Source: PARSA Community Foundation

On September 28, 2006, PARSA Community Foundation announced its first grant to Ashoka as part of the Ashoka PARSA Initiative.  Ashoka is the global association of the world’s leading social entrepreneurs. PARSA’s grant will support an Ashoka fellow of Iranian origin from anywhere in the world Ashoka operates. The grant reflects the mission of PARSA Community Foundation to practice strategic philanthropy and promote social entrepreneurship in support of a vibrant global Iranian community. “Persians' tradition of public service and capacity for entrepreneurship are natural assets to leverage towards community betterment. Ashoka's proven model will not only identify social innovators but also connect them to a global network of like-minded change makers.” said Noosheen Hashemi, Chairman of PARSA.

Ashoka defines social entrepreneurs as men and women with system-changing solutions for the world’s most urgent social problems. Since its founding in 1980, Ashoka has provided start-up financing, professional support services and connection to a global peer network to more than 1,700 leading social entrepreneurs, elected as Ashoka Fellows. Ashoka’s support and modest investments have yielded extraordinary returns in the form of both national and international advances in education, health, human rights, the environment, economic development and civic engagement.

Ashoka’s nomination process, and the global profile of the selected Fellow, will increase the awareness of social entrepreneurship in the Persian community worldwide. In addition, Ashoka’s Chairman, Bill Drayton, has joined PARSA’s advisory board and will guide the foundation to further its work on social entrepreneurship.

“This exciting partnership helps Ashoka reach into a critical community in which we hope to bring our groundbreaking model for selecting and supporting Fellows” said Bill Drayton, Chairman of Ashoka. “Together, Ashoka and PARSA Community Foundation will empower Iranians all over the world by giving them the opportunity to take initiative and make a lasting impact in their communities. This initiative brings us one step closer to creating an “everyone a changemaker” society where everyone has the freedom, confidence and societal support to address social problems.”