The Institute for Local Self-Reliance (ILSR) is a national nonprofit working to empower communities by striking at the roots of monopoly power and striving toward a vision of thriving, diverse, equitable communities. We use in-depth research, reporting, and data analysis to produce influential reports and articles. Our analyses are frequently featured in national news media and sought out by policymakers. We work closely with a broad range of local community leaders, elected officials, and a diverse coalition of allies to advance these ideas and policies.

Community Broadband Organizer

ILSR is looking for an enthusiastic candidate to assist these local organizing efforts. Our Community Broadband Networks program has many resources and contacts that can dramatically accelerate local organizing efforts. This position will require frequent meetings with local groups to understand their goals and challenges, as well as organizing more general support systems like mutual-aid calls and other resources as needed. Success will mean many more communities will achieve digital equity more rapidly than would otherwise occur.

Responsibilities

• Meeting with local leaders/activists working on community broadband planning or building networks; helping to educate local efforts on common challenges, constraints, and opportunities.
• Learning about broadband technology, policy, and related state and federal tools.
• Finding alignment and opportunities in the work of allies in the field and engaging on them.
• Occasionally developing one-pagers and other basic materials with colleagues at ILSR.
• Knowing when to ignore bullet points.
• Reporting back to ILSR colleagues on trends, challenges, and creative solutions and soliciting feedback to continue helping local efforts.

A Successful Candidate

• Is an empathetic and engaged listener that can quickly understand what people in local efforts need and are struggling with.
• Is highly self-directed and driven with an appreciation of the awesome power of human networking.
• Is quick to learn new subjects.
• Possesses a genuine enjoyment of collaboration with a willingness to give and receive honest feedback.
• Passionate about the ILSR’s mission of countering corporate monopolies and building community power.
• Understands that setbacks are...

The Institute for Local Self-Reliance (ILSR) is pleased to announce that it has been selected by the American Council of Learned Societies (ACLS) as a host organization for two Leading Edge Fellowships, which demonstrates the potential of humanistic knowledge and methods to solve problems, build capacity, and advance justice and equity in society. Leading Edge Fellowships place recent humanities PhDs with nonprofit organizations committed to promoting social justice in their communities.

In Fall 2021, the program will place up to 41 recent PhDs to work on projects at partnering organizations. Fellows receive an annual stipend of $60,000, as well as health insurance and professional development funding. Fellows lead substantive projects that draw on the skills and capacities honed in the course of earning the humanities PhD, including advanced communication, research, project management, and creative problem solving. This initiative is made possible through the support of The Andrew W. Mellon Foundation.

Applications are due May 6, 2021 (9pm EDT). For more information, visit https://www.acls.org/Competitions-and-Deadlines/Leading-Edge-Fellowships

ILSR will host two fellowship positions:

PROJECT 1

Bridging the Digital Divide in Native Nations

Internet infrastructure in Native Nations has been underfunded and overlooked compared to elsewhere in the country, and the consequences have been significantly exacerbated by the current pandemic. Many of these communities have built their own broadband networks to provide essential service to their residents and assist in meeting the challenges in running small businesses, accessing telehealth, and working and learning remotely.

ILSR has compiled the only known database of existing tribal broadband networks in the United States as a step toward understanding the unique challenges those communities face. With the support of ILSR’s broadband team, the Leading...

The Institute for Local Self-Reliance (ILSR) is a national nonprofit working to empower communities by striking at the roots of monopoly power. We use in-depth research, reporting, and data analysis to work with communities as well as produce influential reports and articles. Our analyses are frequently featured in national news media and sought out by policymakers. We work closely with a broad range of allies to move these ideas and policies.

ILSR is looking for a Broadband Writer/Researcher within the U.S. to join a growing team within ILSR focused on ensuring all Americans have fast, affordable, and reliable Internet access. This person will work with Sean Gonsalves and Ry Marcattilio-McCracken to develop research as well as create short- and long-form content focused on improving Internet access both in urban and rural areas. This might seem like a dry and technical issue, but it is a vibrant and exciting field that is also one of this generation’s biggest equity and justice challenges.

Check out the job duties and skills needed below.

Job responsibilities include:

• Writing stories for MuniNetworks.org, a clearinghouse of the latest news, comprehensive reports, and statistics about community broadband networks.
• Writing and collaborating with the team on larger reports.
• Managing research ongoing on the cities and cooperative that are building networks.
• Monitoring an overwhelming number of Google alerts and other streams of information to keep track of local developments around community networks.
• Working with the team to develop and review research projects and creative efforts to share our work.

A successful candidate is:

• An exceptionally good writer with the ability to convey complex ideas in a clear and compelling way. Able to write quickly when needed.
• Able to design, undertake, and complete original research with little direction on familiar topics.
• Has experience with research and writing projects that make use of sources like news coverage, legislation, agency reports, municipal documents, etc.
• Possesses a genuine enjoyment of collaboration with a willingness to give and receive honest feedback. Skilled at helping team members improve the articles they contribute.
• Passionate about the ILSR’s mission of countering corporate monopolies and building community power.
• ...

The National Digital Inclusion Alliance (NDIA) is looking for a new Research and Policy Director to help raise awareness of digital equity issues and support digital inclusion practitioners across the country.

The position is full time and remote, with an expected salary range of $60,000 - $65,000, dependent on experience.

For more information and to apply, visit NDIA’s website. NDIA will consider applications on a rolling basis.

Position Details

According to NDIA, responsibilities of the Research and Policy Director include:

• Conducts statistical research and analysis to guide and support NDIA’s advocacy as well as affiliate development.
• Learning from NDIA’s affiliates and in collaboration with affiliates and partners, conduct and guide development of NDIA’s policy positions. Written work includes official comments to government agencies, white papers, blog posts, and guidebooks.
• Contributes to the NDIA website and social presence by publishing blog posts and assists with other communication tasks as requested.
• Participates in local, state, and national meetings and conferences.
• Speaks at events and on webinars.
• Works with partners and policymakers to identify how policies can be improved to support digital inclusion work.
• Monitors and engages on federal, state, and local policies that impact digital equity and the efforts of our affiliates.
• Speaks with media to explain on the ground digital inequities and advocate for needed policy changes.
• Support NDIA’s national conference, Net Inclusion, by helping craft the agenda, identify speakers and encourage participation.

Desired qualifications:

• Excellent communication skills, including the ability to convey technical information to a variety of audiences.
• Strong data analysis experience and skills. May include work with large datasets, GIS mapping programs, demographic studies, and similar.
• Demonstrated understanding of how to advocate for policy at the...