The International Finance Corporation of the World Bank Group (IFC) and the Financial Times (FT) are pleased to jointly announce their second annual Essay Competition. This year's theme is "Private Sector Development: Creating Markets, Transforming Lives."

The Competition is soliciting action-oriented essays that:

• Provide insight into current Private Sector Development (PSD) research
• Develop and support the implementation of leading-edge PSD initiatives
• Strike a balance between conceptual and practical considerations for private-sector involvement in developing countries, and the effect of that involvement on development
• Reflect innovative, data-supported research resulting from the author’s own professional or academic work
• Target economic & financial policymakers, the international financial community and/or international domestic investors

Entries accepted: April 25, 2007 to September 30, 2007.

To enter, see Submission Procedures & Timeline

Six awards will be granted to the top papers as judged by the Awards Committee:

Gold Award US$20,000
2 Silver Awards, each US$10,000
3 Bronze Awards, each US$5,000

IFC and FT will publish all winning essays on their external websites and may provide publication in additional formats at their discretion.

Submission Procedures & Timeline

Requirements:

1. Essays can be a maximum of 4000 words. In addition, an abstract of a maximum of 300 words is required and should be included with the submission.
2. Essays must be submitted in English. Some stylistic allowance is made for authors whose first language is not English. Professional translation is allowed, at the author’s expense. IFC and the FT are not responsible for translation errors.
3. Essays must be typed and double-spaced on one side of each sheet of paper
4. The author’s name must only appear on the cover page. References to the author must not appear anywhere in the abstract, essay text or footnotes.
5. A limited number of charts or tables may be used. Equations should be avoided as much as possible and, if used, must be confined to an appendix or footnote.
6. Essays should be in a form readily publishable without extensive footnotes.

SUBMISSION PROCEDURES
(note: faxed entries will not be considered)

Please let us know that you are interested in entering the competition by filling out this form.

Online submissions (preferred) can be completed by filling out this form and attaching your abstract and essay.
You will receive an email confirmation when your entry has been received.

Paper/mail submissions should include the following in one envelope:

• Two copies of the essay
• A completed and signed entry form (if there is more than one author, each author must fill out an individual entry form. Only submit one package containing one copy of the essay, abstract, and each of the authors' entry forms)
• Click here to download the printable entry form
• Essays must be typed and double-spaced on one side of each sheet of paper
• No binding or stapling

You will receive an email confirmation when your entry has been received.

Send paper entries to:

Ms. Vanessa Co
IFC Competition Coordinator
The International Finance Corporation
2121 Pennsylvania Avenue, NW
Mail-stop F4P-402
Washington, DC 20433 USA

TIMELINE

• Submissions accepted between April 25, 2007 and September 30, 2007.
• Paper entries must be postmarked by September 30, 2007.
• IFC will contact the six winning essays’ authors in confidence and send written confirmation of the competition results before making its public announcement in early 2008.
• Please continue to visit the competition Web site for updates