Ben and Jerry’s and Ashoka have once again teamed up for their Join Our Core campaign.  This year, they are focusing on crowdfunding.  Project Manager Alex Watson tells us more….

Join Our Core is back once again to find clever entrepreneurial cookies who, not only share our values, but want to stick a spoon in and make a difference!
This year, we want to hoof-start your crowdfunding campaigns – take a look below to find out how we’ll help take your idea to dizzying heights. In 2015 we’re especially encouraging organisations that are working on the issue of Climate Change… we are, however, also keen to hear from all budding social entrepreneurs whatever the issue you are addressing!

What’s up for grabs?

We’ll train five Finalists from each country to run amazing crowdfunding campaigns. We’ll thenpick up to two winners and top-up your campaign with 20% of it’s crowdfunding target, up to a value of €10,000, and shout from the rooftops to get you kick-started.

• 20% of your crowdfunding total up to a maximum of €10,000
• Marketing training to prepare your crowdfunding campaign
• Promotion of your crowdfunding campaign to Ben & Jerry’s fans on our website and across our social media channels.
• After your crowdfund campaign you’ll also bag expert mentoring from Unilever and a trip of a lifetime to where it all started for us… Vermont, USA!

Think you’ve got what it takes?

Inspired by our three-part mission we are looking to see your product, social and economic mission. So we’ll be judging ventures on your potential for:

• innovation
• social or environment impact
• financial sustainability

(We’re especially encouraging entries addressing climate change, to tie in with our activism campaign ahead of December’s UNFCCC conference in Paris.)
We will prioritise our support on those ventures that have the most feasible plan for delivering these and that could benefit most from Join Our Core. But in addition you must be:

• committed to running a crowdfunding campaign to raise at least €20,000 launching in mid-May (ideally 18th) for 4-8 weeks
• able to attend our two-day Scoop Camp in April (register your interest for these dates)
• aged 18-40
• a resident in France, Germany, the Netherlands, Sweden or the UK at the time of
  application although the business itself can have impact in any country in the world

Don’t just stand there and let the grass grow!

Download our application form by registering below, grab a tub to keep you company, fill it in and send it back to us by March 16th. Here at HQ we’ll then gather the herd and pick a shortlist with some help from our lead partners for the fourth year running Ashoka – world class experts in screening and selecting systems changing innovators.

Entering the competition is easy: Go to http://www.benjerry.co.uk/values/join-our-core  and apply online.

If you know anyone who would be relevant, feel free to forward details on!

Warmly,

Alex Watson, Join Our Core Project Manager, Ben and Jerry’s Europe