Transforming the lives of low-literate adults

Phase

Awarded

Transforming the lives of low-literate adults

$7 Million

Prize Purse

The $7 million Barbara Bush Foundation Adult Literacy XPRIZE presented by Dollar General Literacy Foundation is a global competition challenging teams to develop mobile applications for existing smart devices that result in the greatest increase in literacy skills among participating adult learners in just 12 months.

Grand Prize Winners

Literacy applications for

Impact

The Barbara Bush Foundation Adult Literacy XPRIZE presented by Dollar General Literacy Foundation will accelerate adult education by creating mobile solutions that improve access, encourage persistence, develop relevant learning content, and scale nationwide.

In our increasingly knowledge-driven economy and labor market, it is more imperative than ever that we invest in accessible and scalable learning tools that address the needs of our most vulnerable citizens.

Shlomy Kattan

Prize Lead

The Grand Challenge

More than 36 million U.S. adults lack basic English literacy.

By improving adult literacy, the United States could save an estimated $230 billion in extra healthcare costs and see labor productivity increase by as much as 2.5 percent. More importantly, literacy can offer families opportunities and help end the cycle of poverty.

How To Win

The winning team’s solution must be:
Measurable - Measurably increase the literacy level of low-literate adults within 12 months
Easy To Use - Have an easy and accessible design for use on a mobile phone
Engaging - Be engaging, relevant, and attuned to the needs and interests of the adult learner

Prize Activity

Prize Teams

Advisory Board

Judges