Economic Recovery Corps Fellowship - AK

Overview

The Economic Recovery Corps Fellowship provides experienced, impact-driven professionals an opportunity to address critical challenges in under-resourced communities throughout the country to advance new ways of doing economic development that promotes transformative change and leads to a more just, equitable, and sustainable economy for all. This position offers a chance to step into a dynamic role as the fellowship enters an exciting new phase. The selected candidate will build on the progress of the past 14 months, contributing to ongoing projects while forging new opportunities to drive systemic change.

You might be a good fit if…

• You are looking to do something impactful, substantive, and transformative while growing as a professional.
• You get excited about the idea of joining and building a nation-wide network of innovators to change the system and create new ways of doing economic development where no one gets left behind.
• You seek opportunities that allow you to develop new knowledge and practices that can shape the next generation of economic development practitioners and community-builders.
• You seek to work with and engage stakeholders from diverse backgrounds to build effective coalitions.
• You’re known for being somewhat of a disruptor or change agent within your network — as well as a connector – bringing the right people together to get things done.

Role

• Project Focus: Develop and implement a regional economic development framework to enhance local capacity, connectivity, and access to federal resources for rural and remote communities in Alaska.
• Target Communities: Support under-resourced communities in Southeast, Western, Northwestern, and Interior Alaska, including the City & Borough of Yakutat, Kusilvak & Bethel Census Areas, Nome Census Area, Northwest Arctic Borough, and Yukon-Koyukuk Census Area.
• Key Objectives:
  • Strengthen the capacity of rural communities to access and implement economic development initiatives.
  • Enhance intergovernmental coordination and resource-sharing across underserved regions.
  • Support local economic development planning and strategy execution.
  • Expand opportunities for communities to leverage federal and state resources for economic growth.
• Core Activities:
  • Conduct research on economic disparities and community needs in rural Alaska.
  • Work with the City & Borough of Yakutat to assess and replicate successful economic development strategies.
  • Build relationships with local governments, Tribal organizations, and economic development stakeholders.
  • Develop a regional economic development toolkit or model for community planning and strategy execution.
  • Identify and document barriers to accessing economic development resources and propose solutions.
  • Facilitate connections between communities and potential funding sources, including federal grant opportunities.
  • Establish data collection and evaluation systems to track progress and refine strategies.
• Expected Outcomes:
  • Increased local capacity for economic planning and development.
  • Greater connectivity and collaboration between regional stakeholders and government entities.
  • A replicable framework for economic development initiatives tailored to Alaska’s rural communities.
  • Expanded access to federal and state resources for economic growth.
  • Sustainable partnerships that foster long-term economic resilience in disadvantaged regions.

Requirements

Ideal ERC fellows will have a bachelor’s or associate degree, a minimum of five years of professional experience in a manager-level role, an entrepreneurial mindset, be able to learn on the fly, think and communicate across multiple disciplines, and be natural ecosystem-builders / connectors. While these qualifications give us a good sense of an applicant’s preparation, we will also consider other types of work, volunteer, or education experiences that are equivalent to these minimum requirements.

You must have existing U.S. work authorization for the entirety of the program without any need for visa sponsorship.

The following characteristics and skillsets are easy descriptors of who you are:

• Collaborative
• Service-oriented
• Ethical
• Curious
• Persuasive
• Creative problem-solver
• Resilient
• Tech-savvy
• Strategic
• Adaptable
• Empathetic
• Culturally competent
• Compassionate
• Facilitator
• Networker / Relationship Builder
• Disruptor / Change Agent

Underscoring all these characteristics is a genuine desire to contribute to the greater good.

Fellowship Features

• High-Impact Field Experience
• The fellowship began 14 months ago and continues for 16 months, with the opportunity to join the program as we move into an exciting new phase.
• $7,500 per month for up to 16 months
• $10,000 post-fellowship readjustment stipend
• Mentorship opportunities with experienced community and economic development leaders
• Action research capstone project in partnership with your host organization
• Leadership and Professional Development
• Access to professional development opportunities, including a stipend of up to $27,500 for travel expenses, annual in-person training retreats, and access to up to two conferences per year hosted by IEDC or one of the ERC partners
• An opportunity to pursue certification to become a Certified Economic Developer (CEcD) and/or Entrepreneurship Development Professional (EDP), for those who are interested in classes and sitting for the exam(s).
• Expanded Network
• Monthly Community of Practice engagements with a sub-cohort of peers led by one of the six ERC partners.
• Quarterly virtual peer learning and network exchanges with the entire Fellow cohort.
• Access to ERC Partners’ nationwide network of industry leaders, more than 23,000 partner organizations, and ongoing support, collaboration, and professional opportunities through IEDC’s 4,500+ member network.
• ERC fellows are independent contractor professionals and will be required to sign an independent contractor agreement with the International Economic Development Council before beginning the fellowship. ERC fellows must meet all requirements for independent contractor status under federal and state laws applicable to their work location in order to be eligible for this fellowship.
• Disbursement of the annual and post-fellowship stipends are contingent upon fulfillment of contractual requirements and completion of the ERC program.
• This description is not intended to be a comprehensive list of all of the requirements and features of this fellowship opportunity, which may change without notice.

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