Resources // FAQ // Entry Criteria // Why They Won // Reference Documents // Glossary // Related Links

GREETINGS AND CONGRATULATIONS!

You've decided to enter the Buckminster Fuller Challenge because you have a strong driven ethic to make the world work for 100% of humanity and are applying sound whole systems design in your approach, or as Bucky termed it Comprehensive Anticipatory Design Science (CADS). Now it's time to promote your project and connect with like-minded people.

We encourage you to leverage the selection process to your advantage. Below are tips and tools you can use to help promote your accomplishment— from the beginning stages of entering the Challenge to becoming the Winner and beyond. Whether you're trying to raise funds or build partnerships to expand your idea, use this time to take your project to the next level.

TIPS + TOOLS

**If you have a suggestion for our community please share your idea by emailing us at: challenge@bfi.org

Communicate with your Network

There are several opportunities throughout the selection process to to communicate with your network(s). Have a look.

I/We have taken on the Bucky Challenge
Let people know you're entering the Buckminster Fuller Challenge and why. This allows you to explain your work in connection to whole system design and perhaps why it's so important to the success of your project. Add a site bug to your website or blog to acknowledge your approach.

Sample Press Release
Site Bugs, Banners + Email Signature Tags

**please include us in your communications by adding us to your mailing list: challenge@bfi.org

I'm a Semi-Finalist
Less than 15% of the entries become Semi-Finalists. Because of our unique and rigorous selection process this is a significant threshold to pass. Celebrate your accomplishment with your community by sending a special email to your network of colleagues, donors, investors, friends, family and customers about your new status. Add a tag designating you a Buckminster Fuller Challenge Semi-Finalists to your website, blog and any collateral material. Then share the press release with your industry news producers and bloggers.

Sample Press Release
Site Bugs, Banners + Email Signature Tags

**please include us in your communications by adding us to your mailing list: challenge@bfi.org

I'm a Finalist
Only 3% of the entries make it to the finalists stage. The jury has closely reviewed and weighed the merits of up to 30 Semi-finalists. This comparative analysis is no easy task and yours stood out. Toot your horn! It's an amazing accomplishment. Celebrate with your community by sending a special email to your network of colleagues, donors, investors, friends, family and customers about your new status. Add a tag advertising the much deserved accolade of being a Buckminster Fuller Challenge Finalists to your website, blog and any collateral material. Then share the press release with your industry news producers and bloggers.


Sample Press Release
Site Bugs, Banners + Email Signature Tags

**please include us in your communications by adding us to your mailing list: challenge@bfi.org

Social Networks

Broadcast your status by updating your Blog, Tumblr, Facebook, MySpace, Linkedin, Xing, Google Buzz or Wikipedia pages. Tweet throughout the process to give your followers a first account of your experience. Don't have an account? Set one up here: http://twitter.com/

Post updates about your project to our Challenge and Organization Facebook pages and if you don't already have one, start a group or page for your project.

Blogs

Let your favorite bloggers know the good news. Reach out to your industry news providers to make sure they mention the status and latest developments about your project. A sample press release can be downloaded to streamline your efforts.

Start your own blog about the nature of your work and how the Challenge criteria and CADS plays a role in it. If that's too much, keep it simple by just chronicling your experience.


Site Bugs, Banners + Email Signature Tags

Advertise

Take out an ad in a local or national newspaper or magazine, or add a Challenge award logo to materials that you already have developed for your collateral.

Site Bugs, Banners + Email Signature Tags

Expand Your Bio

Adding this honor to your company, nonprofit, collaborative or personal bio will show potential partners and donors that your work is award-winning.

Site Bugs, Banners + Email Signature Tags

Throw A Party

Invite your partners, potential donors and investors, co-workers or team members, family and friends to a party and celebrate your accomplishment! This is a great way to honor your team and communicate your ongoing efforts. It can also help build momentum for your next phase of development.
Be sure to take pictures and share them with our community on Facebook. We all want to partake in your celebration!

Sample Press Releases

Download the appropriate sample press release to help create buzz in the media, your industry and among your community of supporters. These can also be altered for an email blast.

I/We have taken on the Bucky Challenge
I'm a Buckminster Fuller Challenge Semi-finalists
I'm a Buckminster Fuller Challenge Finalists
I'm a Buckminster Fuller Challenge Honorable Mention
I'm the Runner-up to the Buckminster Fuller Challenge
I Won the Buckminster Fuller Challenge

Site Bugs, Banners + Email Signature Tags

Let people know that you are using whole systems design to make the world work for 100% of humanity, download the appropriate tag now. To download image, click the desired link. When the image appears, right click on it and select 'save image as'.

Challenge Logo Site Bug [web] [print]
Challenge Logo Banner [web 1] [web 2] [print]

Challenge entry: site bugs [web] [print]
Challenge Semi-Finalists: site bugs email tag[web] [print]
Challenge Finalists: site bugs email tag[web] [print]
Challenge Honorable Mention: site bugs email tag[web] [print]
Challenge Runner-up: site bugs email tag[web] [print]
Challenge Winner: site bugs email tag [web] [print]

note: Inappropriate use will disqualify your application.

Kickstarter

Consider posting your project to Kickstarter to get the next phase of development funded. Kickstarter is a new way to fund creative ideas and ambitious endeavors via the internet. If you are or become a Semi-Finalists, Finalists, Honorable Mention, Runner-up or Winner, contact us about using our logo to give your project the edge needed to break away from the pack and increase funding.

Crowdrise

Consider gaining support for your project through Crowdrise. It uses a unique blend of crowdsourcing, social networking, incentives and other nice stuff to help initiatives like yours.

Indiegogo

IndieGoGo helps you raise more money, from more people, faster. You can create a funding campaign to raise money quickly and securely by tapping into your network of supporters and beyond. This trusted platform has helped to raise millions of dollars for over 15,000 campaigns, across 161 countries.

Designed to meet your funding needs, anyone can start raising money immediately on IndieGoGo. Offer unique perks or tax deductions to your contributors in lieu of offering profit, but always keep 100% ownership. Each campaign has the opportunity to be featured on our homepage, placed in the press, or exposed via social media.

Buzzbnk

Buzzbnk is an online marketplace that connects social ventures from all walks of life with backers, supporters and fans. Through Buzzbnk, social ventures can get the support and funds they need to make bright ideas a reality. Buzzbnk backers support the initiatives they like by pledging money, time or both and carry the message to their own social networks and communities. In short, it’s crowdfunding for social ventures, and our philosophy is that together, we can make great things happen.

So what is crowdfunding? Click here.

BIDnetwork

Consider submitting your project to BID Network. BiD Network engages thousands of entrepreneurs, experts and investors from all over the world to stimulate entrepreneurship and economic growth in emerging markets.

Events

Now that you've joined the community help us accelerate and develop the practice of Comprehensive Anticipatory Design Science. Every year we gather like-minded individuals to share their projects and exchange ideas in various settings. Below are the current opportunities to participate.


Zero1 Festival
Long Now Foundation
Architecting the Future at Bioneers
upcoming: TEDxBrooklyn, November 13th, 2010

Ceremony

Plan to attend The Buckminster Fuller conferring ceremony events the first week of June and invite your network.

Idea Index

Become part of a community of whole-systems design thinkers and doers by participating in the Idea Index.

1. When filling out your application elect to have your entry published publicly. We can coordinate removing any proprietary items prior to publishing which happens after the review process.
2. Read other entries, comment on and exchange ideas.