Winners of the challenge will be those that have submitted a written description of a project, invention, solution and/or initiative which, in the opinion of the judges of the challenge, best meets all of the following criteria:

• Innovation: The best entries will be those where the entrant’s project substantially differs from other initiatives in the field. Distinctiveness and innovation will be given a high ranking by the judges. This does not necessarily involve inventing something entirely new. Rather, the project may comprise new products or processes, as well as new applications or hybrid combinations of existing tools. In other words, innovation can be present in new approaches to an old idea, or the application of an old idea to a different problem. Entries should describe how their projects are driven by original, ground-breaking ideas.
• Social Impact: Entries should describe how the project builds stronger communities. Entries should reflect an understanding of the systemic barriers within the project’s specific contex,t and should describe how the project impacts these barriers. Entries should explain how the project measures social impact using both quantitative and qualitative data. Entries describing projects that are at an early stage may set out their anticipated social impact and how they plan to measure it.
• Sustainability: Entries should include a clear plan for reaching long-term goals and securing financial backing. They should describe how the project is currently funded, and also how it will be funded in the future. All entries should provide a realistic time frame for the implementing the project. The most successful entrants will demonstrate that they have strong partnerships and support networks to address ongoing needs, and to help scale-up the project and maintain a clear financial strategy.

Online competition submissions are accepted according to the deadline.
At any time before this deadline, competition participants are both able and encouraged to revise their entries.

How to Enter

Click "Enter" at the top of the competition page. Register, then fill out and submit the entry form before the deadline.

Please carefully read the Assessment Criteria, and Deadlines and Procedures. The best entries contain thorough responses that match the assessment criteria.

The competition has five phases:

Entry Phase

• Competition opens for entry: 
• Entry Deadline: July 10, 2015, 5 p.m. EST

Selection of Semi-Finalists

Ashoka Changemakers will facilitate a process where all challenge entries are screened for their fit with the assessment criteria.
Those judged to be most competitive will be selected as Semi-Finalists and invited to the next phase.

• Early Entry Winners Announced:
• Semi-Finalists Announced:

Ashoka Changemakers will thoroughly evaluate the revised full entries of the semi-finalists and select 10 to 15 finalists.

• Finalists Announced: 

Selection of Winners

A panel of expert judges will evaluate the entries of the challenge finalists. Together, the judges will select the winning entries, based on the assessment criteria above. Winners Champions will be publicly announced.

• Judging and Evaluation: 
• Winners Announced: 

Sample Questions

Sample questions asked on the entry form include:

• Year Founded
• Budget
• Organization type
• Sector
• Website, Facebook, Twitter, video links
• Elevator pitch
• Problem: What problem is this project trying to address?
• Solution: What is the proposed solution?
• ImpactWhat is the impact of the work to date?
• Funding, financial sustainability plan, and marketplace
• Current team

Disclaimer – Compliance with Legal Restrictions

Ashoka complies fully with all U.S. laws and regulations, including Office of Foreign Assets Control regulations, export control, and anti-money laundering laws. Any prizes provided by Ashoka will be awarded subject to compliance with such laws and a due diligence review of proposed prize winners including contacting references and collecting organizational and financial information from proposed prize winners. Ashoka will not make any prize if it finds that doing so would be unlawful. This may prohibit awards in certain countries and/or to certain individuals or entities. All prize winners must comply with these laws to the extent they are applicable to such prize winners. No prize winner will take any action that would cause Ashoka to violate any laws. Ashoka will not make any prize to a prize winner involved in promoting tobacco use.