The BREAD Ideas Challenge is an opportunity for researchers in the agricultural sciences to bring attention to what they believe are the most pressing issues facing smallholder farmers in the developing world today. Not only will the prizewinning Challenge Ideas be showcased for the international community to draw attention to these important challenges: Prizewinners will also receive up to $10,000 USD each for the best ideas!

ELIGIBILITY CRITERIA

Participants and their entries must meet the stated criteria; submissions that fail to meet both participant and entry eligibility requirements will be rejected without further consideration or notification.

COMPETITION RULES

• Contest entry constitutes agreement to adhere to the rules and stipulations set forth by the contest sponsors.
• Any entrant or entry found to be in violation of any rule will be disqualified.
• Any entrant may submit multiple entries, but only one entrant may be associated with each entry.
• By entering the contest, an entrant agrees that the entry is his or her own original creative work and does not violate or infringe the creative work of others, as protected under U.S. law.
• NSF bears no responsibility for intellectual property or any proprietary information posted to this site. Users are advised to consider whether they may wish to copyright or patent any information before they post it to this site.
• NSF Program Officers and Staff retain the right to edit entries for clarity, and grammar without further notice to entrants.
• By entering the contest the entrant agrees to hold NSF and the Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation harmless for all legal and administrative claims and any associated expenses that may arise from any claims related to his or her submission or its use.
• Entrants retain all copyright and equivalent rights but give NSF and the Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation nonexclusive rights to use their names, likenesses, quotes and submissions for educational publicity and/or promotional purposes. This includes but is not limited to website display, print materials and exhibits.
• NSF and the Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation reserve the right to use all participants’ names and entries for educational publicity and/or promotional purposes, including the exhibition of winning entries on its website and elsewhere. It is understood that entries will be shared with reporters covering these awards and for promotion of the contest itself.
• Winners are responsible for all taxes or other fees connected with the prize received and/or travel paid for by the sponsoring organizations.
• NSF and the Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation will not respond to any claims or inquiries regarding contest results.
• Information requested on the entry form is necessary to contact entrants. They will also be used to determine how and if the contest is meeting its goals, purposes and audience.
• Judges, employees, contractors, and officers of the sponsoring organizations are not eligible to enter the contest.
• The sponsoring organizations reserve the right to modify or cancel the contest prior to announcing winners.
• All contestants agree that they, their heirs and estates shall hold harmless the United States, the employees of the federal government, and all employees of the Bill and Melinda Gates Foundation for any and all injuries and/or claims arising from participation in this contest, to include that which may occur while traveling to or participating in contest activities.
• All points not outlined in the entry rules are at the final discretion of NSF program staff.

ENTRANT ELIGIBILITY

• A single participant ("Entrant") is permitted on each entry.
• An entrant must be 18 years or older and be a graduate student, postdoctoral associate or faculty member employed at an eligible institution (e.g., a university, college, or non-profit research organization, including museums, research laboratories, professional societies, and similar organizations that are directly associated with educational or research activities) in the U.S. or internationally. Entries from other individuals and/or at other organizations will not be accepted.
• The entrant must not be an employee of or detailee to the National Science Foundation or the Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation.
• An entrant must not be an employee of the U.S. Federal Government. However, scientists who work at a National Laboratory or a (non-NSF) U.S. Federal Agency may submit a Challenge through their adjunct positions at an eligible institution.
• Final entrant eligibility is at the discretion of the National Science Foundation.

*Information about the prizewinning challenges and the prizewinners will be posted at http://www.nsf.gov/BREADIdeas/.