Challenge statement: Call to action

MaRS and the Canadian Cancer Society invite communities, individuals and teams to identify solutions to better inform, encourage and engage more people from rural and remote communities to get screened for cancer, ultimately increasing participation in screening.** ​

​The challenge welcomes both non-technological and technological solutions and is open to a wide range of approaches such as community engagement/partnership models, education/communication methods and tools, process improvement and data collection and coordination.​

​Shortlisted solutions will need to meet the following requirements:​

• Be designed by or co-designed with members of the rural and remote communities
• Be enhancements to existing models/programs/technology
• Be feasible and demonstrate potential for impact and scalability
• Be focused on at least one of Canada’s organized screening programs (breast, colorectal, lung or cervical cancers) ​

​**Please note that the focus of this challenge is not on new screening tests, but rather, on the process to encourage people to take established tests.​

What solutions are in scope? 

The challenge is open to a variety of mature solutions both technological and non-technological, that increase participation in breast, colorectal, lung or cervical cancer screening in rural and remote communities. For tech solutions, “mature” refers to a validated product. Solutions will need to address at least one barrier identified in the Context tab (such as cultural and infrastructural). A wide range of interventions and enhancements will be considered, such as:

• Community engagement and partnership approaches
• Educational methods and materials
• Communication tools and methods
• Health system process improvement (digital or program)
• Data collection and/or coordination

Examples can include but are not limited to:

• Programs currently or recently implemented in rural and remote regions
• Proven solutions from other jurisdictions that have partnerships in place to scale or adapt to a rural or remote community
• A digital health tool with some level of demonstrated implementation that can adapt, scale or grow in rural and remote areas
• Research models that have strong data to support feasibility or implementation

What solutions are out of scope?

Solutions that are out of scope include:

• Solutions that are entirely new, with no prior testing or evidence of effectiveness
• Solutions that lack community involvement: Any intervention not designed with or informed by rural and remote communities
• Solutions that duplicate existing programs but without addressing an unmet need, new context, or added value to rural or remote communities
• New or enhancements to existing diagnostic tests*** for screening, such as: 
• Home testing kits, such as Fecal Immunochemical Test (FIT), Immunochemical Fecal Occult Blood Test (iFOBT) 
• Laboratory tests, such as blood or urine tests  
• Imaging tests, such as computerized tomography (CT) scan, magnetic resonance imaging (MRI), positron emission tomography (PET) scan, ultrasound 
• Biopsies  
• Endoscopy tests as primary colorectal cancer screening tests, such as flexible sigmoidoscopy, colonoscopy 

***Note that while screening tests are out of scope, the methods and approaches to get people to take the screening tests are in scope.

Eligibility

• For individuals: (a) you are a legal resident of Canada, and (b) you are at least the age of majority in your resident province.

• For groups: You are a group of individuals entering the Challenge as a team and:
  (a) each of you, at the time of entry, is
  (i) a legal resident of Canada, and
  (ii) at least the age of majority in your resident province; and
  (b) you designate one member of your team as your eligible authorized representative to enter the challenge and signify your agreement to be legally bound by these official rules on your behalf.

• For a company or organization:
  (a) at the time of entry, is either
  (i) incorporated under the laws of Canada; or
  (ii) operating in Canada

(b) you designate one eligible authorized representative to enter the challenge and agree to be legally bound by these official rules on your behalf.

For more information, please review the challenge rules.

Dual phase process 

This challenge will consist of two phases. Five finalists who are selected in Phase 1 will implement their solution in Phase 2.  Between September 2025-January 2026, finalists have the ability to decide what elements of their solution they will implement and the duration. Finalists must submit their Phase 2 submission form by February 16, 2026 (or anytime before). Only those selected in the first phase, will be eligible to apply for the Grand Prize funding in the second phase. Finalists also have the ability to opt out of phase 2, if they no longer want to apply for the Grand Prize funding.

Please refer to the challenge rules for more details.

PHASE 1:

Phase 1 application: This open call for solutions will run from May 8 to July 3, 2025. Applicants can apply by submitting a Phase 1 submission form. 

Phase 1 finalist notification: Five finalists of Phase 1 will be selected in August 2025 and will receive $15,000.

PHASE 2:

Solution implementation: The five finalists from Phase 1 will implement their proposed solution to increase participation within a rural and remote community for at least one of Canada’s organized screening programs (as outlined in their Phase 1 submission form) by January 2026. 

Phase 2 submission: The five finalists from Phase 1 will submit a Phase 2 submission form using the entry methods outlined in the challenge rules. The submission deadline for Phase 2 is February 16, 2026. 

Grand Prize winner: The Grand Prize winner of $100,000 will be selected at the end of Phase 2 and announced in April 2026. 

PROGRESS REPORT:

Grand Prize winner progress report: The grand prize winner of Phase 2 of the challenge must complete progress reports with updates on their initiative at the six-month and 12-month marks.

How to apply for Phase 1

The submission deadline for Phase 1 is July 3 at 5 p.m. EDT. You can apply either through the website or via email. If you require another submission format or have any questions, contact us at challenges@marsdd.com. We also understand and recognize that Indigenous communities have unique values and systems. We are open to discuss alternate types of questions and/or supporting the application process. Please reach out to us via email.

In order to apply, follow the steps below.

Step 1: Create a profile on https://challenges.marsdd.com/ 

Step 2: Read and agree to the challenge rules by clicking the “Accept Challenge” button on the Rural and Remote Community Cancer Screening website.

Step 3: Complete the submission form:

• Be sure to adhere to the word-count parameters. 
• Save in Word or PDF format with your team/applicant name and date listed in the file name (e.g. Team-MaRS_June2025_ Submission-Form).

Step 4: 

• To submit through the Challenge website: Click “Submit application” on the Rural and Remote Community Cancer Screening webpage, and upload your saved submission form.
• Alternatively, to submit using email: Send an email to challenges@marsdd.com with the subject line of “Rural and Remote Cancer Screening Challenge Submission” that includes a pdf or word document of the submission form.

Prizing

A total amount of $175,000 will be awarded as follows:

Phase 1: Five finalists will receive $15,000 each

Phase 2: One Grand Prize winner will receive $100,000

Phase 1: Evaluation criteria

The assessment of solutions will be based on the following criteria:

Design (Pass/Fail)

Is the solution co-designed/designed by communities?

Feasibility and Need (55%)

This will evaluate the practicality and necessity of the solution

• Is the solution grounded in lived experience, knowledge or research?
• Does the solution have the team, structure, and/or resources to viably implement?
• Are the proposed activities realistic and cost-effective within the context of rural and remote communities?

Potential for impact (30%)

This will evaluate the existing and future plan for identifying and capturing success

• Has the applicant clearly outlined what success looks like (in the form of goals and measures)?
• Does the application capture impact from a community member’s point of view or user experience?
• Does the applicant have a clear, realistic plan for capturing and reporting impact?

Viability (15%)

This will evaluate the likelihood of long-term implementation/commitment

• Is the project/initiative connected to the organization’s long-term goals or part of its business model?
• Has the team considered the downstream impact of solution implementation?

Phase 2: Evaluation criteria

Solutions will be assessed based on their real-world applications and their impacts on cancer screening and communities, as well as potential future applications.

Impact (35%)

This will evaluate the results of the implementation

• Did the solution achieve what the applicant set out to do?
• Were outcomes and specific measurements of success clearly captured and outlined?
• Is there evidence that the initiative is meaningful from a community member’s point of view?

Scalability and Sustainability (35%)

This will evaluate the potential for growth and further impact

• Can the model or solution be replicated or modified in other jurisdictions?
• Has the applicant identified a pathway to grow this work? (How has cost-effectiveness been considered?)

Adaptive Problem Solving (30%)

This will evaluate the applicant’s ability to adapt to challenges, iterate and share learnings

• How did the applicant adapt to unknown challenges during implementation?
• Did the applicant introduce novel ideas or approaches during the implementation of its solution?
• Did the applicant have a process to capture and communicate lessons learned?