Ford Community Resiliency
Student Challenge
This competition is for projects which have begun implementation or already made impact.
Ford Community Resiliency Challenge -
At a Glance
What is it?
An opportunity to compete for thousands in funding for projects that strengthen local communities.
Who is it for?
The competition is open to university students in the UK whose project has started or already made impact.
Why take part?
Make a difference in your community, secure thousands in funding, mentoring and skill development.
When is the application deadline?
Application Deadline: 18 March
Competition Brief
Ford are looking for projects which:
"Present an innovative approach to a community’s vulnerability to disasters, essential services disruptions, and structural inequities.”
The project must involve students in a leadership role, and must involve a community-based organisation as a partner.
This competition is for projects which have begun implementation or already made impact.
What will you do?
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In addition to basic details about the project, you’ll share:
How it address the competition’s brief?
Information about your named community partner.
If selected as a winner, how do you plan to use the grant funding?
If selected as a winner, how will your team promote the project and recognise Ford Philanthropy’s support?
That’s all, folks!
Application Deadline: 18th March
Apply Here
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Winners of the Ford Community Resiliency Student Challenge are announced live, in-person at the NextGen Takeover on 15th April.
Winners will be contacted to complete an MOU upon the completion of which the initial funding will be remitted.
Regardless of your application outcome, you will be contacted via email.
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Winners of this competition will be invited to attend an initial Summer Goals Call with Enactus UK & Ireland before 30th June 2026.
The call will answer the following questions:How has funding been utilised to accelerate the project’s impact? (If you have not yet used the money, what are your current plans for the funding?)
How are you measuring / How do you plan to measure the impact of your project?
What are your actionable next steps to accelerate your project further?
Are there any potential challenges / barriers in your way that is stopping you making impact?
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This is the fun part!Following the Summer Goals Call, you will undertake your next actionable steps and, with the funding from Ford and the support from Enactus, create impact in your community.
Additionally, you will execute media outreach (e.g., press release, web, local television, print, etc.) to promote their project in partnership with Ford Philanthropy.
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Before 30th September 2026, you will have your Impact Review Call with Enactus UK & Ireland.
The remaining funding is remitted after the conclusion of the successful Impact Review Call.
The call will answer the following questions:What progress has been made since the initial funding was remitted?
How has funding been utilised to accelerate the project’s impact?
How are you measuring the impact of your project?
What are your new, actionable next steps to accelerate your project further?
Are there any potential challenges / barriers in your way that is stopping you making further impact?
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The Final Impact Report will be open and shared with you in October 2026, and submitted before the 30th November, 2026.
Competition Journey
before
June
before
Application Deadline
18
April
Winners announced @ NextGen Takeover
15
March
Summer Goals Call with Enactus UK & Ireland
30
September
Impact Review Call with Enactus UK & Ireland
30
Final Impact Report Submission Deadline
30
November
“The funding from Ford has helped us explore a new product range, purchase equipment, materials and to research prototypes. Furthermore, it has also helped us expand our education session further into the Hampshire area by covering travel and material costs.”
Key Judging Criteria
Applications will be judged on the following criteria:
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How does the project improve access to services and/or ensure that communities are able to bounce back from hardship?
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Students need to be involved throughout the process and in all aspects of the project from design to implementation.
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Projects need to work with another organisation in their local community (this can be anything! Examples include schools, charities, local businesses and government agencies).
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Successful applications will be making a difference in an area that matters to the local community.
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Essentially, how is the team measuring and verifying the extent and depth of their interventions.
What’s in it for you?
This competition is your chance to secure significant grant funding to advance your project in a real world setting. You’ll walk away with practical career-relevant competencies, confidence, and standout skills that employers genuinely value. The local communities you support also benefit from your student-led innovations.
FAQs
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This competition is for projects which have begun implementation or already made impact.
The competition is open to university students in the UK. Teams should include a leadership role for students.
The projects submitted must have outcomes and impact between the following dates:
1st December 2025 – 30th November 2026
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Fill out the short application form, where you'll share details about your project.
You can apply using the link HERE.Any issues? Contact sbrown@enactus.org
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The competition is open to university students in the UK whose projects have started or already made impact in addressing the outlined Competition Brief.
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Applications for the Ford Community Resiliency Challenge must be submitted by Wednesday 18th March.
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Each Enactus team may apply for one project. While teams may have many good ideas, please prioritise your needs and submit only one application.
It is recommended that teams select the project that is most clearly and strongly compatible with the purpose and requirements stated in the Compeition Brief. -
Applying teams are required to involve a community-based organisation as a project partner. The community-based organisation cannot be Enactus or an Enactus team (this can be anything - examples include schools, charities, local businesses and government agencies).
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Winning applicants are expected to attend the Summer Goals Call and Impact Review with Enactus UK & Ireland, in June and September respectively.
Teams that receive a grant are required to submit a Final Impact Report in November 2026. The submission link will be provided in late October 2026.
Additionally, successful teams should execute media outreach (e.g., press release, web, local television, print, etc.) to promote their project in partnership with Ford Philanthropy.
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The Winners of the Ford Community Resiliency Challenge will be announced at the ExCel Centre in London on 15th April, 2026, as part of the celebrations at the NextGen Takeover.
