Local Entrepreneurship Competition Timeline

This list is an example of the kinds of things your community team may want to consider as you plan a local entrepreneurship competition. It was created with input from several E-Communities but should be adapted as desired to fit your needs and timeline.

16+ weeks before

Decide who will be involved in the planning process & identify community partnership
Determine if the community wants to host a local entrepreneurship competition, set budget, & determine how to fund the competition
Meet with school superintendent, and/or teachers and others
Determine location, time frame, format, eligibility, and begin discussing logistics
Determine if/how education will be a part of the process for students

12-16 weeks before

Resource partner(s) and/or local entrepreneur(s) speak at school or business class
School assembly to announce
Contact previous year’s winners for progress report, assess interest
Contact appropriate mentors and/or school administrators
Create sponsorship letter

8-12 weeks before

Create promotional fliers
Distribute fliers and applications to school / mentors / administrative office / etc.
Identify a keynote speaker for event, if desired
Mail or e-mail invitations to businesses, resource partners, community members
Approach potential sponsors

4-8 weeks before

Find judges for event(s)
Create or update judge instructions
Create press release and send to local media
Promote the event on social media channels
Volunteer in the classroom & connect students with mentors
Ensure event is published in VentureDash & invite students

0-4 weeks before

Submit advertisement and/or article to newspaper
Request State Championship information from NetWork Kansas
Follow-up on invitations / attendance
Executive Summaries due
Organize entrepreneurs and plan schedule for the day
Send follow-up information to speaker with itinerary
Mail copies of Executive Summary to judges in advance, if desired
Provide instructions to judges in advance, if desired
Print certificates
Create and print any necessary paper items for the competition – table tents, signs, etc.
Post fliers around community
Contact school or venue about itinerary
Order speaker’s and judges’ thank you gifts, if desired
Arrange refreshments
Host the competition!

0-2 weeks’ after

Feedback to participants
Process checks for winners, if desired
Article for newsletters, newspaper, etc.
Hand-written thank you cards to judges, speaker, school board, mentors, etc.

State Championship April 20-21, 2027 in Manhattan, Kansas