APPLYING TO THE BUCKMINSTER FULLER CHALLENGE

Thank you for your interest in applying to the Buckminster Fuller Challenge.
Each year, The Buckminster Fuller Institute invites scientists, students, designers, architects,
activists, entrepreneurs, artists and planners from all over the world to submit their innovative
solutions to some of humanitys most pressing problems. A $100,000 prize is awarded to support the
development and implementation of one outstanding strategy.
Before you apply, we recommend looking through the criteria for the Challenge at bfi.org/challenge/
about/criteria, reviewing previous winners at bfi.org/challenge/winners, and reading through our
Design Science Primer at bfi.org/design-science/primer.
Please be aware that while this PDF form can be used to prepare your answers ahead of time, only
applications received through the online form at bfi.org/challenge/apply will be considered for the
Challenge. The deadline for applications, including payment of the processing fee, is April 11, 2014, so
please make sure to submit your application well ahead of time.
Any questions about the Challenge or the application may be directed to challenge@bfi.org.

1. APPLICANT INFO
FIRST NAME

LAST NAME

EMAIL ADDRESS

2. PROJECT INFO
PROJECT LEAD(S)
If selected for the 2014 award, what name(s) will be listed as the recipient(s) of the award?
Same as applicant above
Other:
ORGANIZATION OR COMPANY
If none, please enter name of Project Lead(s) here.

PROJECT NAME
If different from Organization or Company name.

WEBSITE ADDRESS

PRIMARY LOCATION
Street
Additional
City
State/Province

Postal Code

Country
OTHER LOCATIONS
In what additional countries or locations do you operate?

PREVIOUS APPLICATIONS
Have you applied to the Challenge before?
No
Yes

IF SO, WHAT YEAR(S)?

2008
2009
2010
2011
2012
2013

3. APPLICATION QUESTIONS
WHAT IS YOUR SOLUTION OR STRATEGY?
Provide a 50-word summary of your initiative.

WHAT IS THE CONTEXT?

Describe the critical need(s) or specific systemic problem(s) your initiative seeks to address on the local and/or global
levels. 200 words

WHAT/WHERE/HOW?
Provide a detailed explanation of your initiative. What is it? Where is it based? How does it work? 200 words

3. APPLICATION QUESTIONS (CONT.)

IMPACT
Who or what is impacted directly and indirectly by your initiative? Explain in detail how you measure and calculate impact.
200 words

LONG-TERM EFFECT
What long-term systemic effects do you anticipate when your initiative is fully implemented? 200 words

3. APPLICATION QUESTIONS (CONT.)

HISTORY AND VISION
What inspired your solution and how has the initiative evolved from inception to its current stage of development?
How does your initiative creatively and comprehensively integrate the key social, cultural, economic, ecological, and
technological factors required to transform business as usual in your chosen area of impact? 200 words

PLANNING AND OPERATIONS

Outline your implementation plan. What operational milestones do you intend to achieve in the next one to three years?
What are the biggest risk factors or potential barriers facing the development and deployment of your initiative and how
do you plan to mitigate them? How has your initiative been funded to date and how do you plan to ensure its financial
viability? 200 words

3. APPLICATION QUESTIONS (CONT.)

COMPARE AND CONTRAST
Compare and contrast your initiative with at least two other current projects or groups working to address the same
critical need. Why is your proposal more likely to effect change and make a distinguishing impact compared to similar
efforts? 200 words

THE TEAM
Provide details regarding your current team and any plans to expand it in the future. You may include details about organizational/institutional partners committed to the success of your initiative and describe your team members experience
and qualifications as they relate to their ability to implement your initiative. If applicable, include information about any
significant external validation, support, or funding your initiative has received to date. 200 words

HOW MANY PEOPLE ARE EMPLOYED DIRECTLY BY YOUR INITIATIVE?

Please distinguish between part time and full time.

VOLUNTEERS
How many people volunteer their time on your initiative?

OPERATING BUDGET
What is your annual operating budget?

4. SUPPORTING MATERIALS
DOCUMENTS
Attach materials (listed by title, date, and source) as PDFs or URLs that directly support
your application and/or independently corroborate your claims. For example: any research, press, publications, or business. You may provide up to three links or documents.
IMAGES
Provide up to three images to illustrate your application images of your team, your work
in the field, your product or service in action, illustrations/drawings/sketches/maps, etc.
Images must be larger than 700x350 pixels and no larger than 10 MB.
VIDEO
Submit a video up to two-minutes long to help communicate your solution. You will need
to upload your video to YouTube or Vimeo before you can copy and paste the URL into this
application.

5. EXIT QUESTIONS
DOCUMENTS
Through our Catalyst Program, BFI provides additional support to our semi-finalists and
finalists through relationships with our sponsors, partners and networks. Catalyst Program benefits are not guaranteed. They may include: international press coverage, mentorship opportunities, introductions to investors and potential donors and others. Select
below specific opportunities in which you are interested should you qualify:
N/A
Pro-bono legal services via Thomson Reuters Foundation
Fiscal sponsorship by BFI
Invitations to present at conferences and exhibitions
Nomination to a mentorship program for early-career entrepreneurs via
The Unreasonable Institute
Feedback on your application from BFI Review Team
Public presentation of your project in BFIs online Idea Index, Trimtab
newsletter and web platforms
Other in-kind services and expertise

5. EXIT QUESTIONS (CONT.)

We want to know how you heard about Buckminster Fuller and The Buckminster Fuller Institute. If applicable, please
share here any personal narrative about your first encounter with Buckminster Fullers work and the impact it has had on
your chosen area of work.

We aim to create a rigorous application process for entry to the Fuller Challenge in which applicants grapple deeply
with our unique set of criteria. We ask you to measure your impact and we would like to measure ours. Please share any
comments on the application process itself.

6. APPLICATION FEE
Your application will not be complete until your payment has cleared. There is a $100
processing fee for entry. Enrolled students and registered 501c3 non-profit or international
NGO organizations with an annual operating budget under $100,000 may pay a discounted
processing fee of $50. Any abuse of the discounted rate will result in disqualification.
$100 processing fee
$50 scholarship fee

TERMS AND CONDITIONS

Please read this document carefully and maintain a copy for your records.
The goals of the Fuller Challenge are to recognize and support the ongoing development and implementation of winning solutions that meet the criteria
of the Fuller Challenge. The Buckminster Fuller Institute (BFI) enables innovative ideas for solving the worlds problems to receive recognition by
providing an opportunity for selected participants to publish their solutions via the websites, print publications, outreach materials, and through public
presentations, educational programs, etc. produced by BFI.
BFI does not seek any ownership interests in your ideas or inventions. You retain all interests in your intellectual property and BFI strongly encourages
all participants to begin the intellectual property protection process as soon as possible.
The Fuller Challenge Application includes Terms and Conditions to help enable BFI to achieve the aforementioned goals while limiting its exposure to
certain liabilities, which may arise when conducting the Challenge Program.
The undersigned applicant or team of applicants (Submitter), hereby submits to the Buckminster Fuller Institute together with its donors, sponsors,
review team members, jurors, subsidiaries, affiliates, shareholders, directors, officers, and employees (collectively BFI) the Fuller Challenge
Application and supplemental materials, if any, (collectively the Material) for the purpose of BFI reading and evaluating the Material with a view to
deciding whether or not to award a $100,000 cash prize to the Submitter.
Submitter has been advised that BFI will only proceed with such evaluation subject to Submitter agreeing to and accepting the following Terms and
Conditions:
1. Submitter acknowledges that BFI receives numerous submissions of inventions, ideas, stories, projects, suggestions, business plans, business
strategies, proposed investments, and the like and that many such submissions received by BFI, including possibly the Material, are similar to or
identical to those considered by BFI in the past or generated independently by BFI. Submitter agrees that Submitter is not entitled to any compensation
because of the use by BFI of any such similar or identical material.
2. Submitter acknowledges that no fiduciary or confidential relationship exists between BFI and Submitter, and that no such relationships are
established by reason of Submitter accepting these Terms and Conditions and any the subsequent evaluation or use of the Material by BFI.
3. Submitter acknowledges that, in connection with BFIs evaluation of the Material, BFI may discuss the Material with its employees and affiliated
persons, the review team for the Fuller Challenge and their employees and affiliates, and possibly with others.
4. Submitter represents and warrants that Submitter or his/her team is the sole owner of all right, title, and interest in and to the Material and that
Submitter has the exclusive, unconditional right, permission and authority to submit on behalf of him/herself or on behalf of the Team the Material to
BFI upon the Terms and Conditions set forth herein. Nothing contained herein shall be deemed to limit or waive BFIs rights generally at law to contest
ownership by Submitter or others of any patent, copyright, trademark, or other intellectual property rights in the Material.
5. Submitter indemnifies BFI, its donors, employees, review team members and affiliated persons and their employees and affiliates (the released
parties) from and against any and all claims, expenses, losses or liabilities (including, without limitation, reasonable attorneys fees and expenses)
arising from any breach of the warranties and undertakings given by Submitter hereunder. Submitter warrants and agrees that in no event shall
Submitter assert against the Released Parties any claim or action based on plagiarism, idea theft, infringement, confidential relationship, implied
contract, unfair competition or any other theory arising out of the Released Parties examination of the Material or any other alleged use by the Released
Parties of the Material.
6. BFI may without any obligation or payment to Submitter use any of the Material which is in the public domain, commonly known or available, or
otherwise not new or unique.
7. Submitter hereby authorizes BFI the right to publish any of the Material as well as Submitters name, likeness and biographical information on its
website and in all other media now known or hereafter devised throughout the universe in perpetuity without compensation to Submitter. Submitter
acknowledges that such publication will make the Material accessible to a wide audience and that such disclosure may adversely affect Submitters
interests in the Material, including the ability to prevent against theft of the Material, and the protection of the Material through the acquisition of U.S.
and foreign intellectual property rights, such as patents, trademarks and/or copyrights.
8. Submitter acknowledges that BFI reserves the right to request a project financial statement, conduct additional due diligence, request letters of
reference from the references provided by Submitter in the Application, and to contact those references. Submitter agrees to promptly comply with such
requests and failure to do so may result in disqualification.
9. Acceptance and performance of the Terms and Conditions herein shall be governed by the laws of the state of New York applicable to agreements
wholly executed and performed therein.
10. The Terms and Conditions herein state the entire understanding of the parties with reference to the subject matter hereof. Any modification or
waiver of any of the provisions of these Terms and Conditions must be in writing and accepted by both parties. I represent that I have read, understood,
voluntarily accepted and agreed to abide by the Terms and Conditions herein and the eligibility and application requirements for the Fuller Challenge.
I will answer the questions in the Application truthfully, accurately and completely. I deem it to be in my best interest to accept these Terms and
Conditions, and acknowledge that by doing so I may be giving up certain legal rights I may have against BFI. I acknowledge that I am solely responsible
for, and have had ample opportunity to, seek my own legal counsel and other advisors to ensure that my rights and obligations are protected and
discharged.