their energy supply, they power up a host of benefits – from lower bills to more resilient neighbourhoods. The Ashden Award for People’s Energy will support work by communities to generate, store and save clean power.
The award will shine a light on inspiring and practical projects. These could include energy sharing initiatives, work to power or heat local community buildings, or new ways of generating, storing and sharing energy across neighbourhoods. We are inviting applications from projects or partnerships unlocking a cleaner, fairer future.
Find out more about this award
Ashden Award for Nature Based Solutions
Award prize: £10,000
Nature is a powerful tool helping us adapt to the impacts of climate change. Plants and trees can protect us from extreme heat, while carefully managing rivers, ponds and other waterways lowers the risk from flooding. When communities help design and deliver solutions, there are even more benefits – as people come together, improve their health, and enjoy getting closer to nature.
The Ashden Award for Nature based Solutions will boost innovative and inclusive schemes tackling the dangers of flooding, heat stress and water scarcity. These could feature tree planting, creating wetlands or restoring natural resources. They might involve local voluntary groups, national charities or councils and public bodies. The best examples will embrace the priorities and diversity of local communities.
Find out more about this award
Supported by: LUND
Criteria
The work submitted for an award should must be innovative. It might feature new technology, new approaches to marketing and distribution, or a new way of sharing training and skills. It might involve improved financing mechanisms or an innovative business model.
Work should also have the potential to create significant impact. This impact might be a large drop in greenhouse gas emissions, raised incomes, better health, reduced inequality, or a combination of positive outcomes. Impact might be achieved by the growth of the organisation applying, or by the spread of their ideas to other organisations.
Initiatives should boost resilience and be as participatory and democratic as possible – designed and run with input from the people they support, particularly marginalised groups. Applicants should also show good governance and management.
To be shortlisted and win an award, all applicants must satisfy these eligibility criteria:
- The work submitted for an award must be currently available to customers, clients or beneficiaries.
- The applicant must show an innovative approach in their work.
- The applicant’s work must have the potential to create significant impact. This might be achieved by their growth as an organisation, or the replication of their innovation around the world. Applicants must be willing to work with Ashden and others to achieve this goal. ‘Significant’ impact could be a large reduction in emissions, a mitigation or adaptation action that addresses a serious threat to people’s wellbeing, or a transformation in people’s quality of life – particularly the most marginalised.
- The applicant must show good governance and management. We are looking for efficient use of funds and a strong plan to generate further income, whether from sales, grants or any other source. Organisations can be for profit or not-for-profit. Winners must have sustainability embedded in their values and practices.
You can apply more than once, providing they are for a different business/organisation.
FAQS - see webpage.