This challenge is about designing communities that lead on clean energy innovation. As Minnesota experiences warmer winters, intensified rain events, and more frequent droughts, this challenge invites teams to explore locally rooted transitions to clean energy in ways that benefit all community members.

This challenge is about imagining how to make schools magnetic fields for learning. The COVID-19 pandemic catalyzed a surge in chronic absenteeism and low school attendance that has become a stubborn source of learning loss — especially for low-income students of color. This challenge invites teams to propose creative strategies that mitigate obstacles and/or incentivize school attendance.

This challenge is about building a local media ecosystem that powers connection between people and civic life. Minnesota’s increasingly fragmented media landscape erodes shared understanding and weakens the links between people and their communities. This challenge invites teams to propose media initiatives that bridge civic divides.