One question. One short video. Real money.
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, you get funded. No application fee. No 47-page essay.
NC students in grades 5–12, and NC teachers — two parallel tracks with the same rubric.
Direct funding for the idea you already have. Recognition. A chance to actually run it.
Rolling submissions, June 15 – October 15, 2026. Submit any day. Yes-or-no in 3 business days.
Four steps. About 45 minutes for the first one.
Just you, on camera, explaining your idea. We give you the recorder in the browser.
A real human reviewer reads your entry and sends a yes or a no.
Paid right away. Use it to start running your idea — supplies, stipend, whatever you need.
Your acceptance letter lays out specific objectives. Verified objectives unlock the next tier.
Rolling submissions. Not a deadline.
This isn’t a single-deadline contest. Submit any day in the window — first day, last day, any random Tuesday — and you get a real answer within 3 business days. No cohort. No waiting.
$1,000 on yes. Up to $10,000 more if you go all the way.
Students get a flat $1,000 on acceptance. Teachers tell us what they need on their entry; we pay the amount they asked for, up to $5,000.
Hit the objectives in your acceptance letter — proof you ran the idea — and unlock more funding to keep going.
A few common ones.
Who can enter?+
Any North Carolina student in grades 5–12, or any North Carolina teacher. The student and teacher tracks run in parallel.
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. You can work alone or with friends. You just need an idea you've actually thought about.
How long does it take?+
About 45 minutes to draft and submit. Then a yes-or-no review within 3 business days.
What's the money for?+
To actually run your idea — supplies, a small stipend, partner honoraria, materials. Students get a flat $1,000 on yes. Teachers tell us what they need ($100–$5,000) on the entry. Above $600, IRS paperwork is required; we handle it.
Can I get help thinking it through?+
Yes — we're matching applicants with human helpers (volunteers who'll spend 15 minutes with you on Zoom, by email, or by phone). Free, optional. Helpers can also walk you through using AI tools you may already have access to.
Ready? Pick your track.
The form takes about 45 minutes. The yes-or-no comes back in 3 business days. The next idea on the other side of that could be yours.