Community Partner-in-Residence Fellowship

Applicants must work at a Richmond area non-profit or public sector organization. Two employees from different non-profit organizations may apply together to work on a shared issue of focus relevant to their organizational missions.

CPiR Fellows will receive $6,000 per participant for 160 hours (20 days) of work, to be conducted either in the fall or spring semester. Payments will be made directly to the fellow(s). They will have access, including borrowing privileges, to the University’s library and all associated research databases. The CCE’s staff will foster conversations and connections between the fellow(s) and faculty, staff, and students who may be interested in the fellow’s project and/or may have specific skills, knowledge, or expertise that could be useful. If the applicant(s) have specific faculty or staff with whom they would like to collaborate, they should include that information in their application. The CCE will work with the fellow(s) in the months preceding the fellowship to establish relevant connections between the fellow and University employees so that the fellows can get started quickly once their fellowship begins. The fellow(s) will also be invited to the many CCE and University activities in support of lifelong learning, reflection, and growth.

CPiR Fellow(s) are invited into the University community as an expert and their fellowship will be spent in residence at the UR campus. The fellow(s) will be required to make one presentation of their project at a CCE-sponsored program, take part in meetings with University community-engaged faculty and/or staff as recommended, and meet with CCE staff to discuss ongoing progress and possible future collaborations. In addition, the fellow(s) may be asked to discuss their work with relevant classes and students depending on shared interests and time. Upon completion of the fellowship, the CPiR Fellow(s) will complete a formal evaluation of the fellowship and verify the hours worked.

The application for the CPiR Fellowship includes four parts:

1) A statement of interest of no more than 1000 words that includes: (a) the key question and/or issue the fellow(s) hopes to address while in residence; (b) a narrative about how the opportunity to pursue this connects with their organization(s)’s mission(s) and with their own professional development; (c) a proposal for how you think the University of Richmond’s intellectual and educational resources will be useful to your project (including faculty and staff expertise); (d) a statement of the potential outcomes, programs, or products that could arise from this work; (e) and an explanation of how the fellow(s) will present and use the outcomes of this fellowship in their organization(s). If there is a particular faculty, staff, University department, or unit applicants aim to collaborate or consult with during the fellowship, please include that information.

2) A work plan the fellow(s) will follow that includes a proposed schedule of residency for the fellowship period.

When proposing a fellowship schedule please keep the following in mind. The required 160 hours can be organized flexibly based on the demands of the organization and on the nature of the fellowship project. In developing your proposal, applicants should consider carefully what will work best for them and their organization(s). To aid the fellow(s) in prioritizing the time spent on the fellowship we suggest the following models based on successful practices elsewhere:

• A one-month intensive, with four continuous weeks dedicated to the fellowship.
• One week a month spread over four months.
• One 8-hour day per week for twenty weeks.

Please note that we will not accept schedules based wholly on half days or less.

3) Current resume(s).

4) A signed statement from their board chair or immediate supervisor signaling that appropriate arrangements will be made to cover some of the fellow’s normal job activities; expressing the relevance of the fellows’ proposed project to the organizational mission; and agreeing to the specific work plan and time schedule for the duration of the fellowship.

Proposals will be evaluated based upon clear articulation of the problem/question being addressed, feasibility for completion during the proposed time frame, and fit with the University of Richmond’s resources and expertise.

Application materials should be submitted by March 22, 2024 either via email to Derek Miller at dmiller4@richmond.edu or by mail to Derek Miller, Bonner Center for Civic Engagement, 270 Richmond Way, University of Richmond, VA 23173. Fellow(s) will be notified of the results by early April. If accepted, the fellowship period will be completed between August 26 and December 17, 2024 or between January 13 and May 3, 2025.

The University of Richmond looks forward to engaging with the Community Partner in Residence Fellow(s) as they address an important issue facing the greater Richmond community. Any questions concerning the fellowship can be directed to Derek Miller at dmiller4@richmond.edu or (804) 944-1091.