Win $25K For Ideas On Curbing Teen Drinking, Improving Roads, Going 'Green'

The California Department of Transportation, the California Department of Alcoholic Beverage Control and the state Department of General Services are holding “$25K Find a New Way” Innovation Contests to improve government operations. Each department has up to $25,000 to award.

Caltrans Innovation Contest

The Caltrans Contest will award up to $25,000 to the Californian with the best unique idea about how to improve the state’s transportation system. The concept that best addresses the contest criteria within Caltrans’ area of responsibility and has the highest likelihood of being successfully implemented, will be selected as the winning entry and announced by Dec. 31. Entries must be postmarked or submitted online by 5 p.m. Pacific Daylight Time (PDT) on Oct. 13. More details here.

ABC INNOVATIONS CONTEST

The ABC contest will award up to $25,000 to the Californian with the best and most unique idea about how the department can more effectively and efficiently prevent or reduce underage drinking. The total Prize Purse of $25,000 will be used to fund the Awards. Submission deadline is Oct. 13. Winner will be announced Dec. 31. Details on that here.

DGS GREEN GOV CHALLENGE

As the state deals with the effects of environmental change and drought, government is seeking innovative ways to reduce waste in resources and increase sustainable practices. As part of the DGS GREEN GOV Innovation Contest, the Government Operations Agency and the Department of General Services are looking for innovative solutions that will help California improve its sustainable operations and engage with the public. This innovation contest will focus on creating apps, visualizations, and other tools that can help improve government sustainability practices. More on the contest rules and details here.

The contests are the result of Assemblyman Mike Gatto’s Assembly Bill 2138, which was signed into law in September 2014 by Governor Edmund G. Brown Jr. The intent of AB 2138 is to provide an opportunity for everyday Californians to identify areas of improvement within the state government and share their untapped expertise to create solutions.

--Images via Al Francis of NapaSonomaPhotos.com and Patch file photos.