Deadline: 12-Jul-20
The Emerging City Champions is a fellowship and micro-grant program for young civic innovators with bold ideas to enhance public space, mobility, and civic engagement. This program is powered by 8 80 Cities and John S. and James L. Knight Foundation.
The fellowship is open to U.S. residents aged 19-35 with an innovative project idea and the drive to see it through in one of Knight Foundation’s investment communities. Applicants may be activists, educators, tactical urbanists, designers, artists, entrepreneurs, and more. They want diverse voices with fresh perspectives, talent, and commitment to building vibrant neighborhoods and cities.
A major part of the program is the Emerging City Champions Studio in Toronto, Canada. The three-day Studio equips participants with leadership training and practical tools to implement their community project. Champions participate in site tours, workshops, networking events, and engaging presentations by city building experts. Flights, meals, and accommodation are covered by the program.
Champions join a supportive and inspiring network of their peers from across the country. Participants receive ongoing mentorship from experts in diverse fields such as planning, design, communications, and more. 8 80 Cities and Knight Foundation will expose participants to opportunities for additional funding, professional growth, and support.
Solutions
They’re elevating new voices in city building and supporting bold projects that strengthen communities. They are looking for future city leaders with creative solutions that:
- Activate public life in public spaces
- Enhance mobility options
- Build a culture of civic engagement
- Build a culture of civic engagement
Benefits
Participants will receive:
- An immersive experience through the Emerging City Champions Virtual Learning Lab and in-person Studio in Toronto, Canada to develop leadership and project management skills such as stakeholder engagement, budgeting, and communications. Flights, meals, and accommodation are covered by the program.
- $5,000 (USD) in seed funding to implement a community project.
- Ongoing support and mentorship from city building experts.
- Access to a national network of peers and community leaders.
- Opportunities to be publicly recognized and promoted by 8 80 Cities and Knight Foundation.
Eligibility Criteria
- Applicants must live in the U.S., and they must be aged 19-35 years old at the time they apply.
- Applicants must be available to participate in an online Virtual Learning Lab on August 22 and 29, 2020, and they must be able to travel to Canada from October 23 to 27, 2020 for ECC Studio.
- Applicants must propose a community project that activates public life in public spaces, enhances mobility options, and/or builds a culture of civic engagement. The project must take place in one of the 26 communities where Knight Foundation invests. Priority will be given to projects that also address Knight Foundation’s goals in that community, OR support Knight’s Smart City Strategy.
- Applications must include a multimedia submission that describes their project (short video, poster, slideshow, blog post, visual rendering, etc.).
For more information, visit https://emergingcitychampions.org/