William C. Richardson
Fellowship in Public Policy & Philanthropy
2007 Application
The Council of Michigan Foundations (CMF) is pleased to announce that it is accepting
applications for the 2007 William C. Richardson Fellowship in Public Policy &
Philanthropy. This paid, post-graduate experience provides a unique opportunity to gain indepth knowledge about the philanthropic sector and its interactions with state and federal
government.
Named for the outgoing president and CEO of the W.K. Kellogg Foundation, the year-long
Richardson Fellowship is open to recent graduates of master’s degree programs in public policy,
public administration, political science, or equivalent, with an interest in the philanthropic and
nonprofit fields. The Fellowship begins in the summer of 2007 and may be renewed for a second
year, given interest and satisfactory performance.
The Fellowship
The Fellowship provides an annual salary of $37,500, medical benefits, a $500 moving
allowance, and a $5,000 travel allowance. The Fellow receives two weeks paid vacation and 10
paid holidays per year.
The Fellow will report to the Vice President & COO for public policy activities and to the
President & CEO for government relations activities. Primary responsibilities include:
• Staffing the Public Policy and Government Relations Committees and affinity groups
• Planning events and conference sessions
• Writing content for CMF website
• Managing special projects
• Representing CMF at conferences and meetings
• Participating in CMF Board of Trustees, staff, and strategic planning meetings.
Please see attached Position Description for more details.
Successful applicants should have:
• Relevant work experience
• Experience and a high comfort level with playing an external relations role
• Excellent written and verbal communication skills
• Excellent research, analysis, and project management skills
• Ability to work independently and in a team, take initiative, meet deadlines, be creative, be
flexible, and juggle multiple priorities
• A good sense of humor
• A willingness to travel within the state and out of state to attend meetings and conferences
Council of Michigan Foundations
2007 Fellowship in Public Policy & Philanthropy
Page 2 of 3
Application Materials
Applications for the 2007 Fellowship in Public Policy & Philanthropy are due to Rachel Dunne
at CMF by Wednesday, January 31, 2007, at rdunne@cmif.org or One South Harbor, Suite 3,
Grand Haven, MI 49417. Applications must include:
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One-page resume detailing academic history, extracurricular activities (organizations,
honors, publications, etc.), and work experience
A 2-3 page statement of interest including:
1. Reason for your interest
2. Evidence of the required skills, capacities, and abilities including jobs, internships, etc.
3. Experience with and/or interest in philanthropy and the nonprofit sector
4. Career goals
Graduate School transcript
Three references, one of which must be from a faculty member in your program. Please list
the following for each reference: name, title, organization, work address, phone, email, and
relationship to you (i.e. “my macroeconomics professor” or “my supervisor”).
The Council of Michigan Foundations
CMF is the largest regional association of grantmakers in the nation. Its statewide membership of
over 400 family, independent, community, and corporate foundations and giving programs
represent close to 90% of Michigan’s organized philanthropic assets. CMF is headquartered in
Grand Haven and operates a second office in downtown Detroit.
CMF’s mission is to strengthen, promote, and increase philanthropy in Michigan by:
• Advocating in Lansing and Washington for a legislative and regulatory environment
conducive to philanthropy.
• Educating foundation staff and trustees about effective practice.
• Increasing organized philanthropy in Michigan.
• Leading and supporting collaborative philanthropic responses to critical needs.
• Networking Michigan grantmakers with each other and with grantseekers.
• Promoting public understanding of and appreciate for the role of philanthropy.
CMF’s public policy work is conducted under the guidance of the Public Policy Committee,
comprised of foundation leaders from across the state. The committee works in partnership with
the Office of the Foundation Liaison (OFL), the only office of its kind in the nation. The
Foundation Liaison, a member of the governor’s Cabinet, fosters and facilitates strategic
partnerships between state government and foundations focused on critical public policy issues.
Please see the attached CMF NewsWire articles and visit the Government Relations and Public
Policy areas and News Room of www.cmif.org for more information.
Council of Michigan Foundations
2007 Fellowship in Public Policy & Philanthropy
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POSITION DESCRIPTION
Position:
Reports to:
Public Policy & Philanthropy Fellow
COO and CEO
Location:
Start Date:
Negotiable
Summer 2007
Position Summary
Provide support to the Council of Michigan Foundations’ (CMF) Public Policy Committee (PPC)
and the Government Relations Committee (GRC) including:
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Coordinate activities and plan events for the PPC, GRC, and affinity groups on Land Use,
Early Childhood, Aging, K-12 Education, and Arts. Events include, but are not limited to:
briefings with state department directors, the annual Foundations on the Hill visit to
Washington for meetings with the Michigan Congressional delegation, and meetings with
legislators in Lansing.
Write content and identify additional materials for the public policy and policymakers areas
of the CMF website.
Manage special projects, such as a white paper on early childhood for new legislators.
Develop public policy sessions for the CMF annual conference, working with CMF
members, experts, and policymakers. (The annual conference is the largest regional gathering
of grantmakers in the nation.)
Participate in PPC, GRC, and affinity group meetings and events, the CMF annual
conference, meetings with funders and state or federal officials in Lansing and Washington.
Represent CMF at state and national conferences and meetings.
Conduct research on select public policy issues.
Present reports to the CMF Board and staff.
Contribute to the development of CMF’s annual strategic plan.
Minimal Qualifications for the Position
Successful candidate must be a recent graduate of a master’s program in public policy, public
administration, political science, or equivalent, show interest in the nonprofit and philanthropic
sectors, and have the following:
• Skills: external relations, project management, research, analysis, and excellent written and
verbal communication skills
• Characteristics: quick learner, self-starter, creative problem solver, detail oriented, good
sense of humor, flexible, well-organized, and committed to meeting deadlines
• Abilities: works well independently and in a team