MINELRES: Call for Applications: LGI Policy Fellowships 2003/04

[MINELRES moderator]

Original sender: Petra Kovacs <kovacsp@osi.hu>


Call for Applications:
LGI Policy Fellowship 2004

Purpose
Each year LGI selects talented professionals to participate in its
one-year multinational fellowship program. Fellows work in small teams
under the guidance of a well-respected mentor to produce analytical
studies on a given topic. The mentors help build the capacity of the LGI
policy analysts and experts. The studies, which are published by LGI,
present policy options and alternatives and are geared towards the
policy-making community in fellows' respective countries. Once the
studies have been published, LGI determines the steps it can take to
support the proposed recommendations.

The project
The primary goal of the LGI Policy Fellowship program is to support
policy research aimed at stimulating innovative and practical policy
recommendations related to various areas of\ governance and the
provision of public services. Fellows are encouraged to initiate
research and to work on policy conclusions with national and local
government officials and advisers. Each year broad topics are identified
for candidates from different country groups.  LGI is currently calling
for Fellows for its 2003/2004 program, which will begin in October 2003
and end in July 2004.

II. Fellowship topics for 2003/4 

1.  Mapping the Public Policy Process: How Politics and Political Forces
Influence Policy
Mr. Julius Court, Overseas Development Institute

Fellows researching this topic will produce country case studies that
analyze how advocacy groups successfully-or unsuccessfully-influence
governmental policies in each country. Fellows will choose from one or
two major policy areas to focus on.  These can include such areas as
social or technical public services in the field of local government,
with an emphasis on new legislation, administrative reorganization, and
financial reform.  Key pieces of information that could be analytically
assessed are:

1. Who influences policy-making?  Which advocacy groups  (businesses,
minorities, other interest groups)?  Why and when can some interest
groups increase their lobbying capacity?
2. How do the various actors influence public policies?  How does the
political cycle influence policy making?
3. How are key issues put on the policy agenda?  How transparent is this
process? Are issues put on the agenda in a strategically planned or ad
hoc manner?
4. Which levels of government make the critical decisions?
5. What are the means of communication between political lobbyists and
policy makers?
6. How are policy implementation tools and methods designed?
7. Is there any post evaluation or feedback on policy actions? 

Target fellows: 
1. Policy researchers
2. Members of advocacy-oriented professional associations 
3. Government officials

Preference will be given to candidates from South Eastern Europe, the
Caucasus and Central Asia/Mongolia.

2. How can NGOs be funded in post-donor environments?
Mentor: Dr. Katalin Koncz, Executive Director, Open Society Institute -
Budapest

Research under this topic will lead to creative policy alternatives
regarding the ways in which NGOs can and should best operate in
precarious funding situations.  The output will be case studies on NGO
sustainability in reduced/post donor environments.  The studies will be
of particular interest to NGOs, donors and governments that are
operating in regions with shifting priorities and insecure sources of
funding. 
  
Different types of NGOs can be the focus of this study: community based,
grass-roots organizations; charity and philanthropic (not-for-profit)
organizations delivering public services; advocacy, watchdog and
lobbying groups; churches, etc. Analysis may focus on: (1) "de facto"
not-for-profit organizations, which for a variety of reasons are
registered as private sector entities and usually undertake a
combination of activities some of which generate a profit (usually
working commissioned by the private sector), and some of which do not
(usually working for local governments and civil society organizations),
and some which are funded by a variety of grants; and (2) of "twin"
organizations - one registered as private sector and one as NGO -- which
allow the same group of professionals/activist to be involved in
activities funded in different ways, especially to implement activities
funded by grants (several grant-giving organizations cannot give grants
to private sector entities and require proof of registration as NGOs.)

Some of the key questions and issues that should be highlighted and
elaborated are:

1. In post/reduced donor environments what are the ways in which NGOs
can sustain themselves and what are the implications of their various
transformation options?  
2. What are the most appropriate and effective ways to support NGOs?   
3. What role should voluntary contributions (charities, philanthropies,
in-kind work) play? 
4. What are the strengths and weaknesses of government actions in
sustaining NGOs (i.e. alternative tax incentives, regulatory and audit
functions, national negotiation forums, boards)?  
5. What is the result when NGOs transform themselves from grass roots
entities into private-sector entities in order to survive?  Can/should a
grass-roots culture of NGOs be maintained?

Target fellows: 
1. Members of prominent NGOs
2. Government officials dealing with civil society

Preference will be given to candidates from Central Eastern Europe and
South Eastern Europe.

III. Methods and procedures 

Grant
LGI will award successful applicants with a stipend for a period of 10
months between October 2003 and July 2004. The stipend will cover
monthly expenses related to research and travel costs. 

Eligibility
Ideal applicants are governmental officials, civil servants, members of
advocacy groups or professional associations, policy researchers and
policy advisers. A graduate degree or equivalent is required. Applicants
should be citizens of CEE, SEE, or NIS countries. As a rule, Fellows
will be based in their home countries and will be required to attend two
to three international fellowship workshops. Fellows are expected to
continue with their current employment, spending only up to fifty
percent of their time on the fellowship program. 

Methodology
LGI will group Fellows into teams of 5-7 members each, each of which
will be led by an expert mentor. Mentors will advise and supervise
Fellows in the course of the implementation of their research projects.
Mentors will also facilitate professional cooperation and communication
between members of the team. Fellows are encouraged to support each
other's work with their expertise and comments within their teams. LGI
encourages teams of fellows to develop joint or comparable research
agendas. 

Expected outcomes/ products
Fellows are expected to conduct quality research according to the
mutually accepted research protocol. As a final product, Fellows will
submit a research report that is an informative policy document.  It
will be based on recent theoretical literature and policy research
findings, and will include policy recommendations.  Teams are expected
to submit a joint report concluding their comparative results. LGI will
publish the best reports and will seek ways to work with Fellows in the
future on implementing some of their proposed policy recommendations.  

Application procedure
Step 1. Submission of the Application: 
Applications must include ALL of the following materials: 
1. Statement of interest (1 page maximum) 
2. Research proposal (1,500 words maximum) including a well-defined
research problem, topic justification, research methodology, and
expected outcomes of the research. 
3. Writing sample (English-language article published in a relevant
periodical, chapter of a book, etc) 
4. Professional CV (which includes: full name, gender, contact address,
residency)
5. The name and contact information of two people familiar with the
professional capacities of the applicant.

The deadline for submitting applications is June 30, 2003.
Late applications will not be considered. 

Step 2. Review and selection:
Each incoming application will be registered by LGI upon reception.  LGI
will check each submission to ensure that it meets the formal criteria
and quality.  LGI will assign the submission a registration number that
will be used for further reference. Submissions will be reviewed by LGI
(see timetable below). LGI may contact the applicants to verify or
request further information relevant to the Fellowship. 

Criteria for Evaluation: proposals must respond to domestic needs, be
policy-oriented, focused, creative, and theory-based but
practice-oriented 

Step 3. Feedback
All applicants will be notified by LGI of their status by July 31, 2003.

Step 4. Fellowship program
June 30, 2003                   
Deadline for submitting applications
July 31, 2003                   
Selection, notification
September-October, 2003        
Selected fellows will sign contracts with LGI 
October 1, 2003         
Fellowship program begins, Fellows initiate their research and prepare
their detailed research plan
Oct/Nov, 2003                   
Budapest Workshop 
Teams will discuss each individual research plan
and will accept a common TOR for a team report
February 20, 2004               
Deadline for first drafts
March 1-31, 2004                
"Virtual Workshop"
Mentors and members of each team discuss and 
comment on each other's first drafts through e-mail.
During the Virtual Workshop period fellows 
and mentors 
- discuss methodological issues
- develop further conceptual issues 
- finalize the comparative framework
                                              
April 2004                      
Summary of "virtual workshops": preliminary
team reports, evaluation of fellows progress
and participation in  the "virtual workshop" 
May 30, 2004                    
Deadline for full drafts of fellowship projects
June 30, 2004                   
Review of final drafts
July 31, 2004                   
Delivery of full fellowship outcome and team reports
Oct/Nov  2004                   
LGI Fellowship closing conference in Budapest

*Note: dates may be subject to minor changes.

Step 5. Follow-up
Alumni-fellows are invited to participate in various LGI initiatives
including curriculum development, technical assistance, consultancy work
and LGI publications. 

Alumni-Fellows are expected to assist new Fellows with comments and
guidance in their research as well as helping to connect institutions to
LGI. 

Applications should be submitted to: 
Local Government and Public Service Reform Initiative: lgprog@osi.hu
Please write "LGI Policy Fellowship 2003" in the subject line.
Contact Person: Angela Radosits: aradosits@osi.hu
Project Manager: Scott Abrams: ascott@osieurope.org