Capacity

Casework Navigator is a training and professional development series to help Congressional caseworkers build skills and connections through webinars, publications, a newsletter, original research, and other resources. The project is led by POPVOX Foundation Deputy Director Anne Meeker.

Notable: Casework Navigator launched in February 2023 through a series of successful webinars that received overwhelmingly positive reviews from attendees. The program builds on the recommendations provided by Anne Meeker, in her June 2022 testimony to the House Select Committee on Modernization of Congress.

When the House and Senate announced the return of Congressionally-directed spending (AKA “earmarks”) for FY23, POPVOX Foundation partnered with Bipartisan Policy Center to provide resources for Congressional staff and constituents to help them deploy and navigate the new program. This included guides for Congressional staff, journalists, and applicants; webinars; op-eds; and consultations.

Notable: POPVOX Foundation hosted the first post-Covid in-person briefing on Capitol Hill in March 2022, in collaboration with the House Select Committee on the Modernization of Congress.

POPVOX Foundation recognizes the unique role that internships play in building the pipeline of future staffers and policymakers and introducing talented young people to government service. POPVOX Foundation works to raise awareness about internship opportunities —especially among those who are underrepresented in the halls of Congress — and to provide networking opportunities, training, and resources for both interns and the offices that host them.

Notable: “Internapalooza” — a four-year civil society-led effort to provide a welcome and orientation experience for Congressional interns — demonstrated the success of an approach to “de-risk” institutional change through prototypes and collaboration. Following successful efforts from POPVOX Foundation and the First Branch Intern Project, in 2024, Congressional intern orientation became a key element of the newly formed House Intern Resource Office.

While Congress has often struggled to keep pace with emerging technological developments, its ability to integrate tech and data expertise into its own operations is critical to a functioning first branch of government. The Effective Government fellowship, a partnership between POPVOX Foundation and the University of Chicago’s Center for Effective Government, introduces rising public servants to the modernization efforts helping democratic institutions maintain their effectiveness and legitimacy in a rapidly changing world.

Notable: Fellows for the 2024 program will spend their summer working directly with POPVOX Foundation staff on projects focused on the use of AI to supplement Congressional capacity and contribute to effective policy. After concluding their summer work with POPVOX Foundation, Fellows will build on their Congressional experience in a fall research assistantship with staff at the Center for Effective Government.

POPVOX Foundation has created and compiled resources for Members and Congressional staff on navigating the post-Chevron landscape.

The Inter-Branch Exchange provides a platform where frontline policy implementers and policymakers can collaboratively develop mutual understanding and solutions to improve government service.

Notable: The program is a partnership between POPVOX Foundation and Georgetown University McCourt School of Public Policy’s Massive Data Institute, with support from the Robert Wood Johnson Foundation.

The Cyber Policy Leadership Institute (CPLI) is dedicated to bridging the representation gap in cybersecurity policy by empowering students from historically marginalized groups, with a mission that aims to cultivate the next generation of diverse cyber policy leaders.

Notable: Our Spring 2024 cohort set a new standard in cybersecurity, combining diversity, inclusivity, and hands-on learning. With expert-led sessions, guaranteed career pathways, and a focus on racial equity and vulnerable communities, our graduates left empowered and prepared for dynamic roles in cyber policy across governance, risk, and compliance.

CapitolStrong is a coalition of civil society organizations working to strengthen and invest in the institution of Congress and the people who serve there, which came together in the wake of the January 6th attack on the US Capitol.

Notable: While it is a “club that no one wants to join,” CapitolStrong members provided support and advice to public servants in the Brazilian Congress following the attack on their capital in January 2023.