Cmmunity Champins Applicatin We envisin a natin in which prsperity is in reach fr all. Jin us! The Cmmunity Champin applicatin prcess is pen until Octber 19, 2018 Backgrund n the Prsperity Nw Cmmunity Prsperity Nw (frmerly CFED) is cmmitted t partnering with advcates and practitiners acrss the cuntry, seeking t create a clear path t financial stability, wealth and prsperity. The Prsperity Nw Cmmunity expands ur reach by creating strng cnnectins between thse in ur Cmmunity, mbilizing advcates t create lasting scial change. The Prsperity Nw Cmmunity facilitates learning, creates cnnectins and inspires actin t create and imprve prgrams and plicies that fster pprtunity, especially fr lw-incme cmmunities and peple f clr. Rle fr Cmmunity Champins: Cnnect and Inspire Actin Organizatins that have an active leadership and cnvening rle in their state, lcal r Native cmmunity can becme Cmmunity Champins. Cmmunity Champins are the grups Prsperity Nw turns t fr federal, state and lcal pprtunities. They re ur partners n the grund, cnvening thers arund federal, state and lcal plicy issues, sharing infrmatin and wrking t create greater wealth equity fr all. Prsperity Nw is cmmitted t building the knwledge, skills and capacity f these Champins t be even strnger and mre effective leaders. We aim t ensure that everyne has the pprtunity t: 1
T make these gals a reality fr all, and especially peple f clr and thse f lw incme, we are currently fcusing n the fllwing plicy pririties: Cnsumer prtectin including predatry lending and prtecting the Cnsumer Financial Prtectin Bureau Equitable tax refrm including turning the tax cde right side up in a way that benefits lwincme families Hmewnership including affrdable hmewnership and fair lending Prtecting the safety net including public benefit prgrams and access t savings While these are nt the nly plicy issues we care abut, they are the nes arund which we are currently fcusing ur advcacy. If yur rganizatin is willing and able t supprt and advcate n behalf f the abve issues, even if they are nt yur main pririties, we encurage yu t apply t becme a Cmmunity Champin. Fr thse nt wrking n plicy, there are ther ways fr yu t engage with Prsperity Nw thrugh ur Netwrks, which yu can learn mre abut at www.prsperitynw.rg/get-invlved. Partnership Cmmitments Cmmunity Champins will cmmit t ding tw r mre f the fllwing at least 3 times per year: Being ur pint f cntact (r cnnecting us t the right persn in yur state r lcality) n pertinent federal advcacy pprtunities fr issues related t cnsumer prtectins, husing, safety net, r tax cde equity. Opprtunities fr engagement can include, but are nt limited t: Calling r visiting yur Member f Cngress (in-district and n Capitl Hill) Participating in ther advcacy pprtunities, including sign-n letters, ffering public cmments, prviding testimny, etc. Using scial media and ther frms f cmmunicatin (letters t the editr, p-ed, blg psts) t build awareness n an issue Sharing advcacy pprtunities with yur calitin partners as they are annunced, and encuraging them t take actin via (and sign fr) ur Prsperity Nw Advcacy Center. Leading a delegatin f peers frm yur regin n peridic Capitl Hill and federal agency visits. This will happen at least every ther year at the Prsperity Summit. Signing up fr Prsperity Nw s Federal Plicy Campaign(s) based n yur area f interest and/r sending campaign infrmatin and advcacy pprtunities t yur netwrks and/r partners. Reprting annually n activities related t: yur calitins/partnerships, infrmatin sharing, advcacy, service delivery and fundraising activities. Annual reprting is required. Other pprtunities fr Cmmunity Champins t engage as leaders in the Cmmunity 1-2 times per year: Suggest tpics fr, participate in and cnsider facilitating learning grups, webinars and in-persn capacity-building wrkshps. 2
Offer perspectives and mentrship t ther partners via the listserv, learning grups, in-persn events and ther pprtunities. Share advcacy effrts, best practices and successes with Prsperity Nw staff t be featured in newsletters, nline learning pprtunities, and thrugh events. Serve in leadership rles, which might include learning grup r wrking grups facilitatr r n the Cmmunity Steering Cmmittee. 1 Engage in state and lcal plicy and advcacy. Prsperity Nw cmmits t ding 1-2 f the fllwing fr each f ur Cmmunity Champins: Raising yur rganizatinal prfile via prmtin n Prsperity Nw s website r as a guest blgger. Prviding early access t annual Screcard data and ther Prsperity Nw publicatins. Facilitating direct cnnectins fr yu t ther state, lcal and native leaders ding similar wrk. Inviting yu t participate in, and pssibly help plan, exclusive events, speaking rles at cnvenings, and advcacy training pprtunities. Offering technical assistance and ad hc advice fr yur state and lcal advcacy wrk. Deeper caching and technical assistance will be prvided t states wrking n the pririty plicy issues listed abve. Prviding access t state and natinal experts n plicy issues thrugh direct cnnectins, learning events r cnvenings. Prviding access t calitin building learning pprtunities, caching and peer wrking grups. Seeking ut resurces t supprt yur wrk and prfessinal develpment, such as schlarships t attend events r pass-thrugh dllars, as we re able t d s. This is nt a guarantee, but we cmmit t lking and trying! Let us knw what pprtunities wrk best fr yur rganizatin. 2018 Applicatin Selectin Criteria: Ideal Cmmunity Champins will: Agree t engage yur partners in federal advcacy as facilitated by Prsperity Nw (i.e. send ut advcacy alerts t yur distributin lists, encurage partners t take an actin, call r visit yur Member f Cngress, etc.), as time and capacity permits. Cnnect with yur peers at the state, lcal and/r Native level n plicy, service delivery and/r peer sharing. 1 The Steering Cmmittee is a 12-persn frmal advisry bdy fr the Cmmunity that reflects the diversity f partners in the Cmmunity. Each Cmmittee member can serve fr up t tw tw-year terms. 3
4 Engage in the Prsperity Nw Cmmunity (e.g. respnd t email requests fr feedback, psts n listserv(s), cmplete annual reprting survey, share learning activities and events with yur partners as relevant, etc.). Selectin Prcess: Applicants will be assessed based n their: Ability t engage calitin members r partners n federal and/r state advcacy Capacity t partner with Prsperity Nw and meet expectatins laid ut abve Cmmitment t leverage the Cmmunity Champin rle t advance ecnmic pprtunity Alignment with Prsperity Nw pririties and gals Imprtant Timelines: Applicatins fr Cmmunity Champin are due n Octber 19, 2018. Prsperity Nw staff will review applicatins and ntify applicants by Nvember 16, 2018. Selected Cmmunity Champins will sign a Memrandum f Understanding (MOU) by December 14, 2018. Number f Cmmunity Champins: The Cmmunity aims t have a state, lcal and/r Native Cmmunity Champin in each state, lcality r tribal area, cntingent n interest and capacity. There is n limit t the number f Cmmunity Champins in a state, lcal r tribal area. Hwever, cllabrative discussins between partners frm the same gegraphic area is encuraged. Length f Term: Cmmunity Champins cmmit t serving a tw-year term. At the end f ne term, if the Cmmunity Champin has met the cmmitments summarized abve, the rganizatin will be invited t cntinue t be a Champin fr an additinal term. Applicatin Frm and Required Infrmatin: Organizatins interested in being cnsidered fr Cmmunity Champin rles can apply in ne f three ways. 1. Apply via this survey applicatin. 2. Apply via vide respnding t the infrmatin r questins belw. Email vides t cmmunity@prsperitynw.rg. 3. Apply via phne interview, which will ask yu t respnd t the questins belw. T schedule a phne interview, email cmmunity@prsperitynw.rg. Applicatins shuld include: Name f the rganizatin r calitin applying t becme a Cmmunity Champin Name and title f cntact persn at the rganizatin, calitin Email, phne number and mailing address f applicant (rganizatin r calitin) Organizatin website URL Whether yur rganizatin r calitin s leadership (bard and executive team) is primarily made up f peple f clr. Applicants are asked t answer the fllwing questins (in the applicatin frm) in n mre than 250 wrds per respnse:
1. Why are yu interested in being a Cmmunity Champin? Hw d yu see this pprtunity aligning with yur current gals and wrk? 2. Des yur rganizatin lead a calitin seeking t advance financial capability r asset-building strategies? If yu d nt crdinate a calitin r netwrk, d yu regularly cnnect with peers t advance asset building r financial capability strategies in yur state r lcality? (If yes t either, please share the names f the calitins r netwrks yu re crdinating with and the number f rganizatins cnnected with each ne.) 3. What are yur rganizatin r calitin s tp 3-5 gals and pririties fr advancing financial security and empwerment in yur state/lcality ver the next year r tw? 4. Please share 2-3 examples f types f activities r strategies yur rganizatin r calitin has typically crdinated with thers t advance financial security and empwerment strategies. (E.g., creating a cmmn plicy agenda, creating an actin alert distributin list, creating a sign-n letter, crdinating an advcacy day r training, etc.) 5. What level f interest and ability des yur rganizatin have in partnering with Prsperity Nw n the fllwing federal plicy campaigns? Partnership activities wuld include high-level activities like writing an p-ed r visiting a member f Cngress, lw level activities like sending actin alerts t partners r signing a sign-n letter. Please indicate high, lw r nne. Cnsumer prtectin Tax refrm Affrdable husing Safety net prgrams 6. Hw des yur calitin r rganizatin wrk t advance racial equity in yur cmmunity? 7. D yu have any cncern abut yur capacity t take n this partnership rle as a Cmmunity Champin with Prsperity Nw (as previusly described)? If s, please explain. Questins abut the applicatin prcess? Cntact us at dduratinsky@prsperitynw.rg r cmmunity@prsperitynw.rg. 5