Entrepreneurship In Action™ Award
Terms & Conditions
No purchase necessary to enter or win. Void where prohibited. Valid in the 50 United States, Puerto Rico, and the District of Columbia only. Submission of an entry constitutes acceptance of these official rules. Judges will choose the winning entries, and prizes will be awarded in accordance with these official rules.
Eligibility
Eligible applicants must be:
- Public School Districts
- Middle school and/or high school
- Ability to launch or expand entrepreneurship programming for the 2026–27 school year
- Willingness to be acknowledged and promoted upon receipt of award, including but not limited to interviews, photographs, video recordings, and written features highlighting participation and outcomes
Current Uncharted Learning member districts are not eligible.
How To Enter
Applications must be submitted via the following Form. [Link]. The application window is Feb 9, 2026 - April 6, 2026, 11:59 PM CST. Dates are firm; late or incomplete submissions will not be considered.
The Application may only be submitted by a person who has prior authority to do so on behalf of the school district. Unauthorized submissions are not eligible to participate or receive an Entrepreneurship In Action Award.
Criteria
The Award is designed to recognize and reward those districts that, in the sole judgment of UL, best demonstrate the following:
- A clear commitment to career-connected learning, with evidence of district-level priorities or initiatives that prepare students for postsecondary pathways.
- Readiness to activate entrepreneurship across multiple schools or grade levels, signaling district-wide impact rather than a single-site pilot.
- Strong district leadership alignment and support, including superintendent- or cabinet-level sponsorship and clarity around ownership and decision-making.
- Capacity to launch or expand entrepreneurship programming in the 2026–27 school year, including scheduling, staffing, and implementation readiness.
- An identified local community partner (e.g., Chamber of Commerce, economic development organization, or industry partner) is prepared to support authentic, real-world learning experiences.
- A demonstrated belief in experiential learning and student agency, with evidence of instructional practices or programs that prioritize hands-on learning, ownership, and relevance.
- Demonstrated need and equity considerations, including districts serving higher percentages of students eligible for free and reduced-price meals and/or students historically underrepresented in career-connected learning opportunities.
- Commitment to sustainability, including a goal of a three-year implementation commitment to ensure depth, quality, and long-term student impact beyond the award year.
Evaluators will apply the criteria described above holistically and not all criteria will be weighed equally. Selection decisions are final and binding. While UL values transparency, it is not able to provide individual feedback or explanations regarding application or selection decisions.
UL reserves the right to disqualify any application that is incomplete, inaccurate, submitted after the deadline, or otherwise fails to comply with the requirements of the initiative.
UL also reserves the right to modify, suspend, or cancel the Entrepreneurship In Action Award initiative, in whole or in part, at any time and for any reason, including but not limited to administrative, technical, or legal considerations.
Rights, Permissions & Use
As a condition of receiving an Entrepreneurship in Action Award, any district receiving an award agrees to (a) its public identification as an award recipient and (b) as permitted by law, participation at UL’s cost in any media or promotion activity resulting from the Award as reasonably requested by UL. UL will contact such award recipients in advance of any UL-sponsored media activity.
Prospective award recipients will be notified of their award status on or before April 29th, 2026. Notification will occur via email. The selected applicants must accept or decline the award within 7 days of being notified by UL. Failure to respond within the stated timeframe may result in forfeiture of the award. Applicants who receive and accept an award will be announced publicly.
No transfer, substitution or cash equivalent value for the Award is allowed.