APPLICATIONS ARE OPEN UNTIL JANUARY 24, 2024 AT 11:59PM ET.
The Civic Innovation Fellowship identifies, invests in, and amplifies the work of existing community leaders, entrepreneurs, and movement builders in Atlanta with brilliant ideas to address social and economic inequality in their own communities. We call these individual leaders “civic entrepreneurs,” because of the potential for their work to influence our local public policy. Collectively, they are a new guard for social change in our city.
The Fellowship is a 6-month, cohort-based model, where Fellows learn and build alongside a community of peers through intensive training and coaching sessions. The goals of the are for Fellowship are to:
- gain clarity around their organization’s model for impact
- test the effectiveness of their existing work
- identify opportunities for growth and scale
In addition, we provide intentional support around wellness and care for our Fellows. Oh, and we have a great time doing it! Fellows establish lifelong relationships and friendships along the way.
To date, we’ve supported and invested $2M+ in over 100 Atlanta leaders creating measurable impact in our neighborhoods, schools, prisons, art studios, farms, and communities.
This year, we are looking for Fellows with interventions that strengthen safety and justice, improve our education system, and advance democracy/civic engagement.
If you have any questions, you can reach our team at: fellowship@civicatlanta.org.
The Civic Innovation’s Fellowship is a 6-month training program for leaders in Atlanta who are actively solving inequality in their own communities. The program focused on building and testing a model to grow and scale the impact of a leader’s existing community work. The program includes intensive training sessions, site visits, peer coaching, and community sessions focused on well-being and self-care for leaders. The program not only supports each individual, we build a strong collective that learns from and with each other.
We’ve worked with over 100 community leaders to date, including educators, social workers, folks who grow food, and neighborhood activists. Our community of Fellows matches the diversity of our city in identity, location, and perspective. What brings us together is our stubborn and unapologetic love for our city and a commitment to make Atlanta a city where you have the same chance to thrive regardless of where you live or who you are.
2024 FELLOWSHIP FOCUS AREAS
The 2024 Fellowship will focus on supporting community leaders with interventions that:
SAFETY AND JUSTICE
- reduce, interrupt, and ultimately prevent violence in neighborhoods and communities
- provide support services for families, children, and communities impacted by violence
- advocate for legislative, budgetary, and/or policy solutions to reduce violence and address its impact
- increase access to civil, social, and legal support services for people who are or have recently been affected by the local judicial system
- directly support people when they come out of prison and addressing the roots causes for recidivism
EDUCATION
- improve literacy and comprehension of students– support for both K-12 and non-traditional students
- address gaps in counseling services– ranging from college/career readiness to mental health and wellbeing
- provide professional development, anti-bias, and support services for teachers and administrators
DEMOCRACY
- get research, data, and information into the hands of residents about issues and/or opportunities that impact their lives
- improve the way people’s voices are heard and engaged in public processes and decisions advocating for voting and engagement rights for people who are often left out of public processes
- train people to run for and maintain political office
- storytell that brings attention to people, cultures, and/or opportunities for civic engagement
- improve elections processes and policies
PROGRAM OVERVIEW
Over the course of six months, CCI Fellows gain:
clarity around vision, mission, and impact model
a more accurate and sustainable financial model and projections
strategies for storytelling and fundraising
tools to evaluate and measure effectiveness and success
an understanding of their role in a larger ecosystem of work
a plan to address personal wellbeing and care in this work
a peer community, mentors, coaches, and lifelong friends
an understanding of how to advocate to improve local legislation and public policy
Fellows are provided with a modest stipend to offset the costs of participation (technology, childcare, transportation, etc.), to support a small aspect of their own self-care, and to be used for pilot testing new approaches for the organization’s work.
The program is designed intentionally for each class of Fellows, and we try to accommodate for different learning and sharing styles. We aim to create an environment where everyone feels comfortable and safe enough to show up as their authentic selves. We expect you to hold us to that (and challenge us when we’re off).
The program team includes: a lead coach/instructor, program manager, program coordinator, program advisors (subject-matter experts), peer advisors, and a number of partner instructors and leaders who join us throughout the program delivery.
The main components of the program are:
Training sessions: these are all day sessions focused on different topics that strengthen the organization’s model to maximize impact and efficiency
Office hours: these are one-on-one sessions that provide individualized coaching and attention to Fellows
Peer advising and wellness: the program includes peer advisors who have participated in this program before who check in on Fellows and help guide you through the process
Group community building sessions: these sessions provide time outside of the curriculum to learn and work alongside your peers
Community gatherings: we host fun and engaging events to help the cohort socialize, focus on themselves, and have some fun
PROGRAM EXPECTATIONS
The CCI Fellowship is a very time-intensive program that moves at an accelerated pace. We know that time is a community leader’s greatest asset, so we do as much as we can to maximize learning, exposure, and coaching within the timeframe of the program.
In total, Fellows should expect to commit approximately 20-25 hours per month for Fellowship activities.
All CCI Fellows are required to participate in and/or complete:
Intake interviews
Three-day orientation weekend, from April 12 to April 14
10 training sessions from April to September 2024
Monthly office hours and coaching sessions with mentors, peer advisors, and trainers
Monthly community sessions, study groups, and wellness activities
Exercises and evaluations in between trainings and coaching sessions
Showcase event and rehearsal the week of September 21, 2024
Pilot testing experience during program (July 2024)
Pitch practice sessions in August and September 2024
Exit interviews and closing dinner (October 2024)
In addition, we will host optional professional development sessions, networking activities, and educational events for Fellows.
APPLICATION & PROGRAM TIMELINE
January 10, 2024 at 6:00pm
Optional CCI Fellowship Informational Webinar via Zoom
Join us for an optional virtual information session, where we will walk through the Fellowship details and answer any questions about the program or the application. Attendance is not required, but is strongly encouraged. We will provide a recording for those who cannot make it — but you must still register!
January 24, 2024 at 11:59pm
Application Closes
The application provides an opportunity for community leaders to share more about their existing work, where they are trying to go, and a self-assessment on what barriers exist to getting there. We encourage applicants to be honest and transparent at this stage, because this is how we assess initial fit for the Fellowship program. We aren’t looking for perfection, just authenticity.
January 31, 2024
Applicants Notified About Application Status
February 2024
In-Person Interviews and Community Day
From the application process, we will narrow down to a small group of people for conversational-style interviews that help us dive deeper into each candidate’s work and to better understand the organization’s goals. These 45-60 minute interviews will take place in-person.
Candidates will also be invited to a finalist dinner event, where we will be able to get to know you in a less formal setting. It will also give you an opportunity to engage with your peers.
March 15, 2024
CCI Fellowship Class Selected and Notified
March 18 to April 5, 2024
Intake Interviews with Fellowship Team
April 12-14, 2024
Program Orientation
April to September 2024
Monthly Trainings, Group Sessions, 1:1 Advising, and Community Events
September 2024
Fellowship Showcase
October 2024
Exit Interviews
PROGRAM ELIGIBILITY
About the Fellow
This program is for civic leaders, entrepreneurs, or movement builders in Atlanta with 3+ years of demonstrable experience in addressing the impacts of social and economic inequality in Atlanta. This year we are specifically looking for leaders with experiences in advancing safety and justice, education, and/or democracy. This program is not intended for ideas-stage work.
Fellows must have a clear understanding of the community/communities most impacted by the challenge. Fellows are committed and dedicated to this work and are focused on the end result. This means that they may learn that the intervention doesn’t work, and the Fellow is willing to pivot if that’s the case. Fellows must have an openness and capacity to receive respectful and constructive feedback. We do not expect Fellows to adopt all feedback. We respect Fellows as the leader of their work and trust that they know best what feedback to take and what to not take. And finally, Fellows must have a willingness to support and show up for their peers. This program is about supporting the cohort and subsequently, the community, as a collective, not just as individuals.
Additionally, the Fellow must:
be the founder, co-founder, or executive director of an organization that is incorporated and based in Metro Atlanta– with preference for organizations primarily working in the city of Atlanta or Fulton and DeKalb Counties
have at least 3 years of experience working in safety and justice, education, and/or democracy
be 18+ years old
About the Organization
We are looking for organizations with effective programs and services that have the potential to scale. Scale to us doesn’t mean you need to be in cities around the country. Scale means depth— serving and creating impact for more people going through the problem you’re solving.
Additionally, the organization must:
be incorporated for at least one year in the United States
have a board of directors, if it is a non-profit, 501(c)(3) organization
have an annual budget less than $500,000 (this does not include money that they organization may redistribute to other people or organizations)
APPLICATION PROCESS
Interested applicants will need to submit an application by January 24, 2024 via our online portal.
Applications will be reviewed on a rolling basis as they are received.
Applicants invited to a 2nd round interview will be notified by January 31, 2024.
2nd Round Interviews during the month of February. We will provide time options to relevant candidates.
The 2nd round consists of an interview with the selection committee – made up of CCI Staff, Fellowship alumni, and CCI community partners.
Applicants will be notified of final decisions by March 15, 2024.
SUBMISSION POLICIES
Applications should be submitted via the online portal.
We strongly encourage you to write your answers in a separate document, in case you have technical issues or difficulties. You can access a copy of the application questions here.
If you have any learning or accessibility challenges, please email us at fellowship@civicatlanta.org so we can make accommodations. We are more than happy to!
Please submit one application only, even if your organization has multiple founders/directors.
Once submitted, applications cannot be edited or changed.
Please do your due diligence to ensure you complete the application truthfully and to the best of your ability.
All applications must be submitted by January 21, 2024, 11:59pm Eastern Standard Time.
QUESTIONS?
While large in impact, CCI operates with a small staff. We ask that you carefully review this FAQ section for answers to questions you might have. See something we missed or have questions related to your personal situation? Please reach out to us at fellowship@civicatlanta.org.