CivicSpark, the award-winning and evidence-based AmeriCorps program that builds local capacity to address community resilience challenges, is embarking on an exciting new chapter. After ten years as a program of CivicWell, CivicSpark will be moving to the Public Health Institute before the launch of the 2024-25 service year.

As it enters its second decade, CivicSpark is at a pivotal moment in its growth. Since 2014, over 1,000 CivicSpark Fellows have provided more than one million hours of service to over 300 local public agencies. After eight years operating in California, the program expanded into Colorado and Washington state in 2022, and has been planning for further expansion into new regions. As an Implementing Partner of the newly-formed American Climate Corps, CivicSpark is perfectly positioned to grow its impact across the nation.

As one of the largest independent public health organizations in the country, the Public Health Institute serves as home to more than sixty programs working across the field of public health. Its robust portfolio includes work on climate change, leadership development, fellowship opportunities and the public health workforce, as well as one of the largest AmeriCorps VISTA programs on the west coast. At PHI, CivicSpark will be supported by a strong operational infrastructure to deepen its outreach, engagement and impact, and CivicSpark Fellows will join a community of professionals working on climate change and other public health issues.

CivicWell CEO Bernadette Austin looks forward to the potential of this new partnership. “Recent extreme weather events including record-breaking heat waves and destructive hurricanes show how important it is to continue to build community resilience to climate change. CivicSpark’s proven model is exactly the kind of forward-thinking solution that is needed – building local capacity to mitigate and adapt to climate change while cultivating the skilled workforce to carry the work forward in the decades to come,” she says. “As a longtime leader in public health and resilience, PHI is the perfect place for CivicSpark to continue its strong trajectory of growth and community impact.”

Bill Sadler, Executive Director of CivicSpark, sees this as a natural next step in the program’s growth: “CivicSpark has been an incredibly impactful program in its first decade. The program has served as a capacity builder for hundreds of government agencies and nonprofits, and a workforce development pipeline for the sustainability field. CivicSpark alumni can now be found at hundreds of government agencies, nonprofits, boards and commissions, and elected and appointed positions across the West. As we enter the next decade of CivicSpark, this work is more important than ever as we experience greater climate emergencies with more amplified and disproportionate health impacts. I look forward to working with PHI leadership and all of our key stakeholders in leading this next phase.”

“We were drawn to CivicSpark’s innovation and efficacy in addressing two urgent public health concerns: climate change and workforce development,” says Melissa Stafford Jones, president and CEO of the Public Health Institute. “CivicSpark Fellows serve as public health amplifiers, bridging between public health systems and communities to create more engaged and more sustainable solutions. Their model of fostering on-the-ground leaders is closely aligned with PHI’s mission and commitment to equity, and we are excited to support CivicSpark, their Fellows, and their community partners in this next phase of growth.”

This year has seen the highest number of applications ever for the Fellowship, with over 520 applicants. Additionally, a record number of partner agencies elected to return for the 2024-25 service year. The program has begun the process of matching Fellows with projects, and anticipates a seamless transition with no delays to the service year and minimal impacts on Fellows and project partners.

About CivicSpark

CivicSpark is an award-winning and evidence-based AmeriCorps program that builds local government and community capacity to address resilience challenges such as climate change, water resource management, affordable housing, and mobility. During the 11-month service year, CivicSpark Fellows complete research, planning, or implementation projects that support public agencies in advancing their resilience initiatives.

The program was founded in 2014 and operated by CivicWell for ten years before moving to Public Health Institute in 2024. To date over 1,000 CivicSpark Fellows have provided more than one million hours of service. Over 95% of completed projects have met or exceeded expectations, and organizations that participate in CivicSpark are 5 to 15 times more likely to achieve their project goals than organizations who don’t have a Fellow. CivicSpark provides both a workforce pipeline and a professional launchpad for Fellows, 73% of whom continue to work in the public sector. For more information, visit civicsparkfellowship.org.

Contact

Bill Sadler
Executive Director, CivicSpark
bill@civicsparkfellowship.org