William R. Ginsberg Fellowship

Intro

The William R. Ginsberg Fellowship Program honors the legacy of Bill Ginsberg, who served on CHPC’s board for more than four decades. Bill was a pioneering environmental lawyer and New York City Parks Commissioner who cared deeply about urban planning and environmental law. The William R. Ginsberg Fellowship Program is supported thanks to a generous gift from Bill and his family.

ABOUT THE PROGRAM

The William R. Ginsberg Fellowship Program supports recent graduates starting off their careers as well as professionals with years of experience. 30 alumni have participated in the program since its inception in 2007. Alumni have gone on to work in exciting careers in law, government, planning, development, public policy research, and more. Most alumni have stayed right here in New York City, but some have gone as far afield as Brazil, India, and Germany!

“The knowledge and experience I gained at CHPC have been invaluable, and I’m excited to continue pursuing opportunities in the housing field as I graduate this spring.” | Sonali Govind, 2022 Summer Fellow

The Fellowship provides support for original research, and the opportunity to explore new ideas with our experienced staff. Research areas tend to focus on housing, the urban environment and open space, geography, real estate finance, transportation, land use and zoning, public economics, or community development.

We offer three types of fellowships:

Graduate Fellowship
Practitioner Fellowship
Visiting Fellowship

GRADUATE FELLOWSHIP

The Graduate Fellowship is for current graduate students or those who recently graduated from master programs in public policy, urban planning, environmental studies, geography, architecture, urban design, economics, real estate finance, business, or other related subjects. The Fellowship is available for fall, spring, or summer semesters with the possibility of extending the initial term. Thanks to a generous gift from William R. Ginsberg and his family, a stipend will be provided. We are looking for candidates with the following qualities:

Enthusiasm for public policy and public service, especially in relation to housing
and urban planning
Initiative
Ability to think creatively
Proven research and analytical skills
Candidates with statistical analysis, mapping, and other multi-media skills are highly encouraged to apply

PRACTITIONER FELLOWSHIP

The Practitioner Fellowship provides an opportunity for original research and the development of new ideas by experienced practitioners and policymakers. The Fellowship term is determined by the scale of the project—typically between two months and one year. CHPC staff will work with the selected applicant to finalize research designs and obtain funding for professional sabbaticals. Practitioners with experience in government, law, academia, or the nonprofit sector are encouraged to apply. Applicants will be evaluated on their experience, contributions to their field, and the quality of their proposed research topic. Preferred topics will be innovative, draw on practical experience, and result in specific recommendations that seek to improve housing, land use planning, the urban environment, or community development.

VISITING FELLOWSHIP

The Visiting Fellowship is for foreign practitioners or researchers from outside New York City. This Fellowship provides exposure to our experienced staff, as well as practitioners from around New York City, to enhance existing research and analytical skills, and to offer insight into housing and planning in New York City. Due to visa restrictions, no stipend will be provided for international practitioners and researchers, but we welcome experienced applicants on a volunteer basis under the 90-day visa waiver program. If you have INS approval to work in the US or have US citizenship, we will consider a stipend based on the same criteria as the Graduate or Practitioner Fellowship.

Why apply for the fellowship

Influential history

CHPC has been an influential voice in New York’s housing and planning industry since 1937. Our unique role derives from our highly experienced staff and our large board of leading industry practitioners who shape the practical, non-political focus of our work.

Career support and networking

CHPC staff and board members are committed to supporting the career prospects of our Fellows. We work hard to connect current and former Fellows with practitioners throughout the housing and planning industry and we focus on developing Fellows’ own interests and strengths to enrich their options for long-term careers. We encourage those who successfully complete their Fellowship to remain involved with CHPC.

New skills and experience

The Fellowships at CHPC are designed so that practical research and analytical skills are gained and developed. Our large board provides the opportunity to craft presentations and publications that reach a wide and influential audience. We are also continually exploring new, more effective ways to deliver our innovative work. Therefore, a key focus of the Fellowships is to learn cutting-edge methods of communicating research and analytical work.

Unique resources and access to information

The Fellowships offer unfettered access to CHPC’s unique archival library, which enhances research and brings context to New York City’s current housing and planning issues. There is also full access to up-to-the-minute New York City housing and planning data and legislative debates as they occur. CHPC staff have extensive knowledge, skills, and experience in the industry, and the Fellowships are designed to share this as much as possible.

Some photos of Ginsberg research fellows from previous years

Ginsberg fellow Viktoria Barbaniuk (fourth from the left, first row) with visiting practitioners in the summer of 2018

Ginsberg fellow Denali Dasgupta at CHPC's old office, 2017

HOW TO APPLY

Email the following documents in .pdf format to jobs@chpcny.org with the subject line indicating the fellowship you are applying to and your first and last name (for example, Visiting Fellowship – First Name_Last Name):

1. A cover letter (no more than one page) that sets out:

which Fellowship you would like to apply for
a brief discussion about why you are interested in the position
and the ideal timeline for your Fellowship

2. A short CV or resume describing your past & current academic studies and professional accomplishments

3. Review the topics CHPC currently focuses on in the ‘Our Work’ section on our website. Based on these topics, compose a research question you would be interested in exploring and write a brief proposal (no more than one page) of how you would attempt to answer that question. Note: This is an example of your writing and ideas and will not necessarily reflect the topics you will work on for CHPC.

For the Practitioner Fellowship, please feel free to use your own topic.

GINSBERG FELLOW ALUMNI

SONALI GOVIND | summer 2022

WIDELEINE DESIR | spring 2022

FIONNUALA SEIFERTH | summer 2019

CAMILA JORDAN summer 2018

VIKTORIA BARBANIUK | summer 2018 – spring 2019

YASHESH PANCHAL | fall 2017

DILLON MASSEY | summer – winter 2015

KATHERINE LEITCH | summer 2015 – spring 2016

DELFINA LOPEZ FREIJIDO | summer 2013 – spring 2014

THOMAS LOVATT MARTIN | summer 2013