The Next Challenge for Media & Journalism (“Next Challenge”) is a competition managed by American Public Media Group (“APMG”) that is intended to incentivize media innovation, increase media startup activity, and invest in a diverse group of visionary media founders.
Donor Name: American Public Media Group
State: All States
County: All Counties
U.S. Territories: Guam, Commonwealth of Puerto Rico, U.S. Virgin Islands, Commonwealth of the Northern Mariana Islands, American Samoa
Type of Grant: Challenge
Deadline: 02/17/2023
Size of the Grant: Up to $20,000
Details:
Next Challenge for Media & Journalism is a national startup competition seeking groundbreaking for-profit and nonprofit startups that will reinvent media in the coming decade.
There are three 2023 Next Challenge Divisions: the Future of News Division, Top Creator Division, and Power Platform Division. There will be one or more awards given in each of these Divisions and these awards are referred to collectively as the “Division Awards.” These Division Awards are accompanied with a cash grant. There will also be one or more Grand Prize winners selected from among the Division Award winners and additional cash awards given to Division Finalists.
Eligible Industry Focus/Divisions
Entrants must be focused in one of the following Divisions, defined below:
- Future of News Division: a startup pioneering new ways to report the news and provide communities with fact-based insight, analysis, and information.
- Top Creator Division: a creator-founded startup producing high-quality news, cultural, or educational content primarily for social media.
- Power Platform Division: a technology startup developing powerful ways for media content to be shared across the country and around the globe.
Funding Information
Startups can apply in one (and only one) of three divisions:
- Future of News Division – Up to $20,000 awarded to a startup pioneering new ways to report the news and provide communities with fact-based insight, analysis, and information.
- Top Creator Division – Up to $20,000 awarded to a creator-founded startup producing high-quality news, cultural, or educational content primarily for social media.
- Power Platform Division – Up to $20,000 awarded to a technology startup developing powerful ways for media content to be shared across the country and around the globe.
An additional Grand Prize Award of up to $30,000 will be given to a Division Winner selected by the Grand Prize Jury.
Additional awards will be given to outstanding division finalists:
- Audience Choice Award – Up to $10,000 awarded to the most compelling finalist as voted on by the public.
- Vision Award – Up to $10,000 awarded to a finalist with a bold vision to reinvent media over the coming decade.
- Community Service Award – Up to $10,000 awarded to a finalist demonstrating a powerful impact on the community it serves.
- Future Tech Award – Up to $10,000 awarded to a finalist using emerging technology to advance media in the public interest.
Eligibility Criteria
- Legally incorporated for-profit and non-profit media startups based in the United States of America and U.S. Territories. A venture is considered U.S.-based if it is legally incorporated in the U.S. and if the majority of employees and/or contractors live in the United States.
- Ventures that have earned less than US$1,000,000 (gross revenue including philanthropic support) in the twelve months ending December 31, 2022. This does not include investment dollars.
- Ventures that have made progress against their concept (e.g., a working prototype, minimum viable product.)
Previous Next Challenge Division Award winners and companies where APMG has an ownership stake are not eligible to apply.
Additional Eligibility Criteria
- Only applicants that have made progress against their concept (e.g., a working prototype, minimum viable product), as of the date of Entry; and generated less than one million US dollars ($1,000,000 USD) in gross revenue, including philanthropic support, in the twelve months prior to December 31, 2022 will be accepted. For the sake of clarity, there is no limit to the amount of dilutive (equity or equity-like) and/or debt financing the venture has raised.
- Companies that have previously won a cash award from the Next Challenge are ineligible to apply. Companies where APMG has a current ownership stake are ineligible to apply.
- APMG is classified for federal tax purposes as a publicly supported charity that is subject to restrictions on certain activities. In addition, APMG operates and maintains the Next Challenge in part with grant funding that is subject to certain restrictions on the use of grant funds. Consequently, except as specifically provided in these Rules, Entrants may not use awards to conduct any activities defined for federal tax purposes to constitute lobbying, candidate campaign intervention, or a voter registration drive.
For more information, visit Next Challenge.
