1) Who can apply?
You can apply if you fulfil the following criteria:
You are a climate advocate: at grassroot level, an NGO, an umbrella organisation, a student group, (or others!). Most important? You advocate for environmental or climate-related issues and you’re interested in increasing your impact.
You operate in at least one (if not more) EU member states and are seeking to expand your work.
2) I’m a student, am I eligible?
Students are encouraged to apply if they are part of an external organisation (such as a youth organisation, etc). University organisations are not likely to be admitted due to the turnover in participants each year and general scope of work.
3) How can I apply?
By filling in the application form available at this link. Please make your answers as complete as possible: we carefully consider each application and when responses are blank or incomplete, we have a hard time judging your work and motivation.
4) When should I apply?
As soon as possible! Applications are collected on a rolling basis until October 14th, 2022.
5) When will I hear back about the recruitment decision?
If selected for the next round (an interview), you will be notified by the third week of September. Recruitment days, i.e. interviews will take place until the end of October . Final selected applicants can anticipate a decision by early November.
6) Do we need to be formally registered to apply?
You don’t have to be formally registered as a legal entity to apply! New or informal but motivated groups are welcome.
7) Will I receive a certificate or credit for this programme?
All participants that complete the full programme will be awarded a certificate of completion, shareable on LinkedIn and other platforms. Additionally, you will join a cohort of motivated alumni and receive ongoing networking opportunities from The Good Lobby. We are not able to offer any academic credits for this programme.
8) What commitment do you expect from the participants to the Programme?
You can commit to attending all 12 trainings over the course of the programme (held online). We try to choose days and times that are convenient for the full cohort, but in return we expect participation and motivation throughout the programme even during busy periods.
You can dedicate 2-4 hours per week to the trainings, homework, and overall learning. You will come to sessions ready to contribute actively and reflect on your learning in between.
9) How many people from one organisation have to attend?
Your team should be at least 2 people. These people should be committed to attend the duration of the programme. When certain modules are of interest to other team members (communication, volunteer management, etc), you are welcome to bring additional members from your team.
10) Do I have to attend each session?
At least 2 people per organisation should be present for each session. In principle it should always be the same 2 people to ensure continuity and optimise the learning experience. Nonetheless, if you can’t make it, someone else from your team can take your place.
11) Can I apply on personal behalf rather than organisation?
Due to the organisational nature of this programme, we are working with organisations rather than individuals. We have other opportunities on an ongoing basis for individual advocates and encourage you to check our socials regularly.
12) How long does each session last?
Each session will last around 90 minutes. Sessions are scheduled every two weeks over a period of 6 months, the time slot and day will be decided trying to accommodate the preferences of selected organisations.
13) What is the format of the sessions?
This 6 months intensive online learning journey is based on peer-learning and formal and non-formal learning. You will have a chance to gain exposure to - and try out - new advocacy methods and succeed/fail in a safe environment with continuous feedback, from both the trainer and fellow peers. Sessions will take place via zoom and will be recorded. Prior or after each session participants are expected to do some homework. We strive to make the Incubator as interactive as possible, active participation is encouraged.
14) Which topics will be explored in each session?
The final programme of the Incubator will be drafted based on a needs-assessment carried out with selected organisations to make it as tailored as possible. The topics of the previous edition of the programme are as follows:
- Sustainability and Climate Change - Updates on EU policy
- System thinking and Stakeholder mapping
- Organisational strategy and organisational business model
- Managing organisations
- Advocacy toolkit
- Communication and social media for advocacy
- Coalition building - collaborating with partners
- Volunteer management
- Legal capacity and strategic litigation for climate
- Fundraising and pro bono support
15) What does “personalised mentoring” mean?
Each selected organisation will be assigned a mentor, based on its specific needs. The mentor will support the participants throughout the programme and will build on the topics discussed in the online sessions. The mentors will be selected from The Good Lobby’s pool of experts, which includes former senior EU officials, international lawyers, established academics, advocacy leaders, and public affairs consultants.
16) Why is The Good Lobby organising such an incubator?
The Good Lobby’s mission is to enhance the advocacy capacity of civil society organisations. Thus, the rationale behind the Incubator is that considering that nobody teaches you how to become an effective advocate for your cause, we want to bridge the gap by providing you with a variety of lobbying, advocacy, and organisational management tools that will be actionable and relevant to climate work.
Do you have any other questions relating to the project and the application process that are not listed above? Please contact:
sara@thegoodlobby.eu
Sara Modonesi, Project Manager at The Good Lobby
kelsey@thegoodlobby.eu
Kelsey Beltz, Managing Director at The Good Lobby