CHCI Receives $600K Grant from Ford Foundation For Leadership Development Programs

WASHINGTON, Oct. 22, 2013 /PRNewswire-HISPANIC PR WIRE/-- The Congressional Hispanic Caucus Institute formally announced today that it has received a $600,000 grant from the Ford Foundation to support its Semester Congressional Internship Program and its Graduate Fellowship Program. Specifically, Ford Foundations support will allow CHCI to double the number of Congressional Internships during the Spring and Fall Semesters over the next two years and will also fund a Graduate Law Fellow in the 2014-2015 CHCI Fellowship class.

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"The support that we are receiving from the Ford Foundation will allow us to increase our impact and better meet the demand for CHCIs award-winning leadership development programs," said Esther Aguilera, CHCI President & CEO. "This grant is not only an investment in CHCI, but more importantly an investment in the future of our nation. Through this partnership we will be able to provide more opportunities to the nations youngest and fastest growing demographic. We are grateful to the Ford Foundation for supporting our mission to develop the next generation of Latino leaders and create a pipeline in sectors where we are currently underrepresented."

The mission of CHCIs Semester Congressional Internship Program is to offer exceptional Latino undergraduate students from across the country unparalleled exposure to the legislative process. During the programs 12-week duration, interns are challenged with a strong leadership development curriculum, a full-time professional placement on Capitol Hill, and privileged interaction with a prestigious network of professionals and leaders in Washington, D.C. As part of the program, interns are also tasked with organizing a community service project together with a community-based organization.

CHCIs Graduate Fellowship Program produces competent and competitive Latino professionals in the underserved public policy areas of education, health, housing, law, and STEM. Each year, exceptional emerging Latino professionals have the opportunity to spend nine months in an exclusive, paid policy program in Washington, D.C. Entrants into CHCIs highly selective Graduate Fellowship Program are placed with congressional offices, committees, federal agencies, and the White House where they benefit from immersion in their respective public policy areas.

About CHCI
The Congressional Hispanic Caucus Institute, a nonprofit and nonpartisan 501(c)(3) organization, provides leadership development programs and educational services to Latino students and young emerging leaders. The CHCI Board of Directors comprises Hispanic members of Congress, nonprofit, union and corporate leaders. For more information call CHCI at (202) 543-1771, visit http://www.chci.org or join us on Facebook (https://www.facebook.com/CHCIDC?ref=mf ), Twitter (@chci) (http://twitter.com/chci ) and LinkedIn (http://www.linkedin.com/groups?gid=1164227&trk=hb_side_g ).

SOURCE Congressional Hispanic Caucus Institute