The 2026 NC Idea Challenge
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The 2026 challenge is closed. Here’s how it worked.

You could win $1,000 for an idea to improve your community

Send us a 2-minute video about your idea and find out if you won within 10 days. Winners get a $1,000 cash prize. If you don’t win, you get feedback and can try again.

Pick your path
I'm a student5th to 12th grade enrolled in NCI'm an educatorTeachers, coaches, principals, counselorsSee the winners so farReal winning ideas from across NC
A student with teal braids and an adult mentor smiling at a laptop together

Everything you need to know

A 2:30 video from our founder.

Winning won’t be easy — but participating should be.

The Idea Challenge asks one thing: what’s your idea to help your community? Submit a 1–2 minute video answering it. If it clears the bar, it wins. No application fee. No 47-page essay.

Help is welcome

Talk your idea through with a teacher, family member, or friend before you record. Help is fine — the idea just has to be yours.

How it's judged

Two human judges review every entry, looking at your idea's potential for impact in your community, its feasibility, and its authenticity.

When

Submissions ran July 15 – October 5, 2026, on a rolling basis. Yes-or-no in 10 days.

What you win
Step 1 · No strings attached
$1,000

When your idea wins — student or educator — you earn a $1,000 prize for the idea itself. It's yours; we don't tell you how to spend it.

Step 2 · Optional next phase
Up to $10,000 more

Want to take your idea further? Together we develop a clear set of next steps — an implementation or testing plan — and if we mutually agree on those targets, up to $10,000 more in funding becomes available.

Got questions? Open these.

Who can enter?+
Two groups, two tracks — same prompt, same way to win. Students in NC, grades 5–12 (about ages 10–18); entries are individual — one idea, one voice. And educators in NC — teachers, principals, counselors, coaches, club and community leaders — who submit their own idea.
What are the steps?+
Four steps. 1) Make a short video: 1–2 minutes of you explaining your idea, recorded right in your browser. 2) Get an answer in 10 days: a real person watches your video and sends a yes or a no. 3) Win a $1,000 prize: winning ideas are paid right away, no strings attached. 4) Take it further (optional): if you want to keep going, we develop a set of next steps together, and up to $10,000 more in funding can become available.
Do I need experience or a finished idea?+
No. You do NOT need coding experience. You don't need to be on the honor roll. You don't need a business background. Friends and adults can help you think it through, but the entry is yours alone. You just need an idea you've actually thought about.
How long does it take?+
Not long. It's a short video, not a long application. Then a yes-or-no review within 10 days.
What if I get a no?+
A no isn't the end — everyone gets up to two tries. After a no, the judges' written feedback tells you exactly what to strengthen. During the 2026 challenge, entrants could revise their idea (or bring a new one) and submit once more.
Does the prize come with strings attached?+
No. The $1,000 is a prize for the quality of your idea — students and educators alike. It's yours, and we don't tell you how to spend it.
Can I get help thinking it through?+
Yes — talk it through with a teacher, family member, or friend. They can ask questions and give honest notes. Help is fine; the idea just has to be yours.
Read the full FAQ →
Two students laughing together in a library
A teacher and a student smiling together at a computer

Ready? Pick your track.

All you need is a 2-minute video of an idea for your community. A $1,000 cash prize could be yours.

I’m a student →I’m an educator →