(Note: If you are interested in participating in the competition but are not a current Youth Venturer, please click here to learn about how you can launch your own Youth Venture: www.changemakers.net/journal/thatwaseasy/launchventure.cfm.)

Assessment Criteria: The winners of the "That Was Easy" National Competition will be those entries that best meet the following criteria:

• Innovation: The Venture introduces creative elements or methods to positively impact the community. For example, the Venture might use a new approach to tackle a challenge, might employ creative methods to raise awareness of a problem, or might use innovative strategies to raise funds or engage volunteers.
• Impact: The Venture addresses a major challenge or need that people face and has the potential to benefit a significant number of people. Because some Ventures have been in existence longer than others, two aspects of Impact will be judged:
  1. Achieved Impact: The impact the Venture has already had since it was launched.
  2. Impact Growth: The demonstrated ability of the Venture to achieve impact and grow given the amount of time since launch, and the demonstrated potential for future growth. (This is different from Achieved Impact because it takes into consideration how long the Venture has been in existence so that newly-launched Ventures can be strong competitors based on early progress, strong plans and potential).
     Both aspects of impact will be measured in two ways:
     1. Direct Impact: The number of people/animals/trees/etc. that have directly benefited from the Venture program and the way in which they have benefited.
     2. Engagement: The number of community members that the Venture has engaged as team members, volunteers, mentors, donors, etc.
• Budget: The Venture has used the original Youth Venture seed grant effectively to support the program and, where appropriate, bring in additional funds. The Venture has maintained a balanced budget, has a strong financial plan, and has a solid strategy for bringing in needed funds in the future.
• Strategy/Vision: The Venture has a promising (realistic but ambitious) plan for both implementing the original program and expanding it to create a larger impact on the community. The Venture demonstrates a long-term vision for how the team members and the program will further the movement of youth social entrepreneurship.
• Sustainability: The Venture has demonstrated a successful approach to creating ongoing positive impact in the community. The Venture has demonstrated or has a well-organized plan for transitioning leadership, recruiting team members or volunteers, and sustaining community and partner engagement.

On April 27, the Grand Prize Venture Team will be announced at the special award event for finalists at Staples Headquarters.

Prizes and Opportunities

Two members from each of the five "That Was Easy" finalist teams will receive a $1000 grant to support their Venture and will be flown to the Staples headquarters in Framingham, Massachusetts, for a celebration of their work and an opportunity to develop their strategies with the help of the Staples team. The Grand Prize Venture Team will also win a $5,000 Staples shopping spree!