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Participants in the 2025 Fall Data Challenge will engage in the statistical investigative process to explore and analyze Low-Income Energy Affordability Data (LEAD).

The LEAD Tool dataset provides a comprehensive view of energy burden across American households, offering policymakers and program administrators critical insights for evidence-based decision-making. This challenge invites you to develop data-driven narratives that translate complex patterns in energy consumption, household demographics, and geographic variation into actionable policy recommendations. The best submissions will combine analytical rigor with creative visualizations to help decision-makers not just understand the data but be able to identify programs that will have the greatest impact. 

The data are made available from the Urban Institute's Data Catalog.

Teams will share their insights with a panel of judges.

The Data

Teams may access the data directly from the Urban Institute's data catalog. or download the zipped folder here.

Teams are encouraged to consider other sources of data. Some potential sources of auxiliary data are:

• US Census Bureau, American Community Survey - https://www.census.gov/programs-surveys/acs, https://data.census.gov/ 

• Pew Research Center - https://www.pewresearch.org/datasets/ 

We encourage the teams to be creative. Some initial areas to investigate might include these questions:

• How does energy burden vary across states, counties, housing types?
• How do climate zones and weather patterns influence energy burden?
• Are there demographic patterns that emerge?

These questions are provided to help you get started. Be createive!

How does it work?

Teams of 2-5 students currently enrolled in high school, two-year college, or four-year college may participate. Each team must have a sponsor such as a teacher, professor or parent. Inter-organizational teams are allowed. Teams with both high school and undergraduate students on the same team will be judged in the undergraduate category. Middle school students will be accepted but will be judged in the high school category. Entries will be evaluated by a panel of judges using this rubric.

Submissions

Teams are required to submit a presentation (PowerPoint) with the goal of analyzing LEAD data. 

It should be clear from the presentation how the team utilized available data to develop their analysis and visualization.

The presentation must contain a description of the technical details of their work. 

The presentation must be no more than 10 slides.

The preferred submission format is a pdf of the presentation.

All submitted material must be in English.

Sponsor/Advisor name and email are required as a part of the submission.

Entries are due by 5 p.m. ET on December 19, 2025.

Use this form to submit your presentation.

Prizes

Each member of the winning team will receive a $50 gift card.

Awards will be given in three categories high school, two-year college, four-year college.

Of course, the winners will have bragging rights!