5×5 FAQs
Have a question? We’ve got answers below from how often you can vote to what makes a good submission. Have you skimmed the FAQs and didn’t see what you’re looking for? Help us out. Email your question to 5x5help@startgarden.com
On Winning
How do I win $5,000?
The top five ideas, based on votes and the host committee’s decision, will present at the next 5×5 Night one week later. Once you present, the judges at the event will decide which creator will get the money.
The $5,000 award is solely decided by the judges.
Does an idea that wins the vote win money?
No, the ideas that win the vote are the ones that present at the next 5×5 Night. That is all. The $5,000 grant is decided solely by the judges once all of the presentations are heard.
Can the $5,000 be a donation to a non-profit organization?
Not really. 5×5 Night was created for for-profit ideas only. Judges want each presenter to use the $5,000 to move his or her idea forward, even if it’s a small move. If it appears the grant will be donated to the general fund of a non-profit, that presenter will not be chosen as a winner.
On Judging
What are the judges looking for?
Judges are looking for somebody with a really smart idea and a strategic next step that idea can take with a little money. Usually, they’ll gravitate toward ideas that have capacity to grow.
How are the judges chosen?
Judges are selected by event hosts from a diverse group of community stakeholders.
On Submitting an idea
Do I have to win the online vote in order to present my idea?
No. The host for the individual event forms a committee to make the final selection on which five ideas will present. The vote tally is strongly considered in the decision as an endorsment from the community, but the host committee selects the final five to present.
Are "views" the same as votes?
No. Views are only an indicator of how many visitors have looked at your idea’s webpage. Each visitor decides whether or not to vote. The vote tally is not made public to anyone outside of the event’s host committee that selects the final five presenters.
What's the deadline to submit?
The deadline to both submit ideas and vote on ideas is one week prior to the event.
When will I find out if I am chosen to present my idea?
If you are chosen by the host committee to present your idea, you will be notified by email within 48 hours from when submissions closed on the website and the idea will appear on 5x5night.com/next. Submissions that are not chosen to present will not receive an email notification.
Does Start Garden choose who presents?
No. The host for the individual event forms a committee to review ideas, consider the vote tallies, and make a final decision as to which five ideas will be presented. It is up to the discretion of that host committee which five ideas will be presented.
What if I miss the deadline?
Any idea submitted after the deadline is automatically in the running for the next event.
If I submitted my idea once, do I have to submit it again?
If your idea was not chosen the month that you submitted it, you must resubmit the idea for any future month.
How do I apply/submit an idea?
The only way to submit an idea for 5×5 Night is through the application form on 5×5night.com.
Once you submit the application on 5×5night.com, your idea proposal can be seen publicly and voted on by any logged in user. Ideas can be submitted at any time.
I'm having troubles submitting my idea. What should I do?
If you are experiencing a submission loading error, it could be one of the following issues causing the problem:
1) What browser and version are you using? 5x5night.com is supported on the latest two versions of Internet Explorer on Windows, the latest versions of Chrome and Safari on Windows and Apple OSX, and the latest versions of Chrome and Safari on Android and Apple devices.
2) Have you tried clearing your browser’s cache?
3) Have you double checked the vote page to make sure your idea was not submitted?
If you are still having troubles submitting your idea after you have eliminated the circumstances above, please email hello@5x5night.com to let us know that you are experiencing submission errors, and we will be happy to help!
On Voting
Does an idea that wins the vote win $5,000?
The five ideas with the most votes by the deadline are the ones that may present at the next 5×5 Night. The allocation of the $5,000 grant is solely decided by the judges once all of the presentations are heard.
Can I vote on more than one idea?
Yes, you may vote on up to five ideas. You may change your vote at any time before the deadline.
Can I vote more than once for the same idea?
No, you may not vote more than once for the same idea. If one idea appears to have have an unusual number of votes due to an attempt to game the system, it will be disqualified.
Why the vote?
It was decided that 5×5 Night is a platform to share ideas. Therefore, it seemed a noble experiment to allow the very decision of which ideas to present to come from the act of sharing them online, with as many people as possible, to win their votes.
On Cheating
Can an idea be disqualified?
If one idea appears to have have an unusual number of votes due to an attempt to game the system, it will be disqualified.
The hosts of 5×5 Night reserve the right to disqualify any proposal for any reason at any time.
On What Makes a Good Idea Submission
How should I describe myself?
Keep it simple. Where do you come from and what do you do? Is there relevant experience you bring to your project? Do you have past successes which support your chance to be successful with this idea?
How should I describe my idea?
It should be simple and concise, but well thought out. How is it different than what exists on the market? (If you propose a heated travel blanket, be sure to google “heated travel blanket.”) What are possible road blocks? (If you propose an event, contact the city to find out if it’s permitted.)
How should I describe my idea's impact?
First, explain the problem that you are solving (“I was cold while traveling”). Then explain your solution to the problem (heated travel blanket). Finally, describe the size of the problem and the number of people you think would pay for your solution.
How should I describe what I'll do with $5,000?
A good presenter has a smart way to use $5,000 to get traction. A proposal to add the $5,000 to a general operations budget will be dismissed.
Good
Hiring a designer to develop a prototype of a website
Bad
Raising money for a $100,000 e-commerce project
Good
Down payment for a lease on a new retail space
Bad
Purchasing a new building
Good
Bringing in a specialist to develop a new summer camp program
Bad
Donation to a non-profit summer camp