The competition will be conducted in several phases with the following timeline:

October 5, 2008                       Phase One: Launch Business Plan Competition and submission of applications
October 12, 2008                     Information Session (after Eastside AM service Hunter Room 507)
October 16, 2008                     Information Session - Repeat (at Redeemer Offices 7PM-8:30PM)
October 18, 2008                     Workshop #1 "Developing a Gospel-Centered Venture"
October 22, 2008                     Information Session - Repeat (at Redeemer Offices 7PM-8:30PM)
November 10, 2008                 Deadline for applications submission (5PM)
November 11, 2008                 Evaluation of applications begins
December 9, 2008                   Phase Two: Entrants notified to submit a full business plan
December 16, 2008                Workshop #2 "The 4 M's -Mission, Market, Model, Management"
January 7, 2009                       Workshop #3 "Start-Up Finance Fundamentals"
January 14, 2009                     Deadline for business plan submissions (5PM)
January 15, 2009                     Evaluation of business plans begin
February 11, 2009                    Notification of For-Profit finalists 
February 17, 2009                    For-Profit: final presentations before jury 
February 18, 2009                    Notification of Not-for-Profit finalists
March 4, 2009                           Not-for-Profit: final presentations before jury
March 5, 2009                           Winners announced

Phase 1:  Application Submissions of Executive Summary Plans (with resume and letter of reference)
The Application Form will close at 5pm on Monday, November 10.

Executive summaries will be a MAXIMUM of 3 pages.

Phase 2:  Application and Executive Summary Screening
The business plan committee will consist of members from CFW staff and partners who will screen the executive summaries, check references, and contact promising candidates via phone to accept them into the next round. These candidates will receive feedback in order to improve their plans for the last round.

Phase 3:  Business Plan Submissions
Business Plans will be a MAXIMUM of 8 pages.

Phase 4:  Panel Review

A group of finalists for both categories will be selected from this pool.  The panels for all categories will have approximately seven days to review the plans before the final presentations.

Phase 5:  Finalist Presentations

Finalists will present their business plans to the judges in an open session. Each team will have five to seven minutes to present their business plan.  Then the judges will also have five to seven minutes to ask each team questions. There will be a separate presentation for the for-profit and the not-for-profit categories.

Phase 6:  Winners Selected

The judges will convene after the presentations.  The winners will be selected based on originality, impact and meeting the business plan criteria.