12 Nigerian nonprofits to get $2mn from Google
By Non-profits in Nigeria stand to benefit from a $2 million grant which Google is providing to support ideas that have potential for immense social impact in different parts of the country.
The Google Impact Challenge will, according to the technology company, culminate in funding getting awarded to non-profits which are innovating using technology to reach their goals.
The contest was launched yesterday in Lagos and is an open call for non-profits in Nigeria to apply to receive their share of $2m in funding. Four non-profits in Nigeria stand to win $250,000 each while 8 runners up will each get $125,000.
Applications are open for the next six weeks till July 4, subsequent to which they will be reviewed. By October 15, Finalists would have been selected and notified, to be followed by public voting in November before winners emerges. Nonprofits with potential for social impact and capable of being catalysts for sustainable development, can apply online via- www.https://impactchallenge. withgoogle.com/nigeria2018 or simply; g.co/nigeriachallenge.
Winners will be decided by a panel of local judges and a public vote. The public vote provides a chance for the people to decide which organisation gets an extra portion of funding to help them impact their community. The winning non-profits will get cash as well as access to guidance, technical assistance and mentorship from Google, which they are free to take up if they want to.
The Nigerian judging panel includes John Momoh, CEO Channels media group, Leo Stan Ekeh, chairman/CEO, Zinox Technologies, Parminder Vir, CEO, Tony Elumelu Foundation, Jude MI Abaga, a rapper and CEO of Chocolate City Music Group.
Others are Oluseyi Oyebisi, executive director, Nigeria Network of NGOs, Mo Abudu, a media enterpreneur, Kanu Nwankwo, Ex-footballer and founder of the Kanu Heart Foundation, Eghosa Omoigui, managing general partner, EchoVC Partners, and Juliet Ehimuan-Chiazor, Google country director.
It will be recalled that at the Google for Nigeria event in July last year, Google CEO Sundar Pichai announced the company’s commitment to provide $20m funding to African non-profits over five years. This new challenge is according to Google, the first initiative aimed at realising that commitment.
“This is the first time we are running a Google Impact Challenge in Africa. Many African nonprofits are doing great work with real impact and we’re keen to shine a light on them, and give a financial boost to innovative projects and ideas,” said Affiong Osuchukwu, Google country marketing manager.
“We believe technology can help local and national organisations to better reach their goals and solve some of the continent’s most pressing challenges, and we are eager to back people who are using technology in new ways to make a positive difference in their communities.
“We also want to highlight the healthy state of social enterprise in Nigeria today, and encourage non-profits to consider how technology can help them reach their goals,” Osuchukwu said.
CALEB OJEWALE
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