Eligibility and selection
The St Andrews Prize welcomes applications from individuals and organisations (including community groups) who lead projects that protect the environment or contribute to its sustainable development.
A core aim of the Prize is to bring about substantial progress in solving environmental problems, so we seek applications from projects where winning would lead to a step-change in the development and implementation of the idea.
As a general rule, the University is unlikely to be able to make payments to countries under international sanctions, so we encourage projects based in such locations to consider carefully if this may impact them before applying.
Contents
Eligible projects
For a project to be eligible, it must:
- be an established project with a proven track record of success
- be related to sustainable development or biodiversity
- be aligned with the UN Goals for Sustainable Development
- be replicable from one geographic area to another and ideally be scalable in size
- have a clearly defined need for funding
- have the ability to inspire others in the field
- contribute to the global pursuit of sustainability in the short to long term
- meet high ethical standards in respect of intellectual property and in how it interacts with people and with the environment
- be inclusive
Projects that are not eligible
- Projects at the idea, pilot or prototype stage
- Research projects
- Projects with no environmental benefit
- Major infrastructure projects, such as the construction of a building
- Projects focused on special interest groups
- Projects that exclude particular groups in society
- Regular or annual events that are not connected to a new initiative
- Projects related to political activities, lobbying or religious groups
- Projects that are designed purely for fundraising purposes
Selection
Entries will be reviewed by the Screening Committee, which will draw up a shortlist for the judges to consider.
Applicants who progress to the shortlisting stage will be contacted and invited to submit a short video summarising their project. They will also be asked to provide references from two individuals independent of their project, who may be contacted as part of the due diligence process.
Three projects will be selected to participate in the St Andrews Prize for the Environment final, which will take place at the University of St Andrews from Wednesday 30 to Thursday 31 October 2024. Finalists must be present in St Andrews from Tuesday 29 October to Friday 1 November 2024 to participate in the proceedings in person.
Language requirements
All entry forms must be submitted in English and finalists are required to deliver a presentation to the judges in English.
If a finalist does not speak English, a translator is permitted to deliver the presentation on their behalf. The translator’s services must be secured and paid for by the applicant organisation.
Right to deselect an entry
The judges reserve the right to reject any entry which, in their opinion, does not engender a satisfactory level of confidence.
2024 Prize
Entries for the 2024 St Andrews Prize for the Environment closed on Friday 12 April. The winner will be announced at a ceremony at the University of St Andrews on Thursday 31 October 2024.