Foundations for Social Change is calling on Canadians nationwide to help shape the next generation of social innovation with the launch of The Social Impact Challenge, a $52,000 national contest to pilot, measure, and advocate for a bold new solution to critical societal challenges. All social impact ideas are welcome, and topics can include economic inclusion, health, justice, community belonging, environment, climate change, digital equity, education and cross-generational issues. 

The winning submission will reveal how to address an important social challenge and will win $25,000. FSC will bring the groundbreaking idea to life and transform lives and communities in need. A total of $52,000 in prize money will be awarded for the top ten ideas. Second place will receive $15,000; third place, $5,000 and the remaining top ten finalists will each receive $1,000. Using the Foundation for Social Change platform, the winning social impact idea will be tested to achieve data-driven results. The project will track outcomes and show the impact on Canadians’ lives while inspiring other communities in Canada to replicate and refine the idea for scalability and broader impact.

Eligibility and selection

Applications are now open, and Canadians are encouraged to submit their ideas by April 12th at midnight. On May 11th, the top 10 contestants will be selected and notified, and they will be asked to provide an additional round of information by May 24th. The judging panel will narrow it down to the top three submissions by June 7th,and the winner will be announced on June 11th.

Winning submissions must clearly demonstrate:

  • A well-defined hypothesis – what specific problem or assumption the idea aims to test.
  • A compelling vision for social change – how the concept will create meaningful, lasting impact.
  • Expected outcomes and impact – what success looks like and how it will improve lives.
  • Data-driven approach – the inputs and metrics that will be used to measure results.
  • Measurable success criteria – specific indicators that will show whether the project works.
  • Key success factors – what will make the idea feasible and scalable.
  • Risk mitigation strategies – how to overcome potential challenges.

Application Deadline: April 12th at 11:59 PM PST.

For further information about The Social Impact Challenge or to apply, click here.