Wisconsin Women’s Policy Institute Wisconsin Women’s Network 612 W. Main St. Suite 200 Madison, WI 53703 2014-2015 Wisconsin Women’s Policy Institute – How to Apply ABOUT THE WISCONSIN WOMEN’S POLICY INSTITUTE We are pleased to announce the third year of the Wisconsin Women’s Policy Institute, a program of the Wisconsin Women’s Network. We are now accepting applications for the 2014-2015 Fellowship year. Thank you for your interest in applying! The primary goal of the Wisconsin Women’s Policy Institute is to increase the number of women leaders who are actively involved in the public policy process. The Wisconsin Women’s Policy Institute will provide intensive advocacy and leadership training for up to twelve Wisconsin women each year. Fellows selected for the 2014-2015 Wisconsin Women’s Policy Institute class will be leaders from multiple sectors who have experience in women’s issues and deep connections to the grassroots community. Fellows are therefore poised to play a greater role in advocating for public policy that advances an agenda for women and girls. We accept applications from individuals working in nonprofit community-based organizations, academia, philanthropy, labor unions, and government. The Wisconsin Women’s Network will make every effort to subsidize the financial costs of participation in the Institute if the Fellow or her organization is unable to cover the costs of participation. If you are selected to participate in the Women’s Policy Institute, you will attend all scheduled Institute trainings in Madison, take part in regular teleconferences and engage in various other “learning while doing” activities—all over the course of one year. Each Fellow will work collaboratively in a small team to develop and implement a policy advocacy project. When Fellows graduate from the Institute they are able to navigate the public policy process with ingenuity and confidence and take what they’ve learned back to their communities and organizations where they will continue to engage in policy advocacy work. The broad areas of focus for the 2014-2015 Institute are women’s health, safety and economic security specifically in relation to the opportunities and challenges confronting Wisconsin’s elderly women. INFORMATIONAL CALLS To learn more about the Women’s Policy Institute program please RSVP to one of our informational conference calls on Tuesday, May 20, 2014 from 12:00 – 1:00 p.m. or Friday, May 23, 2014 from 2:00 – 3:00 p.m. Network staff will provide an overview of the Institute and walk you through the application process. Please RSVP to this call at [email protected]. Please note, applicants are not required to attend these calls. Page 1 of 9 Wisconsin Women’s Network ● 608-255-9809 ● [email protected] ● www.wiwomensnetwork.org CRITERIA There are several requirements for a successful application to the Wisconsin Women’s Policy Institute. Successful applicants will: 1. Possess deep content knowledge or interest in one of the overarching focus areas of elderly women’s health, safety or economic security; 2. Have a strong and demonstrable connection to the grassroots community; 3. Demonstrate how your participation in the Women’s Policy Institute will increase the policy advocacy work at your organization. If you do not represent an organization, be able to demonstrate how your participation will help a specific community or community group; 4. Have the full support of your employer or volunteer organization to participate in the Institute and to spend time to work on a policy project that includes advocacy; 5. Be committed and available to attend all four training retreats for the full time of each retreat. Training retreats are held in Madison, Wisconsin. Trainings, meals and lodging may be subsidized in cases of need by the Wisconsin Women’s Network. Retreats are scheduled for the dates below. Start and end times may vary slightly from retreat to retreat. Please allow flexibility of scheduling should a retreat start or end earlier or later than stipulated below. Every effort will be made to inform Fellows in advance of time changes. Additional training sessions may be added to this list with advanced notice provided to Fellows: Orientation and Introduction: Tuesday, August 26 from 10:00 a.m. to 4:00 p.m. Retreat 1: Friday, September 12 (10 a.m.) through Saturday, September 13, 2014 (4 p.m.) Retreat 2: Friday, November 7 (10 a.m.) through Saturday, November 8, 2014 (4 p.m.) Retreat 3: Friday, January 16 (10 a.m.) through Saturday, January 17, 2015 (4 p.m.) Retreat 4: Friday, March 20 (10 a.m.) through Saturday, March 21, 2015 (4 p.m.) 6. Be willing to work on a team to collectively develop a policy project and actively work on the project even if it is not your organization’s, your community’s or your personal top priority. Team members must be willing to work to bridge differences in personalities and styles to collaborate successfully as a team; 7. Be able to dedicate an average of two to four hours a week to Institute-related activities and dedicate more time during certain busy periods, such as before legislative hearings; 8. Be willing and prepared to bring what you have learned in the Institute back to your organization or community and train colleagues and members in policy advocacy strategies; 9. Be willing and prepared to engage after your year of training in the network of Institute Fellows and future graduates to continue advancing public policy agendas that benefit Wisconsin’s women and girls; and 10. Have daily access to reliable communications technology and commit to checking and responding to all Institute-related emails on a daily basis. Page 2 of 9 Wisconsin Women’s Network ● 608-255-9809 ● [email protected] ● www.wiwomensnetwork.org APPLICATION PROCESS Women’s Policy Institute applications may be emailed to [email protected] or mailed to the Wisconsin Women’s Network at 612 W. Main St. #200, Madison WI 53703. The entire application, including the required attachments (see the Application and Attachments section for detailed instructions), must be completed and received by Tuesday, July 1, 2014 at 4:00 p.m. If you need assistance at any point, please contact WWN Administrator Amanda Ward at [email protected] or (608) 255-9809. TIMELINE Fellows will be selected through a competitive application process. The selection committee will review all completed applications and may interview some applicants. All applicants will be contacted by email in early August with information about the committee’s decision. Release of Application Application Due Date Notification of Selection April 21, 2014 July 1, 2014 Early August 2014 APPLICATION INSTRUCTIONS (SEE NEXT PAGE): Page 3 of 9 Wisconsin Women’s Network ● 608-255-9809 ● [email protected] ● www.wiwomensnetwork.org APPLICATION INSTRUCTIONS Please follow these instructions to ensure your application to the Wisconsin Women’s Policy Institute is completed in full: Step One: Carefully read over the application information detailed above and be aware of the time commitment involved with being a Policy Institute Fellow. Be sure to discuss your participation with an employer or any organization you may represent at the Institute. Step Two (optional): Take part in one of WWN’s Policy Institute training calls on Tuesday, May 20, 2014 from 12:00 – 1:00 p.m. or Friday, May 23, 2014 from 2:00 – 3:00 p.m. Network staff will provide an overview of the Institute and walk you through the application process. Step Three: Complete all required attachments and submit the full application The completed application is the Applicant Cover Sheet, with these four required documents attached (see the following pages for the necessary forms): 1. Applicant Identification and Content Knowledge Form 2. Applicant Short Responses Form 3. Letter of Recommendation and Involvement Form 4. Applicant Resume Step Four: The entire application (including the required attachments) must be completed and received by the Wisconsin Women’s Network on Tuesday, July 1, 2014 by 4:00 p.m. You may email the application materials as an attachment to [email protected], or mail a hard copy to the Wisconsin Women’s Network at 612 W. Main St., Suite 200, Madison, WI 53703. Page 4 of 9 Wisconsin Women’s Network ● 608-255-9809 ● [email protected] ● www.wiwomensnetwork.org Wisconsin Women’s Policy Institute Applicant Cover Sheet Name (Please Type): Work Employer: If your employer is a 501(c)(3), please enter the tax ID number: Title: Work Address: City, State: County: Phone: ( ) Zip: Fax: ( ) Email address: Website: Cell Phone: Organization (Please provide details of the organization or group you will represent at the Institute if it is not your employer): Organization/Community Group: If this organization is a 501(c)(3), please enter the tax ID number: Title (e.g., volunteer, Board member, etc.): Address: City, State: Phone: ( County: ) Fax: ( Zip: ) Website: Home Home Address: City, State: Home Phone: ( County: ) Home Fax: ( Zip: ) Email Address (if different from above): Indicate address where you prefer to receive mail: Home Work NOTE: Please attach a copy of your resume. Page 5 of 9 Wisconsin Women’s Network ● 608-255-9809 ● [email protected] ● www.wiwomensnetwork.org APPLICANT NAME (PLEASE TYPE): Last Name ___________________ First Name __________________ Wisconsin Women’s Policy Institute Attachment One: Applicant Identification and Content Knowledge Form Primary Identification (choose one):  Community-based leader  Communications/media  Researcher/scientist  Philanthropy  Direct services provider  Government  Other (please explain): Optional responses:  Race/ethnicity:  Sexual orientation:  Gender identity:  Physical or other disability:  Age:  How did you hear about the Institute (please specify): In which of the following aging issues areas do you have the deepest content knowledge? Check all that apply.  Elder women’s health  Elder women’s economic security  Aging in place  Social services for seniors  Affordable housing  Elder abuse  Other (Please Specify): Page 6 of 9 Wisconsin Women’s Network ● 608-255-9809 ● [email protected] ● www.wiwomensnetwork.org Applicant name: _____________________ Last Name ___________________ First Name Wisconsin Women’s Policy Institute Attachment Two: Applicant Short Responses Please type answers to the following questions. For all questions, limit each answer to 150 words. 1. In Attachment One you indicated the area(s) in which you have the deepest content knowledge on aging issues. Please describe your experience and special interest in this area. 2. Describe your personal experience advocating for issues on behalf of your community. 3. Describe your personal experience (if any) advocating with local, state or federal policy makers. 4. What resources, skills and unique experiences are you able to share with other Wisconsin Women’s Policy Institute Fellows? Page 7 of 9 Wisconsin Women’s Network ● 608-255-9809 ● [email protected] ● www.wiwomensnetwork.org 5. Describe an experience you have had working as part of a team to accomplish a project or goal. 6. What are you interested in learning if you are accepted into the Institute? How do you intend to incorporate policy advocacy into your work as you move forward in your career? 7. How will your organization or employer be able to support the time requirement for your participation in this program? 8. Is your employer or volunteer organization intending to sponsor your training with financial support? If so, at what level? Page 8 of 9 Wisconsin Women’s Network ● 608-255-9809 ● [email protected] ● www.wiwomensnetwork.org APPLICANT NAME: __________________ Last Name ______________________ First Name Wisconsin Women’s Policy Institute Attachment Three: Letter of Recommendation and Involvement This form should be completed by the applicant’s supervisor or employer. If the applicant is unemployed, or representing an organization that is not their employer, an individual from their affiliate group (e.g., volunteer organization, neighborhood association, church group) should complete this form. Please type responses if possible and limit to two pages total. 1. Please address the applicant’s qualifications to participate in the Wisconsin Women’s Policy Institute. 2. Please address the organization’s or affiliate’s capability and interest, through the applicant’s participation in the Women’s Policy Institute, to take on a greater role advocating for public policies that advance an agenda for older women in Wisconsin. Name: _____________________________ Title: ___________________________ Page 9 of 9 Wisconsin Women’s Network ● 608-255-9809 ● [email protected] ● www.wiwomensnetwork.org