The most successful partner applications include specific projects and responsibilities and clearly articulate the contributions a Project 55 Fellow can make to your organization within a position description. Applicants are eager to see how your organization centers equity and justice in its impact and culture, what they will learn from working with your organization, and how they can grow professionally and personally in each role. Robust responses to our application items will be more engaging for Fellows and will require less back and forth between Partner Organizations and our Program Manager. The more detailed information you provide in your application, the better our team’s ability to find you the right Fellow!

Here are some questions to consider as your team crafts the description and your application:

• Who will the Fellow be directly reporting to and supporting?

• What will the onboarding process for the Fellow look like?

• What supports are in place for the Fellow as they take on this role?

• What skills might a Fellow expect to develop while working in this role?

• What makes this role important to your team’s structure?

• Are the salary and benefits offered for the role similar compensation to your other entry level staff?

Tip: When responding to questions, we encourage partners to include collateral from their organization. Consider linking impact reports and other materials that demonstrate community impact and community accountability.

Partner organizations can apply to host Fellows for full-time employment positions only.  Positions may be for 1 year or up to 2 years based on the organization’s needs. Partner organizations seeking intern, part-time, or solely administrative positions are not eligible to host a Fellow.

Fellowship applicants will have access to a directory of possible partner organization positions throughout the application process. In order to attract the most qualified candidates, Princeton AlumniCorps strongly encourages partner organizations to submit their position well in advance of the deadline. As you consider your application and where a Fellow will fit best on your team, you can schedule a one-on-one with Princeton AlumniCorps Program Manager. The Program Manager can help you refine your position description and answer any questions you have around the application process and Fellowship programming.

Partner organizations may also change and review their position description(s) before the funding confirmation deadline. A google form will be shared out with partner contact to confirm the position is still available. Should there be any changes to the position, such as responsibilities, work environment, etc, they may be noted on the form.

Misrepresentation (e.g., dishonesty about the information provided in your application materials) is unethical and unacceptable. Any misrepresentation will result in a withdrawal from our program and ineligibility for re-applying.

‍Questions to consider:

• Will the Fellow’s advertised position match the Fellow’s work throughout the entire year?

• If their role is expected to shift from what was originally submitted, is this indicated in the description?

• If it is not indicated, how will the Fellow be supported in this transition?

• Will this position provide full-time, rewarding work that is not primarily administrative tasks?

After a high-touch recruitment process facilitated by Princeton AlumniCorps, your organization will receive a referred candidate pool. Partner organizations will receive the following materials from their referred candidates:

• A Project 55 application (this will include the Fellow’s contact information, top areas of interest, skill sets, etc)

• Resume

• Transcript if requested

• One letter of recommendation

• Organization specific pre-interview question responses

After a high-touch recruitment process facilitated by Princeton AlumniCorps, your organization will receive a referred candidate pool. When conducting referrals, Princeton AlumniCorps considers the following:

• The Fellow’s interests

• The Fellow’s skill sets and experiences

• The partner organization’s and position’s needs

• The partner organization’s work culture and environment

As Princeton AlumniCorps manages an intentionally, thorough vetting process, partner organizations are expected to provide a minimum of a 20-minute interview to all of their referred candidates.
For further interview processes, that will depend on the partner’s hiring practices. Should bandwidth become limited for your team and you can not meet this requirement please let us know as soon as possible.

‍If bandwidth is a concern, the following is expected

• Reach out to the candidates that will be declined interviews to notify them of their status.

• Alert our Program Manager at sfrancisco@alumnicorps.org that not all candidates can be interviewed, so our team can update our records.

Princeton AlumniCorps facilitates the offer process and communicates with both candidates and partners about offer updates. Though Princeton AlumniCorps strives to learn as much as possible about each organization and role and then refer candidates that are uniquely qualified for placement at an organization, partners are under no obligation to extend an offer to any Project 55 applicants they interview.

‍Partner organizations should not share their offer decisions with candidates directly.
‍Offers should go directly to the Program Manager who then extends an offer to the Fellow(s) on the organization’s behalf. It is expected that the partner organization share an offer letter with the Program Manager that outlines the salary and benefits package for the Fellow. The partner organization may also identify the best contact for additional questions the Fellow may have, as well as to express their excitement. Then the Program Manager will extend those offers via email to the candidates and cc the partner contact.

‍What if I find multiple great candidates?
‍Princeton AlumniCorps understand that partner organizations may find several candidates a good fit for their team. Should this happen, you may note this in your offer communication to our Program Manager.Partners also have the option of cascading an offer, where they rank their selected candidates in order of preference. For example, an organization may share their top three candidates. The first candidate would be extended the offer. Should they decline the offer, then an offer would be extended to the next candidate (if available), and so on.

‍What happens is a candidate accepts or declines an offer?
‍Candidates will have a 7-day window to accept or decline an offer; within this window, it is a norm that candidates may reach out directly with offer-specific questions, request to connect to a former Fellow, etc. Princeton AlumniCorps and our partner organizations are invested in providing a supportive application and offer process

‍If a candidate accepts your offer:

• The Program Manager will reach out to your organization’s contact with the accepted offer.  Candidates are expected to withdraw from all other interviews and organizations are expected to notify their remaining candidates that the position has been filled. Once a partner’s position is filled and a Fellow placed within the organization, remaining candidates should be notified of their status.

• Along with the acceptance notification, the following will be shared via email:
  
  Both the organization contact and the Fellow will be connected via email for onboarding facilitation. Partner organizations may collaborate with their Fellow to tailor the role even further based on the Fellow’s interests, skills, and the partner team’s needs.
  
  A Fellows Guide will be shared for the Fellow to review and complete necessary Fellowship Documentation
  
  A Partnership Agreement will be provided that is required documentation to be completed and submitted to Princeton AlumniCorps
  

‍If a candidate declines your offer:

• If there are cascading offers and remaining candidates, the Program Manager will alert you that they will proceed with your next preferred candidate.

• If there are no cascading offers, the Program Manager will share an update with you and check in about next steps.

A note on rescinding offers:
‍By accepting an offer, candidates are making a commitment to our program and our partner organizations. Princeton AlumniCorps spends significant resources and time in their effort to select candidates and issue placement offers with both candidates and our partner organization’s needs in mind. While rare, circumstances have presented themselves around Fellow’s ability to continue with a Fellowship placement:

• Their well-being and medical needs

• Family and personal circumstance

• Career prioritization

If this occurs, the candidate must email the Program Manager and cc the Partner Organization contact to explain the reasons for their actions. Princeton AlumniCorps will do our best to find another candidate for your team and can also share the position within our wider network. Please scroll down to the bottom of the page to see FAQ on partners withdrawing a position.

Partner Organizations are making a commitment to Princeton AlumniCorps and our Project 55 Fellows as they join your team and serve your communities. The following offer expectations for Fellow supervisors as well as questions to consider for partner organizations wanting to host a Fellow.

‍Clear Onboarding: A clear onboarding process provides a supportive and smooth transition into the organization. Fellows should be onboarded as full-time employees and provided dedicated opportunities to connect with their team and supervisor. Some questions to consider:

• How can I set my Fellow up for success with the onboarding timeline?

• Are there required government agency forms (ex: fingerprinting) or other services that require certain time lines and in person attendance? How will this impact a Fellow’s need to relocate and their timeline, if applicable?

• How are we ensuring that Fellow’s are joining the team as full-time employees, not contractors, to avoid tax implication and PTO accrual issues later in the year?

• What guides and other resources are available to help the Fellow acclimate to their role and responsibilities? Other than their supervisor, who within the team can they direct questions to?

Supportive Supervision: Supportive supervisors are committed to guiding Fellows in their roles. Supervisors facilitate the Fellow’s inclusion in the general social culture of the organization. Some questions to consider:

• What person or team will the Fellow be supporting and receiving guidance from throughout their year?

• How will the Fellow’s supervisor show interest in ensuring that they have had a rewarding experience? What mechanisms for feedback are in place for both the Fellow and the supervisor?

• What space have you created for a regular check in that allows the Fellow to receive direction, offer insights, and also ask questions about their role and growth?

• How will the Fellow feel valued within a collaborative team?

Professional Development Related Consideration: Partner Organizations are invested in fostering our Fellows’ curiosity and growth and are excited to connect Fellows to opportunities that align with their interest in career trajectory. Some questions to consider:

• What funds, opportunities, or resources are available to our team and Fellow for their professional development?

• Are there any informal mentors you can identify that may be interested in connecting with your Fellow?

• What conversations will you lead with your Fellow around their passions and interests that may help identify other projects and initiatives they can support?

Challenges and Advocacy: Should any challenges arise around your Fellow and team experience, please connect with our Program Manager. We have a check-in process and can offer further check-ins, resources, and potential group calls as needed to ensure everyone feels supported. Some questions to consider:

• Is your Fellow provided sufficient resources and guidance for them to perform their role?

• What mechanisms are in place to provide constructive feedback for Fellows around their performance?

• Are there opportunities for reflection on the organization’s work culture?

• What process is in place to address any harm experienced? Does it center and support the person harmed?

Attentive Supervision: Our partner organizations provide attentive and supportive supervision to our Fellows from the beginning to the end of their Fellowship. Attentive supervision from our partners looks like:

1. Onboard your Fellow to your organization and help them make the transition from college to a working environment. Support them and offer guidance with any onboarding, role expectations, and other questions.

2. Meet regularly with your Fellow to provide specific check-in time – this may be weekly or every other week. Include your Fellow in general team meetings.

3. Provide your Fellow with feedback and opportunities for improvement.

4. Conduct mid-year and year-end review for the Fellow even if this is not required by human resources.

5. When possible, assign a Fellow an in-house mentor.

Meaningful Work: Our partner organizations provide our Fellows meaningful work that connects them to the mission while making them feel like a valued member of your team. Meaningful work from our partners looks like:

1. Assign challenging and rewarding work to the Fellow, not just administrative work.

2. Include at least one mission-critical project by the second half of the Fellowship.

3. Provide Fellow with ownership over project(s).

4. Expose Fellow to how your organization operates.

Professional Development: Our partner organizations are also invested in the professional growth of our Fellows throughout their year and beyond. Professional Development from our partners looks like:

1. Orient Fellow to your organization, field, and community.

2. Provide in-house resources for their continued growth in their role.

3. Introduce Fellow to professional networks and professional/leadership development opportunities.

4. Discuss next professional steps with your Fellow (graduate school, another job, etc.).

Respectful Partnership: Our partner organizations partner with Princeton AlumniCorps and host Fellows in a respectful approach that aligns with our commitments to equity and justice. A respectful partnership looks like:

1. Complete all required paperwork in a timely manner, including organization profiles, position descriptions, and evaluations.

2. Meet Project 55 Fellowship Program salary and insurance requirements.

3. Allow Fellows to prioritize participation in Project 55 Fellowship Leadership Programming, including working with the Fellow to ensure that they have banked sufficient PTO for the Fellows’ retreat (March 2022). These take place within the workday and Fellows can best engage when provided a private, confidential space to experience these sessions.” change to “Allow Fellows to prioritize participation in Project 55 Fellowship Leadership Programming. These take place once a month within the workday and Fellows can best engage when provided a private, confidential space to experience these sessions.

4. Partner organizations create a culture of belonging and authenticity of self in the workplace and are proactive in how Fellows and their team are impacted by inequitable attitudes, behaviors, and policies.

5. Partner organizations treat Fellows as trusted team members so they are able to take time off to prioritize their mental health and physical wellbeing throughout the year.

6. Princeton AlumniCorps can collaborate with partner organizations to ensure that Fellows and partner organizations feel supported throughout public health, mental health, and other emergencies.

‍Fellowship Salaries are directly paid to the Fellow via our partner organizations. Princeton AlumniCorps does not fund Fellowship positions or pay Fellows directly. Method of payment and frequency will be determined by individual partner organizations. These salaries are for a full-time, 12-month position.

‍Our Partner Organizations are required to pay the minimum salary, although if you have the capacity, we encourage them to offer a more competitive salary.