Advocacy Fellowships Guidelines

The Soros Justice Advocacy Fellowships fund outstanding individuals—including lawyers, advocates, grassroots organizers, activist academics, and others with unique perspectives—to initiate innovative policy advocacy projects at the local, state, and national levels that will have a measurable impact on one or more of OSI's U.S. criminal justice reform priorities.

Projects may range from litigation to public education to coalition building to grassroots mobilization to action research. Projects must identify a clear policy goal. Advocacy Fellowships are 18 months in duration and may be implemented in conjunction with nonprofit organizations. Projects can begin in either April or September of 2009.

Note: Projects that propose, as their primary purpose, the completion of books, print or radio journalism, documentary film or video, or other similar media should apply for the Soros Justice Media Fellowships.

OSI U.S. Criminal Justice Priorities

Reflecting OSI's U.S. criminal justice reform priorities, all Advocacy Fellowship projects should seek to accomplish one or more of the following:

• advance death penalty reform and abolition efforts;
• improve public defense services;
• combat racial profiling;
• promote leadership in progressive justice reform efforts among people who are or have been imprisoned;
• encourage systemic reforms that create incentives for community-based solutions over parole and probation revocation;
• challenge unreasonable civil and legal barriers to the reintegration of people returning from prison;
• redirect criminal justice monies to strengthen community resources and responsibility for public safety and justice;
• promote civic and political inclusion and re-enfranchisement of individuals and communities impacted by criminal justice policies;
• eliminate race and class disparities in sentencing and incarceration;
• reduce the length of criminal sentences and promote judicial discretion in criminal sentencing;
• promote alternatives to incarceration that emphasize rehabilitation and treatment;
• limit prison growth and prison privatization; or
• empower communities most affected by mass incarceration to develop and advocate for alternative policies that address underlying social, racial, and economic inequality.

Intersectional Projects

OSI encourages applications for projects that emphasize the intersection of the above priorities with the particular needs of the following specific constituencies: low-income communities; communities of color; immigrants; gay, lesbian, bisexual, and transgender communities; and women and children.

Directly Affected Individuals

OSI in particular encourages applications from individuals directly affected by, or with significant direct personal experience with, the issues their projects seek to address.

Awards

There are two Advocacy Fellowship Tracks: Advocacy Track I, designed for new and emerging leaders; and Advocacy Track II, aimed at individuals with a demonstrated record of achievement and expertise in their fields.

Advocacy Track I

• stipend of $69,750 ($46,500 for the first year; $23,250 for the remaining six months);
• up to $6,000 for graduate student loan repayment;
• $3,750 for health insurance;
• $1,000 for professional development;
• funds to attend the annual fellows meeting; and
• access to ongoing technical assistance resources.

Advocacy Track II

• stipend of $79,500 ($53,000 for the first year, $26,500 for the remaining six months);
• $3,750 for health insurance;
• funds to attend the annual fellows meeting; and
• access to ongoing technical assistance resources.

Eligibility

Note: Unless indicated otherwise, all eligibility requirements apply to both Advocacy Tracks.

Experience. Advocacy Track I applicants must have at least two (2) years of relevant advocacy experience, which may include full-time and part-time employment, paid or unpaid internships, longer-term experience working with nonprofits, or other pertinent experience (e.g. advocacy while incarcerated). Advocacy Track II applicants must have a minimum of ten (10) years of relevant experience in their fields.

Education. Applicants must have at least a high school diploma. Applicants currently enrolled in a postsecondary degree program must have completed the degree (and dissertation, if applicable) by the start of the fellowship.

Time Commitment. Fellowships are 18 months in duration and should begin in either April or September of 2009. Applicants must be able to devote at least 35 hours per week to the project if awarded a fellowship. Also, if awarded a fellowship, applicants must be available to attend the annual fellows meeting, tentatively set for June 2009 (exact dates and location to be announced).

Host Organization. Applicants are encouraged, but not required, to secure a host organization. Applicants must demonstrate that the project does not duplicate the host organization's existing efforts and that the fellowship funding would not be used to replace, supplant or supplement funding for activities or projects that are already being carried out by the host organization.

Advisory Board. Advocacy Fellowship applicants must assemble an advisory board for the project. The advisory board must be comprised of a minimum of three individuals who can lend strategic guidance and substantive expertise to the project.

Joint Applications. Up to three individuals can apply jointly for a fellowship; however, joint applications carry a single stipend.

Note:  Joint applicants, when applying online (see "To Apply" below), should designate one person as the lead applicant, register using that person’s name and contact information, and provide additional information for the other applicant(s), as requested.

Past Soros Justice Fellowship Recipients. Past Soros Justice Fellowship recipients are not eligible to apply.

Lobbying. Under the federal tax rules applicable to United States private foundations, OSI cannot support lobbying activities. Projects that include lobbying activities will not be funded. Please review the Tax Law Lobbying Rules before submitting an application.

Direct Service or Individual Representation. As a general rule, the Soros Justice Fellowships Program does not fund projects that either wholly or substantially involve direct service delivery or individual representation. There are, however, three principal exceptions to this rule: the project has a clearly-defined policy goal beyond obtaining specific results for individual clients who are receiving the services; the project involves new and innovative methods for providing direct services or individual representation, and thereby serves as a potential model to others in the field; or the project targets previously unserved constituencies, communities or individuals, thereby bringing to light an unmet need.

Host Organizations and Advisory Boards

Host Organization. As noted above, Advocacy Fellowship applicants are encouraged, but not required, to secure a host organization. Host organizations—which must be duly incorporated nonprofits—can provide access to resources such as space, technology, and networks, as well as mentoring and guidance. They can also enhance the credibility of the project. OSI encourages host organizations to provide in-kind contributions such as office space and necessary overhead. Host organizations may also augment the stipend award and provide other benefits. OSI does not provide the host organization with supplemental funds. Applicants choosing not to partner with a host organization must convincingly articulate how they will achieve the project goals without the infrastructure and support of an established organization.

Advisory Board. Regardless of whether they partner with a host organization, Advocacy Fellowship applicants must assemble an advisory board for the project. The advisory board must be comprised of a minimum of three individuals who can lend strategic guidance and substantive expertise to the project.

Selection Criteria and Process

Applications will be evaluated on the extent to which the applicant possesses the vision, drive, and skills required to create and sustain a project that will advance the goals of one or more of OSI's U.S. criminal justice priorities. A reading committee consisting of OSI staff and outside experts in the field will review proposals and nominate finalists. Finalists will be invited to interview with a selection committee consisting of OSI staff and outside experts in the field.

Note: OSI reserves the right, at any point in the selection process, to request that applicants have their applications considered under a different category (e.g. Media vs. Advocacy) or track (Advocacy Track I vs. Advocacy Track II).

In evaluating applications, the program will consider:

Project Need

• Is the need the project proposes to address relevant (i.e. it involves one or more of OSI's U.S. criminal justice priority areas)?
• Is it important (i.e. large numbers of individuals, families or communities are affected by the problem or issue; it involves an issue that is commonly unaddressed; or it is an issue of manifest injustice)?

Project Approach

• Is the proposed approach innovative (i.e. takes a new approach to the identified problem or builds on existing efforts in a meaningful way)?
• Is it detailed and sound (i.e. clearly and thoroughly maps out the project's activities, and those activities make practical and strategic sense)?
• Is there a good fit with the host organization (i.e. the organization's mission and existing work complement the project; the organization has the resources to supervise and guide the applicant's work; if the applicant does not propose working with a host organization, the applicant makes a compelling case for how he/she will work independently without the support or infrastructure of an organization)?

Project Goals

• Are the project's goals measurable and realistic (i.e. the applicant will be able to determine if the goals have been accomplished; goals are reasonable, both in terms of the timeline proposed and in terms of the general attainability of the goals)?
• Are they sufficiently "impactful" (i.e. if attained, the project's goals are likely to result in a meaningful qualitative or quantitative impact on one or more specific aspects of criminal justice reform)?

Applicant

• Does the applicant have the experience, skill and talent to accomplish the project?
• Does the applicant have the leadership ability and vision to carry out this project?
• Will the applicant lend a distinctive and important voice to the criminal justice field?

Deadline

The application deadline is September 24, 2008 (5:00 pm EST). Incomplete applications will not be given full consideration.

To Apply

Fellowship application materials must be submitted online (with the exception of the letters of recommendation, which must be mailed in). To submit an online application, go to http://oas.soros.org/oas/.

Note: The online system will begin accepting applications on July 28, 2008.

Complete applications consist of the following:

1. Filled out online

• Application form

2. Uploaded online (as either PDF or Word documents—but if using Word documents, please do not upload any files with the ".docx" file extension; our online system can presently only read ".doc" files)

• Resume or CV.
• Five-page, single-spaced proposal in 12-point font with one-inch margins containing the following items in this order (with the headings as listed below, e.g. Project Explanation, Project Goals, etc.)
  • Project Explanation: A clear, detailed, focused explanation of the project, including the need for the project, its importance to the population reached, and how it connects to existing efforts by others already working on the issue;
  • Project Goals: An explanation of the long and short-term goals of the project, how you expect to accomplish those goals, and how you will measure the project's effectiveness;
  • Host Organization: A specific analysis of how the host organization's mandate and existing work complement your project,and how the host organization will support the project. If you are not proposing to work with a host organization, please explain why the project does not require the infrastructure and support of an established organization and how your project will stand alone;
  • Advisory Board: A description of the advisory board you will assemble for the project and an explanation of what each member will contribute to your board and your project, as well a description of your plan for drawing upon the support, guidance and expertise of the members.
  • OSI U.S. Criminal Justice Priorities: An analysis of how the project is expected to influence debate on an issue related to OSI's U.S. criminal justice priorities.
  • Timeline: A timeline that explains the project's specific activities and reflects all phases of the project and the time you will allocate to meet your goals and achieve your expected outcomes.

• Commitment letter from your host organization (not applicable if applicant chooses to proceed without a host). The letter should be on the organization's letterhead and written by a senior staff member of the organization. The letter should describe the following: host organization mission and existing work; how proposed project fits with organization's mission and existing work; support provided to applicant, if awarded a fellowship (e.g. supervision, access to networks, guidance, etc.); in-kind contributions provided (e.g. office space; computer, phone and facsimile access; administrative support); and any other resources provided the fellow (e.g. supplemental funds). The letter must also include a confirmation that the proposed project will not duplicate the host organization's existing efforts and that fellowship funding will not be used to replace, supplant or supplement funding for activities or projects already being carried out by the host organization.

3. Mailed (postmarked by September 24, 2008):

• Two (2) confidential letters of recommendation from supervisors or close colleagues. The letters should address your talent, professionalism, and demonstrated ability to work independently on long-term, in-depth projects. Letters should not be more than two (2) pages in length. We encourage you to share your proposal narrative and the program's selection criteria with those who write on your behalf. Please ask those writing letters of recommendation and commitment letters from host organizations to put the letters in an envelope, sealed and signed across the back. Your name and the designation "Advocacy Track I" or "Advocacy Track II" should be written on the envelope and mailed to:
  
  Christina Voight
  Program Assistant
  Soros Justice Fellowships
  Open Society Institute
  400 West 59th Street
  New York, NY 10019

Application and Selection Timeline

*Date subject to change