American Dream Ideas Challenge

The University of Utah launches a statewide challenge to help support a thriving middle class

Great news for the middle class of Utah. The U has been selected to take part in an innovative ideas challenge to help ensure a more vibrant middle class in America. The challenge, sponsored by the Alliance for the American Dream, gives the U the opportunity to solicit and develop top policy and technology ideas from throughout the state—ideas that have the potential to boost net income 10 percent for 10,000 middle-class Utah households by 2020.

Here's how the challenge will work. The university, under the direction of project coordinator Courtney McBeth BA'01 MS'05, will solicit ideas through late fall. Ten proposals will then be selected, and each will receive up to $10,000 to further develop its idea. Next, a local advisory board led by President Ruth Watkins will select the three best ideas from that group. Each proposal will be eligible for an additional award of up to $30,000 to help refine the concept.

The U will work with the final three teams by providing access to facilities, connections to resources and faculty, etc., and will then forward those proposals to the alliance, which will provide up to $1 million in additional support to the best ideas that emerge from across the nation.

The innovative ideas challenge marks the launch of the Alliance for the American Dream, an initiative of Schmidt Futures. The alliance’s goal is to increase shared prosperity and American competitiveness by generating and investing in ideas that strengthen the middle class. The ideas challenge at the U is made possible by an initial gift from the alliance of $1.5 million. For more information, click here.

Watch the recap of the press conference launching the challenge below.