How would you make Long Beach a better place? The Knight Cities Challenge wants to know, and may just give you the funds to make that idea a reality.

The Knight Cities Challenge opened earlier this month and, now for its third year, is calling on any and all innovators to answer the question by submitting their best ideas. Applicants have until Thursday, November 3 to take a crack at the competition.

Candidates can look toward two ideas for inspiration that were created in and for Long Beach and selected from the last challenge’s wide range of submissions. Winners receive a share of the $5 million with funding granted at all levels.

One of those ideas includes Place-make the Vote, which involves the development of a kit for creating pop-up social spaces at voting polls to encourage more voters to exercise their right at historically low voter turnout areas. The kit also provides a venue for a celebratory event afterward.

The Outdoor Office transforms part of a public park into a space that encourages residents to take their work outside, to be creative, collaborative and productive in an outdoor environment.

The national challenge is an initiative of the John S. and James L. Knight Foundation and seeks to make Long Beach and the 25 other communities where Knight invests better places to live and work, according to the announcement.

The two main guidelines for those interested in submitting are:

1. A submission may come from anywhere, but the project must take place in or benefit one or more of 26 Knight communities.
2. The idea should focus on one or more of three key drivers of city success:

• Talent — Ideas that help cities attract and keep talented people.
• Opportunity —Ideas that expand economic prospects by breaking down divides and making new connections.
• Engagement — Ideas that spur connection and civic involvement.

The challenge is open to anyone from anywhere: neighbors, architects, activists, artists, city planners, entrepreneurs, students, educators, city officials, as well as governments and organizations are welcome to apply. Finalists will be announced in early 2017.

For more information and to apply, visit the Knight Cities website here. The challenge closes on Thursday, November 3, 2016 at noon.

If you have any questions about the challenge, organizers will be hosting virtual office hours, as well as in-person events. You can view the entire schedule here. The upcoming in-person event in Long Beach will be held on Friday, October 21 from noon to 2:00PM at the Long Beach Museum of Art (LBMA).

 LBMA is located at 2300 East Ocean Boulevard.

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