Skip to main content
Impact AI Challenge
Artificial Intelligence to Accelerate Inclusion Challenge

Challenge Rules

Overview

Thank you for your interest in the Artificial Intelligence to Accelerate Inclusion Challenge (the “Challenge”). The Challenge is hosted by data.org, a fiscally sponsored project of New Venture Fund (“NVF” or “data.org”), and was launched by Mastercard Center for Inclusive Growth (“The Center”) (NVF, The Center, together, the “Challenge Partners”).  

Rules  

The Rules governing this Challenge (the “Rules”) are stated here. As you participate in the Challenge, you may periodically be asked to recognize your acceptance of these Rules by clicking “accept” at various pages on the data.org website (the “Website”). However, by continuing any use of this Website, you expressly consent to these Rules.  

Awards  

By participating in this Challenge in accordance with these Rules, you are eligible to receive various forms of recognition, in-kind support and grant funding from data.org. In-kind support for Awardees may include, but is not limited to, data science talent, staff training, technical support and consulting, media production, marketing and promotional outreach, and software and infrastructure licenses.  

The Challenge will award at least four final winners (each, an “Awardee”) with a combination of $200,000 (each, an “Award”) grant funding and in-kind support. Each final Award will be issued pursuant to the terms of a grant agreement between New Venture Fund and the relevant Awardee.  

Eligibility Criteria   

We welcome applications (each, an “Entry”) from for-profit entities, non-profit entities, and government agencies. However, all Entries must have a charitable purpose, as defined in Section 501(c)(3) of the Internal Revenue Code, and as further described below.  

Organizations are limited to submitting one Entry to the Challenge. Notwithstanding the foregoing, the Challenge may consider multiple Entries from large organizations such as universities. Any such Entries must be distinct, without overlap in the scope of the proposals or the project teams. If you are aware that two or more teams within your organization are submitting Entries to the Challenge, please notify us by email at challenge@data.org, and include an explanation as to how your team meets the foregoing requirement. Fiscal sponsors may submit more than one application but may only submit one application per fiscally sponsored project.  

Ineligible Entities  

The data.org Challenge is open to any organization or group from anywhere in the world, except for those from Afghanistan, Belarus, Cuba, Iran, Russia, Syria, Yemen, North Korea, and Ukraine (Russian-occupied territories). Further, any directors, officers, employees and contractors of the Challenge Partners, and any of their respective subsidiaries and affiliates, immediate family members (spouses, parents, children, siblings and siblings’ spouses, regardless of where they live) or any persons living in the same households of such directors, officers, employees and contractors are ineligible to participate in the Challenge.  

Entries from Teams or Coalitions  

Organizations may join together as a coalition to submit a single application subject to these Rules. However, Awards to coalitions must be distributed to a single legal entity that will have legal responsibility for executing the coalition’s proposal in accordance with the terms of their grant agreement.  

Additional Requirements  

  • Your Entry must be submitted in English.  
  • All applicants must register for the Challenge here prior to applying.  
  • All Entries must comply with these Rules and be submitted in accordance with any deadlines listed on this Website.  
  • Your Entry may not contain obscene, defamatory, or illegal content. The Challenge Partners reserve the right to disqualify any Entries that they determine, in their sole discretion, violate this provision.  
  • All Entries must have a charitable purpose, as defined in Section 501(c)(3) of the Internal Revenue Code of the United States of America. In order for a project to be charitable under U.S. law, it must (i) have a broad social purpose and benefit and (ii) not result in financial gain to any individual or any non-charitable entity that is more than “incidental and tenuous” to the related social impact. You can read more about the second requirement here.  
  • All Entries should reflect the anticipated ownership, use, and/or licensing of any intellectual property resulting from the Challenge or any Challenge Award. To meet the second requirement for charitability above, grant agreements between data.org and any Challenge Awardees that are not 501(c)(3) nonprofit organizations may include stipulations relating to such intellectual property. The nature of any such stipulations will be flexible and will consider your project’s unique structure and goals.   
  • Challenge Awards may not be used for projects that attempt to: (a) influence the outcome of any domestic or foreign election for public office; (b) support lobbying or other attempts to influence local, state, federal, or foreign legislation; (c) conduct any “lobbying activity” as that term is defined under the Lobbying Disclosure Act; or (e) otherwise violate any legal restriction applicable to nonprofit organizations exempt under section 501(c)(3) of the Internal Revenue Code of 1986, as amended (the “Code”), including any federal, state, local or foreign rule or regulation pertaining to advocacy, lobbying, political activity or government ethics. 

Selection Criteria and Process 

Phase 1:  

Upon submitting Your Entry, the Entry will be subject to an administrative review to ensure compliance with these Rules. Qualified Entries will then be judged based on the following criteria:  

  • Impact, including advancement of inclusive growth 
  • Localism and IDEA (inclusion, diversity, equity, and access) 
  • Responsible Use of Artificial Intelligence 
  • Originality 
  • Feasibility 
  • Organizational Capacity 
  • Partnerships 
  • Scalability   

Phase 2 (finalists):   

Informed by this Phase 1 assessment, an estimated 12-20 Entrants will be invited to advance to Phase 2 of the Challenge, which will involve submitting additional documents and an interview. The Selection Committee will review and discuss the top Entries and to select final Awardees. By participating in the Challenge, you agree to be bound by the final decision of the Challenge selection committee. 

Terms and Conditions