Skip to main content
Your ideas. Your Idaho.

2026 Social Impact Challenge

Open to all majors, the Social Impact Challenge is a hands-on, cross-campus experience and pitch competition where students use design thinking and work with assigned mentors to tackle real issues facing Idaho communities. Brought to you by the School of Public Service, Venture College and Idaho Partners for Good.

  • Join for the Pitch Competition Only or Earn Optional Course Credit
    SPS 297/497 is a 7-week design thinking experience (1-3 credits).
  • Build your resume while making a difference
    Gain experience by working alongside local partners and mentors.
  • Win up to $3k in cash prizes
  • Open to students of all disciplines!
Apply Today!

Theme: Neighbor to Neighbor – Here to Solve.

Focus Areas

For Fall 2026, School of Public Service is teaming up with Idaho Partners for Good (IP4G) again to frame pitch ideas. IP4G is a Boise-based nonprofit organization focused on strengthening Idaho’s nonprofit sector. They provide financial support, skilled consultants, and training opportunities to help nonprofits enhance their organizational effectiveness.

Idaho Partners for Good logo

Project Requirements

Student projects must address Barriers to Access in at least one of the following issue areas:

  • Housing: Affordability, transportation, volume, navigation
  • Food: Food deserts, education, cost, cutbacks
  • Healthcare: Insured loopholes (ALIC) providers, funding cuts
  • Mental Health: Stigma, cost, lack of providers, funding cuts
  • Childcare: Cost, fewer providers, staff pay, licensing, funding cutbacks, training

Student projects must align with one or more of the following Idaho Partners for Good pillars:

  • Data and Storytelling: Using data, lived experience, and narrative to understand challenges and communicate impact.
  • Cross-Sector Collaboration: Engaging government, nonprofit, business, and community actors.
  • Mobilizing Idahoans: Designing strategies that activate individuals, volunteers, or grassroots action.
  • Strategic Partnerships: Building sustainable, aligned partnerships that strengthen long-term impact.

Optional Course Credit

SPS 297/497 is a 7-week design thinking experience (1-3 credits).

Weeks 1 + 2

Orientation, pick project, meet with Mentor, Pitch deck introduction
Section 1: Unpacking the Challenge Statement
Section 2: Design thinking generating ways to address the challenge

Weeks 3 + 4

Section 3: Community impact/partners – Collective Impact – interviews, customer discovery
Section 4: Financial Viability and funding

Weeks 5 + 6

Schedule a 1:1 meeting with a different coach during the week or attend a pitch deck workshop. Final run-through of pitch and feedback from Venture College and SPS

Week 7

Pitch your solution to judges and compete to win up to $3,000!

Social Impact Challenge by the Numbers

SPS 297/497 is a 7-week design thinking experience (1-3 credits).

13

community partners engaged

16

ideas pitched

$3k

earned in prizes

2025 Challenge

Innovate for Good

For Fall 2025, School of Public Service is teaming up with Idaho Partners for Good (IP4G) to develop challenge statements and identify community partners. IP4G is a Boise-based nonprofit organization focused on strengthening Idaho’s nonprofit sector. They provide financial support, skilled consultants, and training opportunities to help nonprofits enhance their organizational effectiveness.

IP4G logo

2024 Challenge

Housing for All

In 2024, the Impact Challenge addressed “Housing for All.” Lack of housing affects community well-being and economic health in a multitude of ways. Participants worked closely with faculty mentors to research, analyze, and ideate solutions to a number of housing issues facing the Treasure Valley.

2023 Challenge

Transportation for All

In 2024, the Impact Challenge addressed “Transportation for All.” How we move to and from a destination can easily be taken for granted and sometimes be a barrier to our ability to thrive. Challenge participants thought through solutions to address transportation barriers.

Ready to solve real issues and make real impact?

SPS 297/497 is a 7-week design thinking experience (1-3 credits).To participate as a student: complete our registration form.

To submit a challenge statement as a community partner email: sps-ecl@boisestate.edu.

Special thanks to Boise State’s Venture College, Student Philanthropy Board and the Office of Community Engagement!