Credit: ING

Despite the pandemic, the ING Solidarity Awards are back with a slightly redesigned edition. Participating non-profit organisations have every chance of winning prize money for their projects.

Almost a decade ago, ING decided to create a contest to reward the best projects of non-profit associations and foundations in Luxembourg and to give them maximum visibility. Since then, dozens of teams have received money to carry some of the most inspirational projects in this sector.

To pick just two examples among the winners of the last edition in 2019, Rainforest a.s.b.l. focuses on rebuilding tropical forests in Costa-Rica, true to its motto: “Save the planet, plant a tree”. As for Life project 4 Youth, it aims at supporting excluded youth towards their social and professional integration.

Both projects are also illustrative of this year’s edition, as ING is calling for applications in two distinct categories: Financial Inclusion and Environmental Protection. This calls for projects that are either aimed towards improving the financial situation of individuals (e.g. through education or social and economic integration) or towards promoting biodiversity or the circular economy, mitigating climate change or reducing pollution.

All non-profit associations, foundations and social impact companies (SIS) established and registered in Luxembourg are invited to participate (regardless of whether or not they are ING customers, of course!).

Among the submitted projects, members of the ING Solidarity Awards Jury will select the ones they find most promising in terms of value, impact, originality and implementation method.

The jury will reward the four best projects with a prize of €5,000 each and will offer all the winners an opportunity to gain exposure through the production of a video clip at ING's expense. It will be published on social media in autumn 2021 and ING will help promote it.

The deadline for project submission is 15 May 2021. Winners will be announced on 21 June, with the award ceremony taking place on 30 June at ING Lux House.

ING’s Sustainability team invites all non-profits, foundations and SIS based in Luxembourg to submit their applications: “ING is very proud to organise the ING Solidarity Awards despite the current circumstances. We know that the non-profit sector is also suffering from the pandemic and that’s why it’s crucial to maintain our support”.

For more information, go to ing.lu/solidarityawards.