Interfaith Civic Leadership Academy
Application, Eligibility, and COVID Safety
Eligibility:
The Interfaith Civic Leadership Academy is open to clergy members, lay leaders, and faith-based activists from all religious communities (including secular humanist congregations) in and around New York City. We expect to work with 15 fellows in the 2024-2025 Leadership Academy.
We are particularly interested in working with emerging faith leaders — with individuals who have some past experience in community leadership or social activism, but could still benefit from ICLA trainings. The program is not a “master class” for seasoned faith leaders.
We are particularly interested in working with faith leaders from historically marginalized or underserved religious communities, who may have less access to training and professional development within their own faith community.
We welcome applications from immigrant faith leaders, regardless of immigration status. English proficiency is required, however — unfortunately we cannot offer translation services.
We welcome applications from faith leaders working on a wide range of social justice issues — whatever you feel is most important for your faith community and/or other New Yorkers.
COVID Safety Policies:
Our first priority in planning the Interfaith Civic Leadership Academy is the health and safety of our ICLA fellows, ICNY staff, and our guest speakers and trainers.
In order to meet in person as safely as possible COVID vaccination is required for all ICLA fellows, with the exception of fellows who have documented medical conditions that preclude vaccination. If you are admitted to the Leadership Academy, you will be required to show proof of vaccination or medical exemption prior to the first workshop meeting.
We do not expect to require masking, screening tests, or other COVID safety measures during ICLA workshops. However, in the event of a “COVID surge” we will adjust our policies as needed, following the CDC and NYC DOH guidelines.
Please contact us if you have any questions about our COVID safety policies.
Support for Fellows:
ICLA fellows will receive a $500 personal stipend, to honor the time commitment required by the program, and cover any expenses associated with participation. Stipends will be paid in two installments, at the beginning and end of the program.
Upon approval of a modest written grant proposal, ICLA fellows will receive $500 in grant funding to support the community project they develop during the program.
Application Process:
Applications from potential fellows are due by the end of the day on Friday, October 25. We will notify applicants of our admissions decisions by the end of October. The ICLA workshop series will begin on Tuesday evening, November 12.
Before you apply, be sure to review the full schedule of ICLA workshops. Barring unforeseen circumstances, fellows must commit to full participation in the program.
To apply, please complete the Google Form below. If you can’t complete the online form for any reason, please contact us and we’ll figure something out. (Some applicants have reported problems submitting the form with a Firefox web browser. Please let us know if you face this problem – we don’t want technical difficulties to stand in the way of your application!)
The application form requires:
- your contact information, organizational affiliation, and religious identity
- thoughtful paragraph answers to three questions about your community work, background, and interests
- the names and contact information of two references familiar with your community work
Thank you for sharing this information, which will help us create a diverse learning community for the 2024-2025 Interfaith Civic Leadership Academy.
