The World Bank Beijing Office said 100 applications from civil groups have been selected as finalists of the China Development Marketplace, which was launched by the bank to sponsor creative poverty reduction proposals.

The bank said up to 50 winners will be selected by the jury and receive grants for implementation or scaling up of their projects at an award ceremony in the Great Hall of the People attended by representatives of the government, international development agencies, donors, media and civil society organizations on December 8.

The bank said finalists have been selected out of 975 proposals received from civil society organizations all over China, through two rounds of careful assessments.

The selected proposals came from 28 provinces, municipalities and autonomous regions all over the country, and most of the applicants are grassroots civil society organizations.

They ranges from crop growing and breeding activities, provision of clean water and biogas development in rural areas, skills training and other services provided to farmers and migrant workers, education and health services for rural poor population and urban vulnerable groups, assistance to various ethnic minority groups, to environmental protection and natural resources management.

Progress has also been made on the fund raising front.

In addition to the contribution of the World Bank, China Development Marketplace has received cash contributions or pledges from the Red Avenue Chemicals Co. Ltd, International Finance Corporation (the private sector arm of the World Bank Group), Asia Development Bank, Department for International Development of the United Kingdom, Canadian International Development Agency, AusAid, Norwegian Embassy, Ford Foundation and Lehman and Li. Hogan & Hartson has provided in-kind contribution.

The Red Avenue Chemicals Co. Ltd., a Shanghai based company specialized in the sale of rubber processing agents, has contributed 800, 000 yuan (about 100,000 US dollars).

David Dollar, World Bank Country Director for China said, "there is tremendous energy at the grassroots level in China. Often these community organizations know best how to address poverty and environmental problems. Development Marketplace aims to support their good ideas and good work."

China Development Marketplace is an initiative of the World Bank aiming to identify and support innovative bottom-up development ideas that deliver results, which can then be expanded or replicated in the country.