Compass Fellowship

The Opportunity:

North Star Civic Foundation's Compass Fellowship is a unique and dynamic learning opportunity at the nexus of data-driven public policy development and effective civic leadership. In a cohort of 8-10 peers, fellows will apply their research and analysis skills to current policy issues and learn about effective policy engagement strategies through workshops with diverse local and national community leaders. 

Over the course of 9 weeks, Compass Fellows will collaboratively define and pursue a summer research agenda. Policy research areas may include: Affordable housing and homelessness, Portland charter reform, public finance,  budgets, tax and revenue policy, generational wealth inequality, and the racial wealth gap. Each week fellows will also attend discussions with professionals and experts in the fields of public policy to learn skills and develop professional connections. This experience will equip fellows with research experience, policy concepts, leadership training, and a network of relationships.

Want to learn more about this opportunity? Curious if it aligns with your goals or interests? Please don't hesitate to reach out with questions! Email us: Apply@NorthStarCivic.org.

About North Star Civic Foundation:

Our generation faces complex and long term challenges, including essential threats to our democracy and civic life. North Star takes an entrepreneurial approach to finding solutions to these challenges, and invests our time and financial resources to accelerate change. We’re focused on democracy and shared prosperity — because we believe these are the building blocks for a hopeful future. That’s the North Star that guides our work.

Every North Star project is built on partnerships that bring together expertise across multiple communities and disciplines. Our collaborative approach helps us see big challenges in new ways and to develop innovative solutions. Backed by impartial research and cross-partisan collaborations, our projects help communities build positive change. We are proud to support nonprofit organizations based in communities of color in Oregon and other states.

Qualifications:

The ideal Compass Fellow is inspired by social justice, deeply curious, logical, and motivated to dig beyond a simple answer. Strong candidates will possess at least two years of research and analytical experience in: economics, political science, sociology, or other related fields. Familiarity with basic statistical analyses and data management software programs are a plus!

Work Hours and Location:

The Summer Compass Fellowship is designed as a 9 week program, between May 22 – July 24, 2023. The Fellowship offers a stipend of $4,700.  This program is designed as an immersive experience, with about 34 hours per week of regular meeting and workshop hours, and additional evening and weekend community and leadership engagement opportunities.

Compass Fellows will meet in-person Mondays - Wednesdays at our downtown office, with the option to work remotely on Thursdays and Fridays. Our office is located at 1016 SW Clay Street in downtown Portland, close to Portland State University and accessible by public transportation.

To Apply:

The priority application deadline is Friday, April 7, 2023. 

  • Your resume should include a bullet-point list of your skills and experience doing specific research tasks or projects.

  • In your cover letter please offer a reflection on North Star’s mission statement: “We focus on democracy and shared prosperity — because we believe that these are the building blocks  for a hopeful future.” What does this mean to you? How is it relevant to your interests in public policy and civic engagement?

Please keep your cover letter to 500 words or less. We will treat this cover letter both as your expression of interest in the fellowship and as a writing sample.