Start Something New
A simple idea can open a door for your whole community.
The NC Idea Challenge is an invitation to look around your neighborhood, your school, or the places you care about and imagine one small change that could make life better.
It’s open to North Carolina students in grades 5 through 12, and to teachers, principals, coaches, counselors, band directors, daycare professionals, troop leaders, or any educator who shows up for young people. The challenge is simple: record a two‑minute video sharing your idea, send it in, and you’ll hear back within ten days.
Up to five hundred people will receive $1,000, with the chance to earn up to $10,000 more as their idea grows. Submissions are reviewed on a rolling basis, which means you can enter today, and if the answer is no, you’re welcome to revise your idea and try again. The door stays open.
This challenge is run by Exponential Scholars, a nonprofit committed to helping talented young people in overlooked and underserved communities across North Carolina. Their goal is simple: make sure bright ideas don’t get lost because someone didn’t have the money, the access, or the encouragement to begin.
For students, this is a chance to take a need, a gap, a problem, or a hope, and turn it into action. Maybe it’s a way to support younger kids, clean up a shared space, create a new program, or bring people together. You don’t need special experience or a polished plan. You just need a thoughtful idea and the willingness to try.
For educators, it’s an opportunity to bring a project to life that could strengthen your school or community. You can ask for what you need, from $100 to $5,000, and build something that reflects the heart of your work. Whether it’s a small resource that would make a big difference or a new effort you’ve been dreaming about, this challenge gives you room to begin.
The NC Idea Challenge is open now and runs through October 4, 2026. It’s a chance to show what care looks like when it becomes action, when someone decides that their idea is worth sharing, and their community is worth investing in.
If you’re ready, go to ideachallengenc.org. Students in grades 5–12 can explore the student track. Educators of all kinds can explore the educator track.
