Regional Organizers for Community Change (ROCC) 2024 Fellowship Application

Apply for the Fall 2024 Regional Organizers for Community Change  (ROCC) Fellowship!

Leadership for Democracy and Social Justice (LDSJ) is pleased to launch the Fall 2024 Regional Organizers for Community (ROCC) Fellowship application. Applicants who apply by May 5, 2024 at 11:59 ET will receive priority. The final deadline is May 19, 2024 by 11:59pm ET.

What is the Regional Organizers for Community Change Fellowship?

The ROCC Fellowships is designed to give established professionals in the social justice sector an opportunity to hone their leadership skills, immerse themselves in theory and practice, and expand their network. This semester-long fellowship provides an intensive cohort experience, granting Fellows the chance to connect and build relationships across issues, take space for reflection, and prepare themselves for the next level of leadership. It offers a unique combination of academic coursework with practical skills such as management, communications, and strategy development.

ROCC was created in the recent socio-political context to provide more robust movement-building strategies in targeted regions in order to win progressive change. We believe it’s necessary to learn and collaborate across generations, identities, and experience levels. ROCC intentionally brings diverse leaders together to deepen learning, collaborate, and create a vision + strategy for their region. The program focuses on leaders working in labor, advocacy, and community organizing with anywhere from 5-15 years of experience. This year, the ROCC Fellowship will focus on leaders in Texas. 

What the Fellowship offers

  • Two week-long in-person retreats (locations TBA, will be in Texas)

    • Retreat #1: September 23-27, 2024

    • Retreat #2: December 9-13, 2024

  • Weekly virtual graduate-level class “Power & Strategy” through City University of New York (CUNY)

    • CUNY Fall 2024 Semester begins on Wednesday, August 28, 2024 and ends on December 21, 2024. The course will be held once per week between 5-8pm CT, exact day to be announced. 

    • Upon successful completion of the fellowship, Fellows will receive graduate-level credit and have the opportunity to pursue an Advanced Certificate in Organizing and Social Change through the CUNY School of Labor and Urban Studies.

  • 360 Peer Assessment and 1-1 leadership coaching 

  • Career Empowerment workshops

  • Meaningful connection amongst a cohort of peers doing social change work in Texas

  • Access to a national alumni network of movement leaders 

  • Virtual touchpoints in between retreats for workshops, mentorship, and coaching

Fellows in the ROCC Program will receive training and development on:

  • Fellows will gain tools to become better movement strategists through a deep dive into movement history, strategies for social change “from below,” and analysis of their current and future movement work. Fellows will grow their capacity to understand power structures, identify leverage points for change, and design effective strategies that align with the historical context and present realities of the Texas landscape.

  • Fellows will develop and/or deepen their skills to equitably and sustainably manage people and projects.

  • Fellows will develop skills to understand and practice well-being in movement work that will enable long-term sustainability in their personal and professional lives.

  • Fellows will gain a network and community of peers who are committed to social change work in Texas.

  • Fellows will understand and analyze historical movements and diverse worldviews, and enhance their ability to develop innovative approaches for driving social change.

  • Fellows will learn how to maintain a healthy and long-term career as a social movement practitioner. Fellows will reflect on their current role and discern opportunities for growth.

Eligibility Requirements

  • Work is based in Texas and focused on rural, neighborhood, city, county and/or statewide work.

  • Social justice leaders with 5-15 years of experience occupying roles with a focus on building power for historically oppressed communities

  • Engaged in full-time work in labor, advocacy, or community organizing networks or organizations, whether employed or volunteer

  • We especially encourage applicants from historically marginalized backgrounds such as Black Indigenous and People of Color (BIPOC), women and nonbinary people, LGBTQ+ people, and people from low-income, working class, and immigrant backgrounds.

How much does the fellowship cost?

Applicants do not have to pay to apply or participate in the fellowship. Their employers or host organizations will be asked to make a contribution on a sliding scale. Contributions are suggested – not mandatory – and do not carry weight in the application or interview process. We have robust scholarships available to all applicants.

  • Organizations with an annual budget of $5+ million = suggested amount of $750 per participant

  • Organizations with an annual budget between $2-5 million = suggested amount of $550 per participant

  • Organizations with an annual budget less than a $2 million = suggested amount of $350 per participant

Any questions about the fellowship?

Come learn about the Regional Organizers for Community Change (ROCC) Fellowship! We are hosting two virtual Info Sessions:

Can’t make it to either session? Please reach out to Riki for any questions or concerns

What’s after the application process?

LDSJ will notify applicants selected to interview via email by the end of May 2024. Applicants will interview via Zoom in June 2024. Applicants selected for the Fall 2024 cohort will be notified via email by the end of June 2024.

Apply here. Applicants who apply by May 5, 2024 at 11:59 ET will receive priority. The final deadline is May 19, 2024 by 11:59pm ET.

“I came into the ROCC Fellowship unsure and unbalanced. The end results are life changing. I am a better leader, organizer, and human.”
— ROCC Fellow, Spring '23
“This fellowship was unlike any other leadership program I’ve been part of. Grateful for the relationships built and strategy learned. Hope it can reach more organizers to really strengthen our movement”
— ROCC Fellow, Spring '23