User:Niamh Moore/Starting new

The NTR Foundation
The NTR Foundation is the philanthropic organisation of international renewable energy group NTR plc. Their stated mission is ‘to address the challenges posed by climate change, resource sustainability and security of energy supply through the provision of targeted financial and expert support’. There are three strands to the work of the NTR Foundation: Investment in international development projects, activities in the local communities of NTR Group businesses, and investment in Policy & Research.

In keeping with the entrepreneurial heritage of NTR plc, the NTR Foundation supports projects that address the issues of climate change, resource sustainability and security of energy supply in an entrepreneurial way.

The NTR Foundation was officially launched in March 2010 at a ceremony in New York where senior U.S. business leaders, financiers and policy advisors gathered to discuss the issue of climate change. Those who attended were urged to seize the economic opportunities provided by climate change initiatives as a way of stimulating growth and saving the planet.

For more information see NTR Launches Foundation to Tackle Climate Change

International Projects
The NTR Foundation invests in a small number of large multi-annual International Projects that involve both service provision and thought leadership. The NTR Foundation seeks to support existing work underway, either through existing partnerships and/or directly into well-led organisations, which have a strong track record of success.

Group Projects
Each year companies in the NTR plc portfolio have the opportunity to receive matched funding from the NTR Foundation for projects that have a direct impact in their own communities in the US, UK and Ireland. These projects are strictly mission aligned and are entrepreneurial solutions to the challenges of climate change, resource sustainability and security of energy supply.

Policy & Research
The NTR Foundation looks to fund or commission Policy and Research, specifically when it serves to increase the knowledge base in their core funding areas and/or where there has been a lack of information or research to date.

Social Entrepreneurs Ireland
The NTR Foundation is a flagship sponsor of Social Entrepreneurs of Ireland annual awards ceremony and awardees as part of a three year partnership to help inject practical support for those people who are prepared to take risks for social change.

Social Entrepreneurs Ireland’s annual Awards Programme provides direct support to high-potential emerging social entrepreneurs. The social entrepreneurs are active in sectors such as education and learning, children and young people, older people, mental and physical health, the environment, community development and new communities. Since launching in 2005, Social Entrepreneurs Ireland has made awards to 142 social entrepreneurs, directly investing over €3.44m into supporting these exceptional individuals. They in turn have directly helped over 168,000 people and indirectly helped another 300,000 people.

In 2010 Social Entrepreneurs Ireland announced a new and significantly enhanced Awards structure called the High Impact Programme, which will provide targeted, in-depth support to the winners. Each Award winner will receive over €165,000 over a two year period which will enable them to maximize their impact in addressing social issues across Ireland through directed support, developing their networks and communicating their achievements.