The Women’s Fund of Rhode Island invites you to apply for the 2008/2009 inaugural class of the Women’s Policy Institute.

Apply for the 2008/2009 Women’s Policy Institute

The Women’s Policy Institute is designed to increase the number of community-based women leaders in the state who are actively involved in shaping and implementing policies affecting the status of women and girls in Rhode Island. The goal of the Institute is to bring together a diverse group of 10 women from across the state to participate in the program as fellows. During the program, Institute fellows work in self-selected teams to develop and implement policy advocacy projects of their choosing.

Institute fellows can expect to participate in four 2-day experiential retreats over the course of the year, spend 2-3 hours per week working with their teammates on a the advocacy project of their choosing and, spend additional hours as needed during the 2009 legislative session attending hearings and advocating for their policy initiative.

Team projects provide practice on the policy advocacy skills taught during each of the 2-day retreats and will require participants to exercise their personal resourcefulness. Each team will work with a mentor who is experienced in public policy work. A core faculty of individual experts will provide continuity throughout the program and additional faculty may be brought in to teach on particular topics as needed.

A selection committee of community reviewers who will review all complete applications, interview applicants and choose a class of approximately 10 fellows.

Applications are due by April 17, 2008 and should be sent to the Women’s Fund, One Union Station, Providence RI 02903. Those candidates selected for in-person interviews will be notified by April 24, 2008, interviews will take place the week of April 28 – May 2, 2008.

Fellows will be notified of their selection by May 8, 2008 and a public announcement will be made at an event on May 22, 2008. The Institute will officially launch just after that event.

Fellows will offered a stipend in order to cover the costs of child or elder care and day-to-day expenses related to their work on behalf of the Institute.

The Women’s Fund of Rhode Island is looking for local women with some policy and advocacy experience to participate in the Women’s Policy Institute. Ideal candidates include: policy experts or executive directors for local community-based organizations, graduate students in public policy, political science, or with a specific policy expertise, stay-at-home moms looking to get back into the world of policy making and advocacy, grassroots organizers with a particular policy focus, etc.

Applicants will be screened based on the criteria and questions contained in the application.