Determine Resource Needs for Your Challenge

Challenge Planning—Step 6 of 9

The next step in planning your challenge is to determine the resources you’ll need for your challenge, including: staff, partners, contractors, and funding.

Staff

Consider putting together a small team. Start with one or two representatives from the program office, a representative from your Office of General Counsel, and someone from your New Media, Public Affairs or Communications team. If you are offering a monetary prize or contracting out for help, pull in a few people from your procurement and budget shops.

Partners

Other government agencies and partners from the private and non–profit sectors can help with publicity. You may also be able to offer a larger prize if your partners contribute.

The Berkman Center for Internet and Society at Harvard University published a paper on Public –Private Partnerships For Organizing and Executing Prize Competitions.

The Challenges Community of Practice meets in–person and has a listserv. This community can help you identify partners and provide you with advice. Contact Karen Trebon at GSA to join.

Contractors

Outside experts or contractors can help you design and publicize your challenge. Send your Statement of Work (MS Word, 49 KB, 3 pages, August 2010) to them, or use what you have already learned to prepare a budget estimate and make a decision on who to hire.

Funding

You will need to budget funds for any outside experts or contractors, as well as for the prize.

Challenge.gov showcases challenges with a range of prizes, depending on the type of challenge:

Video—Hundreds of dollars to $15,000
Apps—$2,500 to tens of thousands
Ideas, finished products, concepts, designs—Thousands of dollars to $15,000,000

Prize money may be awarded to one winner, or divided among many winners.

Next Step

Once you've decided what resources you'll need, you should select and train your judges.

Content Lead: Karen Trebon
Page Reviewed/Updated: August 7, 2012