The Lindy Institute for Urban Innovation at Drexel University invites you to apply for one of three [3] Urban Innovation Fellowships through this brief application form. Lindy is looking for Philadelphians who are working on urban challenges at any scale – from the block to the neighborhood to the city – who would benefit from the support and the expertise of the Lindy Institute, its faculty fellows, and staff.
Fellows receive the following benefits:
- Being paired with experts who will help them think through strategies in real time during an Urban Innovation workshop from October 30 – November 1 (selected applicants should be available to participate in this event). The workshop will include site visits, work sessions and public presentations over the 3 days.
- A $15,000 award to continue to work on their project at Drexel. Fellows will receive guidance from the Lindy Institute to help determine the best use of the stipend, but they will have latitude to decide whether it be used as income or funding for implementation.
- Access to Drexel’s academic research facilities and maker spaces
- A comprehensive plan to take your project into its next phase
Applicants selected as Urban Innovation Fellows will present their proposed projects at the urban innovation workshop and be supported by multidisciplinary teams led by internationally renowned experts to develop innovative strategies to address their challenges. Applicants are encouraged to demonstrate how their challenge includes one or more of the following urbanist sectors:
- Public Space Creation/Improvement
- Creative Placemaking
- Environment/Conservation
- Historic Preservation
- Engineering/Infrastructure
- Public Health
- Public Safety
- Economic Development
- Public Art/Performance
- Transportation
- Education and Skills Development
- Entrepreneurship/Innovation
- Inclusive Growth
- Civic Engagement
- Technology
- Immigration
- Governance
- Housing
- Social Justice
Applications are due on October 6th and will be reviewed by Lindy leadership according to the following criteria:
- Authentic enthusiasm for urban problem-solving and passion for the city and its communities
- Capacity for the work to positively impact a community in Philadelphia
- Potential impact on communities as diverse as the city itself
- Likelihood to benefit from the interdisciplinary expertise of Lindy
- Could serve as a proving ground for innovative thinking and practice that can be applied elsewhere.
- Demonstrated capacity or potential for impact in previous projects
- Ability to articulate challenges as evidenced through application and optional video (A short video submission is also highly recommended, and is aimed at helping reviewers get to know more about the applicant and their project. This video should be no longer than two [2] minutes, and can be shot on any phone, hand-held device, or video camera.
Applicants are asked to fill out the online application, and will receive a confirmation email following submission, with additional questions. All applicants will be notified of their status by October 13th. Good luck!
