Economic Recovery Corps Fellowship - CA

Please apply by May 5th for consideration. Applications will close early if we hit 100 qualified applicants. If you are seeing this posting the application is still live.

Preference will be given to people who live within LA County.

Overview

The Economic Recovery Corps Fellowship provides experienced, impact-driven professionals an opportunity to address critical challenges in communities throughout the country to advance new ways of doing economic development that promotes transformative change and leads to a more just, 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.

Position Description:

The Fellow will play a pivotal role in transforming Southern California's green economy landscape in partnership with the Center for Lendistry. This position offers hands-on experience implementing high-impact programs that connect small businesses and communities to resources while building economic resilience.

Ideal Candidate Description:

• The ideal candidate combines analytical thinking and research excellence with strong project management skills to effectively translate complex ideas into actionable strategies.
• They demonstrate excellent communication and collaboration skills with diverse stakeholders while maintaining a big-picture perspective on how programs connect to broader sustainability goals.
• The fellow should possess knowledge of community finance, economic development principles, with experience engaging a variety of communities.
• Preferred: Spanish language proficiency

The ideal fellow will:

• Drive Program Implementation: Manage program timelines, deliverables, and stakeholder communications for select initiatives
• Deliver Capacity-Building: Provide direct technical assistance to small businesses and community organizations navigating sustainability transitions
• Measure Impact: Collect, analyze, and visualize program data to demonstrate outcomes and refine strategies
• Cultivate Partnerships: Build relationships with the Center by Lendistry and key public/private stakeholders to expand program reach
• Coordinate Cross-Program Strategies: Identify synergies between initiatives to maximize efficiency and impact

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.

Benefits

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.

Final details

• 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.