Application

O2 Initiatives is currently inviting applications for the O2 Sabbatical Award. The deadline for application submission is 5:00 pm on Wednesday, August 22, 2018.

The application components, instructions for submission, and timeline of next steps in the application process are described below.

Please note that registration is required to download some application components. You can register at the bottom of this page.

Before applying, please visit our Eligibility & Requirements and FAQ pages.

1. Application Questionnaire
   Download and complete the Application Questionnaire. (Registration required)
2. Organization Overview
   Provide a one-page description of your organization and its programs. Please be sure to include your mission statement.
3. Narrative
   Please respond to each of the following questions, not to exceed six pages total:
   1. Why are you engaged in your current field of work?
   2. What significant lessons have you learned along the way?
   3. What do you see yourself doing five years from now?
   4. What three things would make your job more manageable and less stressful, and why?
   5. Why do you want to take a sabbatical now? How would you like to use your time on sabbatical?
   6. If awarded a sabbatical, how will your responsibilities be covered during your absence?
   7. Do you currently have a line item in your budget for professional development? How would you propose to utilize the Staff Professional Development Fund offered as part of the O2 Sabbatical Award? (for more information about the Staff Professional Development Fund, please visit our FAQ page)
4. Preliminary Sabbatical Budget
   Download and complete the Preliminary Sabbatical Budget Form (Registration required).  Sample budgets are available for your reference (Registration required).
5. Supporting Documents
   • Financial information for your organization:
     • Download and complete the Financial Dashboard (Registration required).
     • Provide the following additional information:
       • Board-approved budget vs. actuals for the previous three fiscal years (i.e. your most recently completed fiscal year, as well as the two preceding years)
         • We prefer that you present this information in one spreadsheet showing three years side-by-side; please include revenue, expenses, and net income
       • Board-approved budget for your current fiscal year
       • Please include notes to your financials if an explanation would be useful for the selection committee
   • Organizational chart
   • List of your organization’s staff, including names and titles (if your organization is especially large, please include a list of your leadership staff only)
   • List of your organization’s board members with affiliations
   • Your resume that covers, at minimum, the past 10 years
   • A brief letter of endorsement signed by your organization’s board chair. In addition to their endorsement of your sabbatical, the letter should also include a plan for organizational management during your absence, as well as a guarantee that your existing health and other benefits will be maintained during the sabbatical period.
   • A list of three professional references in the Bay Area; download and complete the Reference Form (Registration required).

II. HOW TO SUBMIT YOUR APPLICATION

• Applications must be received by 5:00 pm on Wednesday, August 22, 2018
• Please submit your application materials electronically in pdf format to  admin@O2Initiatives.org with “[Your Last Name]-Sabbatical” in the subject line.
• We prefer that you submit all application materials as one pdf document by merging the Application Questionnaire, Organization Overview, Narrative, Preliminary Sabbatical Budget, and Supporting Documents (in the order listed above) into a single pdf document. Please name the document “[Your Last Name]-Sabbatical.”
  • Please also attach your most recent audited financial statements as a separate pdf document.
• We will send you an email confirming receipt of your application. If you have not received this confirmation by August 29, 2018 please contact us at admin@O2Initiatives.org.

III. NEXT STEPS IN THE APPLICATION PROCESS

• The O2 Sabbatical Award selection committee will review all applications and invite up to 12 finalists to continue forward in the process.
  • O2 Initiatives will contact you by Wednesday, November 21, 2018 to let you know whether or not you have been selected as a finalist.
• If you are selected as a finalist, next steps will include:
  • A one-hour site visit at your organization during the week of January 14, 2019.
  • A separate, one-hour interview with the O2 Sabbatical Award selection committee on January 22 or 23, 2019.
• The committee will select up to six awardees from among the finalists.
  • Candidates will be informed of the committee’s decision by January 31, 2019, and a public announcement of the awardees will be made in early February.

QUESTIONS?

Please begin by visiting the FAQ page. For additional questions, feel free to contact Emily Cohen Raskin at director@O2Initiatives.org or 415-432-7222