<p>Missouri Women In Trades (MOWIT) were awarded $25,000 in social investment seed capital from the Daughters of Charity Foundation of St. Louis.<br /><br />Missouri Women In Trades was one of five finalists in the Social Entrepreneurship and Innovation Competition (SEIC) at Washington University.&nbsp; The announcement of the awards was made at the annual SEIC&nbsp; Awards Ceremony at Washington University, on April 23, 2009.&nbsp;</p>
<p>Missouri Women In Trades is a not-for-profit dedicated to promoting the professional and personal empowerment of women through careers in the construction trades.&nbsp;&nbsp;</p>
<p>The Daughters of Charity Foundation of St. Louis, established in 1995, supports programs that impact persons who are poor and vulnerable in order to improve behaviors, enhance healthy lifestyles and enable individuals and communities to help themselves.</p>
<p>The Social Entrepreneurship and Innovation Competition (SEIC) is the first of its kind in the region. Competitors begin by entering their idea on www.ideabounce.com, and over the course of the competition, they participate in an elevator pitch competition, write a sustainability plan for their social venture, and make a final oral presentation.&nbsp;</p>
<p>Throughout the competition the participants receive feedback from an expert panel of judges representing area universities, nonprofits, investors, and service providers.&nbsp; Founding partners of the SEIC are the YouthBridge Community Foundation and the Skandalaris Center for Entrepreneurial Studies at Washington University.&nbsp; The Skandalaris Center works across campus and the community stimulating collaboration, innovation and entrepreneurial creativity to build an innovation environment where ideas, people, and actions change lives.&nbsp;</p>