Information Packet for Participants*

Howard Baker Public Policy Challenge

(*The following information was largely downloaded or adapted from the Fels Institute Policy Challenge and other resources.)

The following information has been pulled primarily from the Fels Institute Penn Policy Challenge website and we encourage you to go there and view the information and YouTube videos of past competitions to get a sense of what we are going for and expect in this competition. We expect a lot, but you can do it! Since most of you have probably never written a policy brief, we have offered some guidelines and links to more information in this document. Don’t be overwhelmed. This is a fun process and you will learn a lot, plus you will have a wonderful experience to add to your resume. Who knows, this could be your calling and you could be the next great policy maker, like our namesake, Sen. Howard Baker!

The HBPPC directors and advisory committee will be here to support your efforts and lend encouragement as needed. Please do not let this list intimidate or scare you, but rather CHALLENGE you to have an impact and make change that can positively benefit your community and state. Please review this packet of information to get a feel for the entire two-part competition and visit the Penn website and view the YouTube videos from the Finals competition.

Included in this packet:

  • Definitions of the required papers (p. 1-2)
  • Policy Challenge Semi-Finals and Finals Timeline w/deliverables (p. 2)
  • The Policy Process (p. 3-4)
  • Deliverables for Semi-Finals: Ideas Outline, Exec. Summaries, Powerpoint (p. 4)
  • Deliverables for Finals: Policy Brief and Powerpoint (Top 5 teams) (p. 4-6)
  • Judging Criteria (p. 6)
  • Frequently Asked Questions (p. 7)
  • Resources (p. 9)

Definitions

Executive Summary –This is a section within a full Policy Brief or Policy paper. It is for those who won’t be likely to read the entire brief. Therefore, it must attract the interest of the reader and provide the basics of the problem and the solution. This is required for the SEMI-FINALS competition in November 2014.

  • Define the problem – why is it important?
  • Briefly discuss possible solutions and outcomes
  • Recommend a preferred alternative
  • Provide a brief budget, implementation plan, timeline, and plan for evaluating your solution.

This summary will be 1-2 pages, excluding references. Examples of winning Executive Summaries can be found here:

Policy Brief or Policy Paper – A decision-making tool that defines a policy issue, identifies and evaluates options, and recommends one of the alternatives. It is intended for broader or public dissemination and is required for the FINALS competition in February 2015. This paper will be 10-15 pages, not including references or appendices, and will also include a budget and implementation/evaluation plan. You can see examples of winning policy papers here:

Policy Challenge Deadlines and Deliverables- Semi-Finals (Fall Semester)

●Promotion of Challenge during Welcome Week beginning Aug. 16

●Information sessions offered Aug. 27 and Sept. 2

●Competition applications due by Sept. 12

●Reception for Challenge Participants on Sept. 16

●Idea Outlines due at the Team Meeting with Director to be scheduled Sept. 29-Oct. 3

●Workshop on Policy Writing: Drafting the Executive Summary and Presenting your Case - Sept. 30

●Turn in Meet-the-Team blogposts anytime during this time frame for posting on our website and Facebook page Oct. 3-Nov. 1

●Executive Summary – First Draft due on Oct. 15

●Schedule team meeting with HBPPC director to discuss Exec. Summary – Oct. 20-24

●Pizza & Practice! Teams practice presentation of HBPPC staff and others on Nov. 5

●Final Executive Summary due via email to on Nov. 14

●Five minute slideshow and Executive Summary due -Semi-Finals competition on Nov. 19

Policy Challenge Finals – Top 5 Teams (Spring Semester)

●Top five teams can begin work to develop full policy brief - Dec. - Jan.

●Meet-the-Team Blog Post due on Jan. 13

●Workshop on Policy Writing & Presentation Tips - Jan. 14

●Draft Policy Brief due Jan. 26, 2015.

●Meeting to discuss policy scheduled at team’s convenience during week of Feb. 2-6

●Final Brief due via email to by Feb. 16.

●Team Practice - Scheduled at team’s convenience the week of Feb. 16-19

●Final 10-minute PowerPoint or Prezi presentation to be delivered at the Final competition on Sunday, Feb. 22,1:30 - 4 pm

●Celebration Luncheon for ALL participants and presentation of cash prizes - Feb. 25

The Policy Process – an overview

Problem Identification - Policies are never developed in a vacuum. When selecting and developing your policy approach, the context of the problem is extremely important. Issues to consider may include:

  • Who/what does the problem affect, and who has identified the problem (e.g. legislators, bureaucrats, public)? Do all involved parties agree that a problem exists? Identify the opposition.
  • What instruments (educational programs, software, training, counseling, etc.) or existing policy are available to authorities to address the problem? What has worked for others? Is it an issue that can be effectively addressed through public policy?
  • What is the timeframe? When does the problem need to be addressed?
  • Can the problem be quantified? Can you measure the scope and scale of the issue?
  • Who can implement the solution?
  • How will the solution be funded?

Policy Formulation - Clear objectives must be developed for a policy to be successful. Objectives must be consistent as well as flexible to changing circumstances. In some cases, there may be several competing policy options. In order to develop a successful policy, you must:

  • Identify the current circumstances, goals, problems, impediments, stakeholders, existing policies, budget, etc.
  • Determine what is necessary to a successful implementation, including necessary actions from other agencies, which circumstances are likely to change, and how success or failure will be identified and measured
  • Indicate what problems are likely to arise as a result of policy implementation. Is your solution constitutional?
  • Continually evaluate the policy and objectives in response to changing circumstances and new information
  • Address the opposition, those impacted and those benefitting.

Implementation - A carefully developed policy addressing a problem may still fail if the implementation plan is inadequate. Develop a plan to “sell your solution” to those with the power to implement and address those impacted and/or in opposition. Include a budget. Issues that may inhibit implementationinclude:

  • Constitutional or jurisdictional restraints; in particular, some issues may fall within the jurisdiction of the federal government rather than that of state or municipal agencies.
  • Inadequate timeline; a proper implementation plan must include the order and timeline in which tasks should be completed
  • Insufficient budget, staff, or time
  • Improper communication or coordination between those implementing the policy and those impacted by the policy.
  • Weak public support or knowledge; your policy may depend upon public support. In such a case, attention must be given to targeting and outreach.

Evaluation - Constant evaluation is the cornerstone of any successful policy. Successful results, accountability and sound use of resources, such as money, is important. The problem, policy options, objectives, and impediments to implementation must be evaluated at all times, including after implementation. Problems will always be dependent upon an array of changing circumstances and relationships, but you must be prepared to address these issues by anticipating them in advance.

SEMI-FINALS Competition – DELIVERABLES – Fall Semester

1st Deliverable - Idea Outlines (1—2 Pages)- Due at meeting with HBPPC director Sept. 29-Oct.3. to set appointment.

This deliverable is intended to help your team process the policy solutions that are surfacing in your initial conversations together. It is for use during the initial meeting with the Challenge Director, so it need not be a publication-ready document, just a description of a few of the ideas that your team is considering. You may want to outline 2-3 ideas in this 1-2 page document or variations on one topic. For each idea, describe the problem you’re focused on, the policy solution you’re considering, and any concerns or important questions you have about the solution. Offer a paragraph or two for each idea—just enough content to understand the basic concept. Some suggested questions for each element are given below, but you’re welcome to format the document however you’d like!

  • The Problem: What is the problem that you want to tackle? Who is being affected by it? What are the causes of this problem? What are its effects? Who has the power to implement a solution?
  • The Solution: Would you be proposing a new program? New legislation? Scaling up an existing one? Lobbying for a good, tested idea? Why do you think this has not been done before? Why does this seem like the right solution to you?
  • Concerns and Questions: What do you need to know before moving forward with this idea? Who do you need to talk to? What are the obstacles you might encounter?

2nd Deliverable - Meet the Team blog post –Oct. 3 – Nov. 1 -- Write a blog post about your team and include a photo if you can. Here is an example from Penn, but feel free to be creative. We will begin posting these as they are received, so anytime between Oct. 3- Nov. 1 would be great. Send to

3rdDeliverable – Draft Executive Summary (1-2 pages) – Due Oct. 15

The executive summary is part of a full Policy Brief. It provides an overview of the key components of the policy proposal and campaign plan. It is designed for a reader that does not have enough time to review the entire document. The executive summary is both descriptive and persuasive. The reader should be convinced that the problem is significant and the proposed solution is feasible and worthwhile. Visit the Penn site for several examples of executive summaries here:

4thDeliverable – Final Executive Summary & Powerpoint Presentation (5 minutes) – Due Nov. 14 and Present on Nov. 19

You will email your final executive summary by Nov. 14, so we can forward them to the judges before the competition on Nov. 19. Your Powerpoint presentation should help explain and sell your solution. Time limits will be enforced and you can practice with your team on Nov. 5! Following your presentation, our judges will ask your team questions. The top 5 teams will be announced at the Nov. 19 competition and they will move onto the Finals in February.

Finals Competition– Top 5 Teams – Spring Semester

Policy Brief (1st draft due 1/26/15 Final Draft due Feb. 16) – 10 -15 pages

The proposal should include the following basic sections. All questions do not have to be answered but consider the suggestions as guidelines for successful proposals.

I.Table of Contents (will not count toward maximum page number)

II.Executive Summary (1-2 pages)

III.Problem Statement (1 - 2 pages)

  1. Define the problem. Use citations, if possible.
  2. Determine the significance of the problem. What is the context? Tell us how you identified this opportunity and why the time is right for it. Why does this issue deserve attention and resources?

IV.Policy Proposal (4-6 pages)

  1. Describe your solution. Tell us about the opportunity presented by your idea/project, what it will transform, and the impact it will have.
  2. Intended Beneficiaries/Needs Assessment: Who are the intended beneficiaries of your proposal? What are their particular needs? How do you know that your solution will effectively meet that unmet need? Have you received feedback from intended beneficiaries that supports your logic?
  3. Structure of Implementation: Identify primary responsibility for implementing the initiative. Where will your idea be housed – in a government agency, through a new piece of legislation, through a non-profit, etc.? How is your chosen implementation body uniquely qualified to implement your idea/project?
  4. How is this idea innovative?
  5. How has this idea been tested before? Review the existing literature on a specific issue area. Research any recent history of similar initiatives in your city and/or other cities.
  6. Outcomes: How will this idea make an impact? How will it create lasting, visible change? How will you measure success? Describe a method to monitor outcomes.

V.Campaign Plan (2 pages)

  1. Create an Influence Map and describe your Implementation Plan - who needs to support your policy and who has the power to implement it? What are the potential roadblocks?
  2. Coalition Building: Determine the individuals and groups that need to be convinced of the merit of the proposal in order to move forward. Create an outreach plan to enlist support from these parties. Decide how the initiative will be promoted to the public. This includes how much information will be shared and when it will be released. Identify the tools to be used in the communications plan. Identify probable supporters, such as lawmakers, civic leaders, business leaders, and organizations. Examine their past record, party affiliation, constituency, etc. Identify all potential allies or opponents that you have met with and vetted the project with.
  3. Implementation and Evaluation Plan - Create a rough timeline for your project and specify how you will evaluate the success of your proposal. What outcomes will you use and how will you measure them?

VI.Funding (1-2 pages) - Describe your funding approach, utilizing at least one of the suggested methods below:

  1. Legislative Approach: Determine what decisions need to be made by public officials in order for the initiative to succeed. Identify a leader or coalition of leaders to act as legislative sponsors. Draft a viable legislative document, formatted for introduction to the appropriate body, such as City Council, State General Assembly, Committees, etc. Determine the minimum requirements for the legislation’s passage.
  2. Grant-making Approach: Identify potential grants (federal, state, private, etc.) that your project would be eligible for. Review the process for the grant application. Explain why your project would likely be funded by these organizations.

VII.Budget (1 page)

  1. Create a budget for the program and campaign.

VIII.Appendix - (1-5 slides) An appendix is not necessary, but you could include:

  1. Expanded budget
  2. Letter to potential ally
  3. Marketing materials
  4. Grant application (letter of inquiry)
  5. Map or outputs and outcomes
  6. Additional space for more detailed outlines of any component of your proposal
  7. Graphs or charts detailing the problem you are addressing
  8. Newspaper clippings addressing the problem or your solution

You can see examples of the above in last year’s winners’ proposals here:

Slideshow Presentation – Due on competition days

Five minutes for semi-finals, 10 minutes for finals. Teams should use PowerPoint to create their presentations. There is no minimum or maximum number of slides.

Judging Criteria

Our judges will come from government, community, public service and business. They will be provided with a scoring sheet to assist in their decisions as they assess each team’s success in:

●Defining the problem and developing a solution

●Is the solution doable and did the team address the political, financial and/or societal feasibility of the solution?

●What are the primary outcomes and who/how will it be implemented and assessed?

●Did the team engage the stakeholders in the issue?

●Did the team provide a persuasive and effective visual and written presentation?

Frequently Asked Questions

1.Who can participate in the Howard Baker Public Policy Challenge?

Any undergraduate or graduate student at the University of Tennessee can participate in the Public Policy Challenge. We hope to populate teams with a mixture of graduate and undergrads, majors, skills, and interests. A goal of the Challenge is to bring together students from many different disciplines to work together on real challenges facing Tennessee and the greater Knoxville Area.

  1. Do I need a team or do I apply as an individual?

No. You apply for the Challenge as an individual applicant. You will be paired with other students from other majors who list similar policy interest areas with varying skills and talents that will benefit the team. The Challenge wants to encourage you to meet new people and work with students from different disciplines.

That said, there is space on the application to list a potential partner. Every person needs to apply individually. Being listed as a potential partner on someone else's application does not mean that you have applied. We cannot promise to place you together, but we will certainly do our best.

  1. What does the application require?

The application is online here

The Challenge is about answering real challenges in the community or state through new, creative, integrated solutions. We will offer a list of problems we have received, but you can also suggest your own. You don't have to know the answer to the problem now - that's the goal of the Challenge! We want to learn about what type of problems you would be interested in addressing. What are you passionate about? Your answer could be something that you discovered through your coursework or past work experiences.