Maximizing Impact: Why STREETS International Launched the Global Awards

In social enterprises – where impact is prioritized over merely profit – growth isn’t necessarily defined by scaling up. Sometimes the most powerful impact is made by focusing on what you do best. Certainly, that’s been the thinking behind the STREETS Global Awards, an initiative that celebrates changemakers in hospitality and tourism.

In this Q&A article, Neal Bermas, founder and managing director of STREETS International, provides insights as to why STREETS developed the Awards, what they involve, and what they can mean for any early-stage social enterprise or NGO that applies.

Q: Tell us how the STREETS Global Awards went from idea to reality?

A: For the past 15 years, STREETS International has been delivering world-class training and opportunities for some of Vietnam’s most vulnerable young people. Our award-winning program continues to be successful, so it prompts a common question from supporters and partners: how can you do more?

The STREETS Global Awards came out of reflecting on that question.

The answer for us wasn’t in simply scaling or replicating our operations. While that might seem the obvious thing to do – our graduates succeed, we have a 100% employment rate, the program works. But we felt replicating and building more programs wasn’t the best path forward.

Instead, we reframed the question to ‘how could we be the most impactful?’ And the answer to that was we should empower other initiatives.  By sharing our knowledge and expertise with early-stage organizations doing similar work in hospitality and tourism around the world, we could be the most impactful.

While the notion of awards is hardly new, we know – and this is based on our own experience – the value awards can bring to an organization.  We also knew there were many other awards in the world, so we needed to ask ourselves, ‘how could we distinguish our awards from others’?

One way our STREETS Global Awards can be differentiated from others is that we are not a foundation or company who sponsors awards. Instead, we’re a successful, impactful initiative doing the work – ‘we’re on the ground’. And because we come with that perspective, we understand that awards can be time consuming with little pay-off for applicants who don’t win.

So the answer we came up with was to make the awards process itself beneficial for everyone who applies. The application process is designed to be supportive and instructive. Everybody ‘wins’ because it improves skills and capabilities.

We have a wonderful, well-connected board – with their support, we were able to quickly secure award funding to go ahead.

Q: What makes STREETS Global Awards different from others?

A: Many things, as already mentioned. But especially, the innovative application process. Our process has been carefully designed to ensure all applicants gain something from the experience. Each step in the application has been crafted to help organizations sharpen their focus, tell their story clearly, and reflect on what they do best. Applicants receive feedback and support in the form of mentoring. We encourage revisions. We provide instructive templates for financials to help with accurately presenting profit and loss (P&L) statements.

In many ways, we want the application process to be a prize itself.

Q: Why do Awards matter?

For any social enterprise or mission-driven organization, recognition goes a long way. Recognition is powerful. It creates visibility and legitimacy – for sponsors, donors, staff, and communities.

Every award STREETS has received is a recognition and achievement that our graduates carry with them. It opens doors. It gives them pride. It’s a signal to the world that their achievements matter. It adds value to everything they and we do.

It’s the same for other organizations. An award adds validation, increased funding, and stronger partnerships through broader networking opportunities. It means sustainability.

Q: Tell us about the Award categories?

There are two:

• STREETS Social Enterprise Award for Hospitality & Tourism.

• Alan Spanier Impact Award for Youth Development in Tourism – named in honor of a generous donor whose legacy supports youth-focused programs globally.

Both come with financial support – prize money of USD $10,000 each – along with valuable STREETS mentorship. We offer collaboration with our network of industry and social impact leaders, which means joining a community of like-minded changemakers.

Q: What makes for a strong application?

Focus. Too many well-intended organizations try to do too much. It often becomes a critical flaw that is not sustainable. We’re looking for clarity: What’s your mission? What are you truly great at? Give us the details that show your focus, who you serve, and what’s the measurable impact.

Just as importantly, do your homework! Don’t rush. Read the questions carefully. Look at the supporting materials. For example, we have provided templates to enable detailed financial and budget information – use these.

Also, know your messaging, fewer words are better than more. An organized, rehearsed, well-produced video strengthens your message. If you can’t describe what you do in a few sentences, you probably need to re-think how you tell your story. Follow our format guidelines so that your video captures an audience’s attention.

Q: Any final words of advice to applicants?

The application process is a real opportunity to ensure more successful development and – ultimately – sustainability for your initiative. Maximize this opportunity, we want to support you. Learn from our mistakes so you don’t have to make them as well!

Above all, the STREETS Global Awards are about collaboration, not competition. They reflect an ethos of global community: that the greatest impact comes not from growing and working alone, but together.

The STREETS Global Awards are open to any 1–5 year-old organization whose mission is to make a positive social impact in hospitality or tourism for civic societies around the world. Apply here.