We’re calling on innovators, educators, policymakers, and employers to share ideas to significantly increase wages as part of the $1 Billion Wage Gain Challenge. The goal is to raise the annual wages of 100,000 low- or middle-income US workers by $10,000 by 2021.

We are looking for bold, promising ideas not only in traditional fields focusing on workforce, employment, and wage issues but also from unexpected places. We are tax-code agnostic. Here are some examples:

• Tech entrepreneurs focused on human resources, workforce services, and products
• Researchers and academics
• Entrepreneurial nonprofit groups active in workforce development (training providers and other workforce solutions)
• Entrepreneurial public agencies
• Employers
• Educators and educational institutions
• Industry and employer associations
• Organizations representing workers
• State and local governments
• Local municipalities and collaboratives

Employees of organizations are responsible for ensuring the necessary authorization from their employer for participation in accordance with the rules and regulations relevant to their position.

There is no limit to the number of ideas that may be submitted from an individual or team. Additionally, there is no limit to the number of ideas that may be submitted, collectively, from members of any single organization. Applicants are advised to ensure each submitted idea directly addresses the goals of the Challenge and, if submitting more than one idea, ensure that each one is distinct and can be successfully implemented on its own.

JFFLabs encourages combined submissions and, in some cases, may suggest that applicants who propose complementary, identical, or overlapping ideas merge to form a team in order to advance their idea and remain in the Challenge.

Participants may change an application after it has been submitted, but must do so before the application deadline.