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Innovation

The 10,000-Hour Challenge

Introduction | Take the Challenge | Featured Innovations | Browse Innovations | FAQs

FAQs and Help

What counts as "innovation?"

Innovation is people working together to develop and implement new, irresistible ideas that create value. Innovation is the act of introducing something new to create change that is valued by the community. Innovation is not simply a new program. Value creation is essential to innovation.

How do I calculate my hours?

Participants self-count the hours that they dedicate to the innovation. It is important that you only count the hours dedicated to innovation. Please do not count the entirety of time devoted to organizational operations if they are not 100% dedicated to an innovation in community development.

How recent should my innovation be to qualify?

The 10,000-Hour Challenge is seeking examples of current innovations that will inspire fresh ideas in other community developers. Submissions should highlight examples of projects, organizations or ideas that are up-to-date and reflect the most cutting-edge information available in any given sector.

Must my innovation be complete or can I submit an ongoing project?

Examples of ongoing projects are welcome. Simply calculate the hours you have dedicated to innovation to date.

Completed projects should be contemporary and reflect recent accomplishments. We are looking for fresh, inspiring, and inventive examples that will encourage innovation in others!

Can I take the Challenge by dedicating my organization to innovation in the future?

Pledges to incorporate innovation in the future may be accepted, but they must be specific and time-bound. The description of your innovation must target a particular area of your community development activities and give detailed examples of how innovation will be incorporated into the work that you do. We ask that calculation of the hours you plan to dedicate to the innovation be as precise as possible, reflecting only those hours you dedicate to implementing innovation, not the entire operation of your organization.

Why aren't my hours showing up?

After you submit your hours, it will be reviewed by one of our community development specialists to make sure that it qualifies as an innovation in community development. After it has been reviewed, you will be sent an e-mail letting you know the status of your submission. If your innovation qualifies, we will approve it, and your hours will then be included in the total.