Around the country, colleges and universities offer case competitions to students as a way to provide team-building exercises that promote experiential learning and give students a chance to hone their presentation skills. These competitions often boast a cash prize, with the top three winners receiving anywhere from $5-$15k.
But unlike other collegiate case competitions, the Impact Competition tasks students with solving a real-world problem facing a local non-profit, and then provides the funding to implement the winning solution. Both the winners and the non-profit receive a cash prize, with the winning team going on to partner with the nonprofit once the competition ends.
In no other competition out there do the students themselves get to take part in implementing their solution.
This is what truly sets the Impact Competition apart from other case competitions: the winning idea is turned into a reality, with the students working closely alongside the non-profit team to bring their idea to life. To sum it up:
1) The students solve real world problems.
2) We provide the funding.
3) The students get to actually implement their winning idea!
Across the board, students report that the opportunity to collaborate with the non-profit to bring their solution to life is both rewarding and hugely educational. After a recent competition, over 90% of students reported that they gained insight into the nonprofit's mission, realized the real impact that nonprofits have on people and communities, and also learned that they can have a real impact themselves on their community.
This is because the Impact Competition empowers students to be a part of the change they want to see in the world.
Nonprofits love our program because they are involved with the process from the start, designing the challenge based on their unique needs. This means that during the Impact Competition, students gain real insight into both the mission and inner workings of a local nonprofit, and also pitch a solution that is responding to a real pain point of the organization, not just a theoretical question.
Whereas other case competitions market themselves as providing opportunities to grow one's network, test out new ideas, and explore careers in the social impact sector, the Impact Competition is about more than just networking and playing an intellectual game. It's about empowering students to put their skills and knowledge into action to solve a pressing need and introducing them to the powerfully wonderful world of philanthropic work.
Together, we can cultivate a generation of students who have first-hand experience with the transformative power of giving back to their communities. As the Impact COmpetition expands its partners, we will continue to work towards creating a world where more people take an active role in giving back. Join us as we bring our program to more schools and continue to compound positive change!