Emily Ethridge

This summer I was selected for State Policy Network's Development Apprenticeship Program, which places aspiring leaders who support individual rights and economic freedom at state-based think tanks across the country for a 10-week crash course with on-the-job training in nonprofit fundraising. 

Because of a unique situation, I was placed at State Policy Network's national headquarters in Arlington, VA. This provided me with the opportunity to connect with other national organizations such as the Heritage Foundation and the Leadership Institute. I greatly enjoyed being in the DC Metro Area.

 

The purpose of the apprenticeship was to give me exposure to many different aspects of fund development. Over the course of the summer, I designed a Giving Tuesday campaign, wrote a grant proposal, conducted prospect research, and assisted with revenue processing and donor stewardship.

 

One of the "perks" of the apprenticeship program was that I got to attend State Policy Network's Annual Meeting, a gathering of over 1,300 policy and professional specialists from 325+ organizations in Colorado Springs, Colorado, as a Generation Liberty Fellow. This is a competitive program geared towards people early in their careers who want to expand their network and harness new skills.

 

A few events I attended throughout the week included: a roundtable discussion about corporate welfare, networking reception for development professionals, workshop on innovative marketing strategies for think tanks, panel discussion and business etiquette training. In addition to these events, I also had the privilege to attend a plenary session by Jay Papasan, author of national bestseller   The One Thing.

 

As a political science major, I was interested in this program because think tanks are not only interested in ideas but combine ideas with practicality. I see that as being highly impactful, and I’ve always wanted to do meaningful work that makes the world a better place.