The Dakota Foundation's Ian Helms Award for Social Entrepreneurship honors organizations whose creative and inspiring projects increase self-sustainability while also providing a strong social return.
The primary objective of the Ian Helms Award is to help already-active small nonprofits establish or grow a source of regular revenue that will both help secure the sustainability of the organization while also providing employment, education, or support to those in need.
As program-related investments (PRIs) have great potential but are still relatively unknown and under-utilized, this program will also help expand awareness of this funding vehicle within the broader philanthropic community. We hope to encourage the entrepreneurial spirit and to fund the start or ongoing sustainability of social enterprises, formed by non-profits to diversify their funding resources while also increasing their social returns.