The German Marshall Fund of the United States (GMF), in cooperation with Cleveland State University (CSU) and Virginia Polytechnic Institute and State University (Virginia Tech) is pleased to announce the launch of the Strong Cities, Strong Communities Fellowship Program. The fellowship program, supported by a gift from the Rockefeller Foundation, is one component of the Strong Cities, Strong Communities (SC2) Initiative, a federal interagency pilot initiative that aims to strengthen neighborhoods, cities, and regions by enhancing the capacity of local governments to develop and execute economic visions and strategies. 

The fellowship program will provide pilot cities with a class of highly-skilled fellows who are committed to public service, and who will become the next generation of leaders. It will train and place highly motivated, mid-career professionals in local government agencies for a two-year (24 month) fellowship period. Selected fellows will be placed in one of the seven pilot cities: Chester, PA; Detroit, MI; Fresno, CA; Memphis, TN; New Orleans, LA; Cleveland, OH and Youngstown, OH. Fellows will receive annual stipends in the amount of $60,000 to support fellowship activities. Travel and training costs related to the fellowship program will also be covered. Fellows will begin work on or before September 1, 2012.

Fellowships are open to practitioners in the United States who have experience and expertise in economic development, public administration, community development, planning, housing, education, public finance, health, transportation, or other relevant fields, subject to the needs of each pilot city. Throughout the fellowship period, fellows will work on specific projects and will receive additional training and other support from GMF, CSU, and VT. Specifically, fellows will participate in the nationally renowned public management training academy provided by CSU’s Levin College of Urban Affairs. Fellows will also receive ongoing mentoring and support from experienced practitioners and scholars within the Levin College of Urban Affairs and Virginia Tech’s Metropolitan Institute, and will be connected to additional professional training opportunities through these institutions. Finally, fellows will have access to the German Marshall Fund’s international practitioner networks and exchange activities, including the Transatlantic Cities Network and the Cities in Transition project. 

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