About this competition
The Congressional App Challenge (CAC) is a yearly app development competition where every U.S. Member of Congress hosts a contest in their district. Students design and build an original app, then submit a 1-minute video pitch.
Each district picks a winner. Winning students travel to Washington, D.C. for the #HouseOfCode reception. Because every district has its own winner, ~400+ students win every year — vastly higher visibility per-state than most coding contests.
Best for parents of middle and high schoolers who want a real shipped project (vs. contest-problem solving). Submissions can be solo or team-of-4.
Season & deadlines
Annual cycle: submissions open ~July, close ~November.
Season window: July through November.
Cost
Free — Free to participate.
Prizes & outcomes
Per-district winner trip to Capitol Hill, prize package
Past winners
Browse the complete list of winners by year — every district that named a winner is listed.