Brewer Guinness & Co has started inviting applications for funding for innovative new ideas for social enterprises.

The brewer has announced it will increase its commitment to the Arthur Guinness Fund to €7.4m by 2012 and has opened the nomination process at www.guinnessforgood.com for entrepreneurs seeking financial support.

The Fund has teamed up with Ashoka, the social entrepreneurs’ network, to spread awareness of the funding available and identify social entrepreneurs with game-changing ideas to help communities or the environment.

Thirty of these will be chosen to be Ashoka Fellows, and given financial, strategic and practical help by the Arthur Guinness Fund.

The programme is now in its second year and the additional funding pledged by Guinness will enable it to support the work of its applicants for the next three years.

The application deadline is 30 November 2010.