Black to the Future Public Policy Institute:
FAQ 2023
Black to the Future Public Policy Institute:
FAQ 2023
To help you with the application process, here are frequently asked questions regarding:
- The Institute
- Eligibility
- Sponsoring Organizations
- Application Requirements & Timeline
- Mentors
- Campaign Teams
If you don’t see your question answered here, please contact us: blackpolicyinstitute@civitaspublicaffairs.com
The Institute
What is the Black to the Future Public Policy Institute? What is the social justice framework of the Institute?
What is the cost of the Institute?
The Institute is free of charge. Fellows will be required to participate in the program using a computer and internet access. If they do not have access to a computer/internet, the Institute has a “loaner” program that will provide equipment and internet access.
Who has participated in the past?
For a look at the Institute’s prior cohort, see here.
When are the program dates?
What is the time commitment during the Institute? Will the program be remote?
Institute trainings will take place online via Zoom over an eight month period. Trainings will occur on Tuesdays from 1:00-2:45pm ET (10:00-11:45am PT). Attendance in live webinar sessions is mandatory, and all team members are expected to be actively engaged in the program. Fellows may not miss more than a total of 3 webinar sessions throughout the course of the Institute. If more than 3 sessions are missed, the Sponsoring Organization will forfeit at least one monthly stipend. Continuous absences will result in being dismissed from the program. If this occurs, monthly stipends to the Sponsoring Organization will cease. The only exception will occur if additional fellowship team members continue participating in the Institute and are still working at the Sponsoring Organization.
What are some examples of training sessions to expect?
The training sessions will cover a wide range of topics, including but not limited to:
- The Policy Making Process
- Analysis of Targeted Policy Areas, including: Democracy/Voting, the Economy, Public Health/Healthcare, Criminal-Legal Systems and Abolition Fights, Structural Barriers and Reform
- Solving for Structural Inequity
- Building Political Power
- Policy Research & Strategy Development
In all, there will be 30 sessions, some of which are built in work time to give teams the time they need to work with mentors to build out their policy campaign.
Eligibility
Can individuals/teams not in CA, GA, LA, NC, and WI apply?
I am employed in an industry that is different from my proposed policy campaign. Can I still apply?
As an individual member of a team, I’m currently self-employed or unemployed. Am I eligible for the Institute?
No. In order to be eligible for the Institute, all applicants must be employed and sponsored by a Sponsoring Organization. The Sponsoring Organization listed in your application must be associated with your policy proposal.
I am an undergraduate or graduate college student and not currently employed by an organization. Am I eligible for the Institute?
I am working or volunteering with an elected official or candidate. Would this impact my eligibility for the Institute?
Sponsoring Organizations
What is the role of a Sponsoring Organization?
What is the criteria for a Sponsoring Organization?
Do I have to have a Sponsoring Organization? Why?
Is a Sponsoring Organization required to sponsor one individual or ALL members of a policy campaign team?
If I don’t have a Sponsoring Organization, does the Institute have a way of matching applicants with an organization?
Application Requirements & Timeline
When is the application due?
The application is due June 20, 2023 at 8pm ET/5pm PT.
Is there an interview process? When do interviews take place?
What should I know about the interviews?
When will I hear back about my application?
What can I do to strengthen my application?
The application calls for an ‘in-depth policy idea’. How detailed does the policy idea have to be?
Because the Institute is focused on providing fellows with the tools to build a campaign from the ground up, we do not expect you to be ready to move on your idea right away. However, we do expect you to clearly articulate:
- The problem you are trying to solve
- The type of policy you would like to move
- Timeline for moving your policy
Can the applicant choose the campaign that they want to pursue with their team, or is one given to us or determined for us by the Institute?
Are there any other materials we will need to provide?
Mentors
Will I be matched with the mentor I have requested in my application?
What if I do not have a specific mentor in mind that I would like to work with?
Campaign Teams
My team members are located across different states. Can we apply for the Institute together?
My team members come from different organizations. Can we apply for the Institute together?
I don’t have a team. Can the Institute match me with a team?
We strongly encourage applicants to form their own teams and apply as a group. If you don’t have a team but have a detailed policy idea you would like to pursue in your state, please contact the blackpolicyinstitute@civitaspublicaffairs.com for more information about connecting with other applicants/potential team members.