Challenge Contest Requirements

Challenge Planning—Step 2 of 9

As you're planning your challenge, you'll want to review these relevant policies, memos and legislation.

• President’s Strategy for American Innovation—The White House first called on agencies to use challenges and prizes in this September 2009 memo.
• Open Government Directive—This directive called attention to the citizen engagement benefits of challenges and prizes.
• Guidance on the Use of Challenges and Prizes to Promote Open Government (PDF, 94 KB, 12 pages, March 2010)—This memo outlines the benefits and types of challenges and prizes, and long–standing legal authorities your agency may have.
• Prize Authority in the America COMPETES Reauthorization Act (PDF, 275 KB, 12 pages, August 2011)—This legislation provides agencies with broad authority to conduct prize competitions. Consult with your attorneys on this to understand the authorities and responsibilities, which may include posting a Federal Register notice for each prize competition.

Familiarize Yourself with Challenges through Case Studies

General

• Challenge.gov: Using Competitions and Awards to Spur Innovation (PDF, 2.31 MB, 52 pages, September 2012)
• Challenges Conducted Under America COMPETES Act Authority (PDF, 486 KB, 53 pages, March 2012)—Report to Congress from the White House Office of Science and Technology Policy.
• White House Open Government Innovator's Toolkit—Features nine case studies about challenges and prizes.
• Innovation and Collaboration—NASA’s Use of Challenges Past and Present (PPT, 608 KB, 18 pages, June 2010)
• NASA's Innovation Pavillion—This challenge helped figure out ways to keep food fresh in space, as well as forecast solar events. 
• Success Stories Compiled in Conjunction with the Challenge.gov First Birthday Event (PDF, 544 KB, 16 pages, September 2011)

• Apps Challenges Toolkit—GSA developed this toolkit for apps challenges in conjunction with a March 1, 2011 event.
• EPA's Apps for the Environment: Lessons Learned
• DC's Apps for Democracy—How to Run Your Own Apps for Democracy Innovation Contest (PDF, 4.4 MB, 19 pages, January 2010)—A step–by–step explanation of how to create your own Apps for Democracy–style innovation contest. This method can be used by local, state, or federal government.

Video

• EPA's Guidelines for Creating a Video Contest (MS Word, 185 KB, 22 pages, October 2009)—Explains EPA's experience with the Water Quality Video Contest.
• EPA's Radon Video Contest (2009)

Poster

• Kids.gov Poster Contest Lessons Learned (PDF, 293 KB, 3 pages, January 2011)—This document offers advice, such as engage judges and the media early, and offer multiple ways for contestants to enter. 

Examples Across Government

• Go to Challenge.gov for current challenges, as well as those that have run on the site since it launched in September 2010.

Examples From the Private Sector

• X Prize Foundation—The X Prize Foundation has solved many Grand Challenges, such as the oil spill clean–up and commercial space travel.
• Selected Innovation Prizes and Reward Programs (PDF, 720 KB, 51 pages, November 2008)—Public and private sector challenge examples that span history and the globe.

Next Step

Ready for the next step? You'll need to develop a strategy for your challenge.

Content Lead: Karen Trebon
Page Reviewed/Updated: December 11, 2012