Important Dates

Wednesday, November 15: Case Competition Opens

• Student teams will be able access to a case study to learn more about the event and the problems Workshop Houston. They can also listen to the podcast series about the Workshop Houston.
• Podcast Links:
  • E1. Introduction and Overview to Workshop Houston
  • E2. The Media Shop
  • E3. The Style Shop
  • E4. The Beat Shop
  • E5. The Dance Shop

Friday, January 26: Mentoring and Feedback on Ideas

• Student teams will discuss their solution's progress with staff from the Workshop Houston and mentors.
• Snacks and drinks will be provided.
• Time: 10 a.m. to 12 p.m.
• Room: CBB 328/330

January 29 - February 1: Meet with O’Shea Woodhouse

• Time: 2 -4 p.m.
• Location: Zoom
• Students can ask Program Director O’Shea Woodhouse any questions they have about Workshop Houston and get feedback on their idea.
• Select a time here.

Applications extended until Monday, February 5 at 8 a.m.

• Executive summaries (one page) are due. Only one application per team is needed.
• Check out an example of an executive summary here.

Wednesday, February 7: Finalists Selected

• Finalists will be notified and invited to present their solutions in the final round on Thursday, February 15.

Wednesday, March 6: Final Round, 4 p.m. to 6:30 p.m. at Workshop Houston

• The final presentations will occur on Wednesday, March 6 at 4 p.m. at Workshop Houston where the top 5 to 6 ideas will be invited to present their solutions to Workshop Houston and Impact Competition leadership. The judges will present teams with feedback on their proposals and select winners. Make sure to include a budget proposal of how your team would implement your idea with up to $10,000 in seed money.
• Time: 4 - 6:30 p.m.
• Location: Workshop Houston, 3030 Holman Street, Houston, TX 77004

Competition Format

This case competition consists of 2 rounds. The 1st round is a one-page PDF Executive Summary submission. Submissions will be reviewed by a panel of judges, ranked, and the top teams will advance. 1st Round submissions are due Friday, February 2, 2024.

Prize and Seed Money

The top 3 teams from the final round will receive a financial award to be distributed equally among team members.

• 1st Place: $6,000 in team prize money
• Plus, up to $10,000 to be distributed directly to Workshop Houston
• 2nd Place: $1,000 in team prize money
• 3rd Place: $500 in team prize money

Judging Criteria

Judges will consider the following criteria:

• Did the team provide a unique and innovative solution and approach to solving the problem?
• Did the team demonstrate a thorough understanding of the needs of the community and the non-profit’s role?
• Did the proposed solution address requirements defined/(define) in the case?
• Did the presentation includes a defined and realistic timeline for project implementation
• Did the proposed solution account for the capacity limitations of the non-profit partner?
• Did the team provide a detailed budget that accurately reflects their proposed solution?
• Is the proposed solution a feasible option for the student team to help implement?
• Was the presentation structured with a clear flow of information that effectively presented the solution?
• Was it evident that all team members were adequately knowledgeable on the different facets of the presented solution?
• Does the team provide a replicable or scalable plan/proposal which would allow their idea to be implemented across other chapters of the non-profit or a similar non-profit?

Case Challenge and Structure

Your team must identify an idea/solution that will address one or more of the overarching problems Workshop Houston faces!

How

Create an idea/solution and develop the following to communicate your idea:

• Create a one-page Executive Summary PDF. The Executive Summary should include:
  • An overview of your idea solution
  • An outline of your budget and how you plan to utilize the seed money (up to $10,000)

This case competition consists of 2 rounds. The 1st round is a one-page PDF Executive Summary submission. (Check out an example of an executive summary here). Only one submission per team is needed. Submissions will be reviewed by a panel of judges, ranked, and the top teams will advance. 1st Round submissions are due Monday, February 2 at midnight.

The top teams will be notified via email by Wednesday, February 7 and invited to participate in the final round. The team captain should reply to the email and indicate the team’s acceptance to the final round.

Failure to accept will forfeit the team’s position and another team will be invited to advance. Please note if you do not receive an initial invitation your team may still be selected from a waitlist.

Final Presentation Directions

Teams selected to participate in the final round should

• Prepare a 15-minute presentation proposing your solution using PowerPoint, Canva, or Google Slides. You can use a USB or the internet to pull up your slides. Multiple options are suggested in case of technological issues.
• Be sure to include an implementation timeline. Note, you can suggest up to a yearly timeline but no longer. They can also be shorter!
• Provide a separate, detailed budget document describing your allocation of the $10,000.
• Prepare for Q&A following your presentation.
• Check out an example of slides and a budget here.

Resources

The Impact Competition maintains an overarching goal of inspiring the next generation of students to give back to their community. They are a nonprofit group who works with universities across the nation to help solve problems local nonprofits face. For this year’s event (Spring 2024), the Impact Competition will partner with Workshop Houston. The goal is to provide Workshop Houston with sustainable, impactful ideas that will benefit the stated needs of the organization. Not only will the winning team receive a financial prize for creating an innovative solution, but Workshop Houston will also be given the funds to implement the idea presented.

Learn more about the Impact Competition Foundation on their website: https://impactcompetition.org/

Impact Competition Student Board Members

The Impact Competition is run by Student Board members who help to write up the case study, host the podcasts, organize the event, and market the event on campus.

Ida Hailu
Finance & Management Information Systems
Class of 2026

Winnie Pham
Political Science
Class of 2026

Eshal Warsi
Political Science
Class of 2026