Freedom Summer

Decades of underinvestment in both the people and the infrastructure of American cities has been a drag on economic development and has exacerbated economic inequality.

This moment carries a chance for change.

What’s different now:

A suite of federal funding bills has made possible a level of investment that could be transformative.
Cities and towns have an historic opportunity to deploy funds for projects that can improve quality of life, local economies and climate resiliency, while also addressing profound and persistent inequalities.
Young people are ready to serve. Many college students have the technical skills, civic capacities and local knowledge to serve their communities at this time of need and change.

What’s needed:

We know that investment alone is not sufficient. Cities, towns and community organizations must build their capacity to: identify fundable and qualifying projects, build programs, apply for funds and carry out robust implementation plans.
In many cities, these tasks are daunting given; they cannot execute them with their current level of resources and staffing. The need for surge capacity is clear.

Freedom Summer delivers–now and for the future:

The Freedom Summer Fellows program provides the short-term capacity and expertise to co-create and implement with communities.
Graduate students and undergraduates from top universities are trained, supported and deployed to cities and towns across the United States.
In the summer 2023, a pilot program was launched as a 9-week experiential learning program for students to support 8 cities, intermediary organizations and frontline community organization to access and implement Federal infrastructure funding to include and benefit low-income and communities of color.
Over the longer term, the program will recruit and train a cohort of leaders and technical experts to lay a foundation for shared prosperity as we shift to a green economy.
Program partners included the Emerald Cities Collaborative, MIT CoLab and the Jonathan M. Tisch College of Civic Life at Tufts University to add capacity, administer the program, support fellows, and evaluate the pilot phase.
Given the demonstrated need for capacity building in this historic moment of infrastructure investment, the Fellowship represents the start of an ongoing relationship with key regions for long-term co-creation and investment.