P@sha Fund in collaboration with Google Inc will disburse $40,000 to the winners of its sponsorship social innovation program in coming months.
It declares four winners for the grants in the first round while six others will be financed. The proposed projects are Sabah Rehman, Bloodline, Online Store for Handmade Shoes and Urdu Online. The winners have been asked to hold consultation with local assigned mentors and chalk out ten-step plan to be carried out in next six months as per set goals and milestones. Afterwards, they will receive their first check for $2,000 equivalent. They will be asked to define goal for the next four deliverables and get $2,000 for each round. The total funding allocation for each project is $10,000 however the mentor should sign off on progress and milestones to get payment released in 5 phases in total. P@SHA Social Innovation Fund was launched in April 2011. There are more than 64 applications shortlisted out of more than 300 proposals submitted. The judges unanimously picked four winners and seven shortlisted candidates for the next round for funding. Pasha Fund will arrange technical sessions for the winners and shortlisted candidates who will start planning for the next round of applications in consultation with their respective mentors. The purpose of the social innovation fund is primarily to aid talented young people having innovative ideas for identifying and driving solutions of social and community challenges. The idea is not to fund the creation of software but to fund ideas that use Information and Communication Technologies (ICTs) as a platform for delivery and as a means for empowerment. The initial seed money for this Fund has been provided to P@SHA by Google Inc in the form of a grant. As the Fund proves its worth, there is a likelihood of more organisations adding to it.
To learn more about the Pasha Funcand get news updates, visit http://pashafund.com/