Q: What is the goal of Leadership for a Changing World?
A: Leadership for a Changing World seeks to recognize, strengthen, and support leaders, and to highlight the importance of leadership in improving people’s lives. The program seeks to confirm that resourceful leaders are bringing about positive change in virtually every community. Together with these leaders, Leadership for a Changing World hopes to facilitate a new dialogue about community leadership, one that encourages others to appreciate that leadership comes in many forms and from many different communities.

Q: Who is eligible to be nominated for a Leadership for a Changing World award?
A: Community-based leaders who are addressing tough social issues, but are not yet widely known outside of their own immediate communities, are eligible to be nominated. Nominees must be U.S. residents working on domestic issues, but U.S. citizenship is not required. They must have been working in the area for which they are being nominated for at least four years.

Q: What do you mean by "communities"?
A: "Communities" is defined very broadly – as geographic (such as towns, cities, states, regions); issue-based (such areas as economic and community development, human rights, the arts, education, human development, sexual and reproductive health, religion, media, and the environment); or affinity-based (such as racial/ethnic, religious, sexual orientation, ideas, and values).

Q: Can I nominate myself, a team of which I am a member (e.g., Board of Directors), or someone from my own organization?
A: Self-nominations and nominations from within the nominee’s organization are not accepted. It is necessary to find an individual outside of the nominee’s organization or its board (who can attest to the qualifications of the leader or leadership team) to serve as your nominator.

Q: What is meant by "shared leadership"?
A: Shared leadership can take many forms, such as co-directorships, private-public partnerships, coalition leaders, and collectives. To qualify for an award, nominees must share responsibility for the governance or direction of an initiative. Leaders who collaborate closely with colleagues and support their work but do not share leadership responsibilities should be nominated as individual leaders. Please note that if a shared leadership team of more than four (4) members is awarded, only four members will be able to participate in Program-Wide Meetings.

Q: Why does Leadership for a Changing World only recognize relatively "unknown" leaders?
A: Leaders are bringing about positive change in virtually every community, but many are not recognized outside of their immediate community or field. These unrecognized leaders would benefit most from the resources offered by Leadership for a Changing World. Telling the stories of these unrecognized leaders will highlight that leadership is manifest in community after community, is important in improving communities, and may inspire others to believe that positive change is possible.

Q: What if my nominee works extensively with more than one issue area?
A: If more than one issue area applies to the nominee, we ask that you identify a primary issue in four words or less and list the other issues as secondary.

Q: Does my nominee's issue area have to be one of the eleven listed in the nomination brochure?
A: The issue areas of interest to Leadership for a Changing World include, but are not limited to economic development; community development; environment and environmental justice; human rights; citizen participation and government accountability; education reform; religion and social change; arts and social action; access to media, including new technologies; human development; youth development; and sexual and reproductive health. All nominations of leaders tackling tough social issues will be considered.

Q: My nominee is well known and recognized in her/his community. Is s/he eligible?
A: Yes. Effective leadership does not occur in isolation. All successful nominees should have some level of recognition within their community or field. Leadership for a Changing World is looking for leaders who are well known and respected within their immediate community or field, but not with the wider public. If you are uncertain whether your potential nominee is well known outside his/her community, please proceed to submit a nomination.

Q: My nominee has previously received a major leadership award. Is s/he eligible?
A: Because the program is targeted to leaders who are not recognized outside of their immediate community or field, if candidates have already participated in national leadership programs or received significant leadership awards, the impact of those awards on their broader public recognition will be evaluated during the selection process.

Q: Can leaders living in the U.S. but working on international issues, or leaders living in another country, be nominated?
A: While we realize the critical importance of people working on non-domestic issues here in the U.S. and abroad, at this time nominees must be U.S. residents working on domestic issues.

Q: My nominee could be nominated as an individual leader or as part of a shared leadership group. Which nomination would increase his/her chances of being selected as an awardee?
A: Leadership for a Changing World recognizes the critical importance of both forms of leadership. The nomination should be based on what best reflects the form of leadership in which the nominee is most engaged and effective.

Q: Can a volunteer be nominated?
A: Yes, if s/he meets the other criteria.

Q: Can business and/or government leaders be nominated?
A: Business and/or government leaders can be nominated if they work with community members on a community problem and demonstrate the qualities of leadership identified by Leadership for a Changing World.

Q: When is the nomination period?
A: For the 2004-2005 search, nomination forms are available beginning October 11, 2004. Nominations must be completed and received at the Advocacy Institute office (1629 K St., NW, Suite 200, Washington, DC 20006-1629) by 5 p.m. (EST) on January 7, 2005. Late nominations will not be reviewed.

Q: Can I submit my nomination by email or fax?
A: All nominations must be mailed to the Advocacy Institute. Nominations submitted by fax or email will not be accepted.

Q: Do I need to answer all of the questions?
A: All of the information requested is pertinent to our selection process. Incomplete nominations will not be reviewed. Please review the checklist found in the nomination packet before mailing the nomination.

Q: What happens if more than one nomination for a nominee is received?
A: Only one nomination per nominee will be considered. If more than one nomination is received, the nominee will be asked to choose which nomination goes forward.

Q: How many awards will be made?
A: 17 individuals and leadership groups are to be recognized in each of the following years: 2003, 2004, and 2005. 20 leaders and leadership groups were recognized each year in 2001 and 2002. Since shared leadership groups will be recognized in addition to individual leadership, many more than 17 leaders will be recognized each year.

Q: What is the timetable and process for selection?
A: The selection process is led and managed by the Advocacy Institute. Leadership for a Changing World involves a seven-month, multi-level selection process. A wide range of social justice leaders serve as reviewers for the process. The multi-tiered review process will involve site visits and reference checks, as follows:

1. Nominations must be completed and received by the Advocacy Institute office (1629 K St., NW, Suite 200, Washington, DC 20006-1629) by 5 p.m. (EST) on January 7, 2005. Nominations will only be accepted by mail. Nominations submitted by email or fax will not be accepted. Incomplete and/or late nominations will not be considered.
2. After an administrative pre-screening by the Advocacy Institute staff, nominations will be reviewed and recommended to the six Regional Selection Committees. These nominees will be requested to submit an essay describing their work and accomplishments to the Advocacy Institute by Spring 2005.
3. The Regional Selection Committees will review and recommend approximately 29 nominees for further consideration. Site visits with the National Semi-Finalists will be conducted by early Summer 2005.
4. Based on these site visits and additional information, the National Selection Committee, the Advocacy Institute, and the Ford Foundation will review and select the 17 awardees by mid-Summer 2005.
5. The first meeting of awardees will take place in October 2005 in New York. Leadership for a Changing World reserves the right to modify the criteria and procedures herein as the program deems necessary.

Q: What is the selection based on?
A: Selection is based on a combination of factors, including the critical nature of the social problem being addressed, the leadership characteristics exhibited by the nominee(s) addressing that problem, and evidence of a concrete track record of achievement in that area. Leadership for a Changing World reserves the right to modify these criteria and procedures as the program deems necessary.

Q: Does being a past or present Ford Foundation grantee have an effect on the selection process?
A: Status as a present or past grantee of the Ford Foundation is not a relevant factor in the selection process.

Q: What are the program-wide meetings? How will the program-wide meetings benefit the awardees? Is attendance mandatory?
A: Leadership for a Changing World believes that bringing awardees together twice a year will serve as a critical leadership enhancement and support activity. For this reason, attendance at all program-wide meetings is mandatory. Designed and facilitated by the Advocacy Institute, the program-wide meetings will provide opportunities for shared learning, networking, and collaboration among awardees and with other leaders. Awardees may use these sessions to consider their leadership and program challenges, explore new opportunities to develop their programs, and deepen our understanding of community leadership. Awardees will be invited to serve on a planning committee to help design these meetings.

Q: What is the research and documentation component?
A: Leadership for a Changing World invites awardees to become co-researchers in an effort to capture living knowledge of their experiences of social change leadership. The goal is to build a broader understanding of community leadership that helps bring more support to the kind of community-based efforts that Leadership for a Changing World awardees are leading. The research and documentation effort creates opportunities for awardees to engage in conversations, reflections and inquiry that deepen the collective understanding of their leadership practices and that produce new knowledge grounded in experience.

Q: Who are the researchers?
A: The Robert F. Wagner Graduate School of Public Service at New York University is the research and documentation partner for Leadership for a Changing World. Sonia Ospina, sociologist and Associate Professor of Public Management and Policy, leads a core research team at the Wagner School. This team invites awardees to become co-researchers and engages multi-disciplinary research partners from other institutions as the work progresses. An Advisory Committee comprised of academics and practitioners from institutions across the country supports the work of co-research.

Q: How will awardees be involved in the research and documentation process?
A: The voices of the awardees have a powerful influence in shaping the emerging understanding of how leadership happens in their communities. The program embraces the notion that a collaborative relationship between practitioners and university researchers can best help the goal of capturing and disseminating living knowledge about leadership for social change. Actively helping to co-produce this knowledge, the Leadership for a Changing World awardees are partners who can choose from various levels of involvement in the research and documentation process.

Q: Is this a one-year effort or a continuing program?
A: Originally a six-year program, Leadership for a Changing World has been extended to an eight-year program. Awards are carried out over a two-year period. Awardees are to be selected annually, in 2001, 2002, 2003, 2004, 2005.

Q: What is the monetary award?
A: In addition to the $100,000 award, Leadership for a Changing World provides $15,000 Independent Learning Accounts that can be used by awardees for activities that strengthen their work and leadership. Awardees are encouraged to use these funds to look at new ways to approach their work, develop new projects or initiatives, explore new collaborations, build new skills, or reflect on and document lessons and strategies. The Independent Learning Account can be spent down as new opportunities arise throughout the course of the program. The funds will be made available to the awardees' nonprofit charitable organization with 501(c)(3) status or their fiscal agents.

Q: How can the $100,000 program award be used?
A: Awardees may apply the $100,000 award toward any activity (permissible under the 501(c)(3) tax code) that supports and furthers the work for which they are being recognized. This might mean developing a new initiative in the area in which they are already working, further supporting on-going initiatives, or developing an effort that grows out of their focus but represents a new endeavor not yet in place. These resources may also be used for capital/equipment purchases that are necessary for the leaders' efforts, such as the purchase of computers. In most instances, capital expenditures will be limited to 20% of the award. The award can also be applied to the development of materials or other communications activities that would further the awardees’ efforts. Awardees will develop a plan for the use of the award at the beginning of their two-year program period with Leadership for a Changing World, which will include a clear approach for sustaining the activities being supported beyond the two years.

Q: How can the $15,000 Independent Learning Accounts be used?
A: The Independent Learning Accounts will be available to awardees during the 2-year program to strengthen their leadership in the context of their program's goals, purpose, and relevance to their work. Awardees are encouraged to use these funds to look at new ways to approach their work, develop new projects or initiatives, explore new collaborations, build new skills, or reflect on and document lessons and strategies. Effective uses for funds will be identified by the awardees and approved by the Advocacy Institute. Examples of how these funds might be used include site visits to "best practice" programs, engaging mentors, covering the cost of a staff planning retreat, pooling resources with other awardees interested in developing a common initiative, or for special staff development activities. It is not intended for formal education, such as a graduate degree. Awardees will be expected to define uses of these funds during the course of the two-year program.

Q: How are the funds paid?
A: Award funds are dispersed in two increments by the Advocacy Institute. For the 2004 class, the first half of the program funds ($50,000) are to be dispersed upon receipt and approval of the awardees' program plan and budget (Fall 2004). Upon receipt of the interim narrative and financial report, the balance ($50,000) will be dispersed in Fall 2005. The awardees will spend down the Independent Learning Accounts over the two-year period by submitting payment requests to the Advocacy Institute as needed.

Q: What are the reporting requirements?
A: Awardees will be required to submit an interim narrative and financial report on their program activities to the Advocacy Institute in order to receive their second installment of $50,000. At the end of the two-year program period, a final narrative and financial report must be submitted for their program activities, including the Independent Learning Accounts.

Q: Is the monetary award taxable?
A: Since the funds are dispersed directly to 501(c)(3) designated organizations, the award funds are not directly taxable. If a portion of the funds is used for salaries, income tax regulations would apply.

Q: What if the awardee is not directly affiliated with a 501(c)(3) organization?
A: The Advocacy Institute will work with unaffiliated awardees to identify appropriate 501(c)(3) designated organizations within the awardees' own networks to act as fiscal agents.