Black to the Future Public Policy Institute

Black to the Future Public Policy Institute (the Institute) is a program of the Black to the Future Action Fund. The Institute is a policy advocacy and leadership training fellowship that provides community leaders the tools needed to transform Black communities into constituencies that wield independent, Black political power.

We work to enact policies that improve the lives of Black people. We work to ensure that Black people have what all people deserve–dignity, safety, and power. We work to ensure that governance in our communities is race-forward, guided by the orientation that our government is responsible for addressing the challenges in our communities, and we work to ensure that the solutions we advocate for are progressive solutions that move our communities forward.

INSTITUTE GOALS

• Transform Black communities into constituencies that wield independent political power.
• Create a network of Black policy makers across the United States.
• Improve the lives of Black people.

INSTITUTE POLICY AREAS

The Institute focuses on the following policy areas that directly impact Black communities:

• Democracy/Voting Rights: Confronting those who conspire to steal our votes, protecting and building the democracy that is promised to us all.
• Families/Public Health and Healthcare: Challenging the policies and practices that leave us living sick and dying younger, protecting and delivering the care that we need to live long and live well.
• Economy/Economic Security: Removing policies that lock us out of good jobs and investing in the health and wealth of our communities
• Structural Barriers: Procedural fixes that if achieved could increase Black political or policy power.
• Criminal/Legal: Transforming our current criminal legal and policing system.

KEY DATES 

• May 1, 2024: Application Portal Opens 
• June 5, 2024: Online Application Deadline at 8:00pm ET/5:00pm PT
• July 9 through July 11, 2024 : Candidate Interviews (with the team and Sponsoring Organizations) 
• September 17, 2024: The Institute begins. Weekly webinars (Tuesdays 1:00pm-2:45pm ET/10:00am-11:45am PT)
• April 8, 2025: The Institute concludes.
• Black Futures Lab may provide ongoing technical assistance and campaign support to teams after the Institute concludes.

For more information about the Institute, please contact: blackpolicyinstitute@civitaspublicaffairs.com