The Public Access Design program is open to New York City-based community organizations and advocacy groups working on complex policy or planning issues that need visual explanations.

Applicants should propose topics that relate to their ongoing advocacy or education efforts, and have a credible plan for distributing the completed project to their target audience. Applicants are also encouraged to have access to the target audience for feedback during the design process.

A jury meets every four months to select a project proposal and a Public Access Design Fellow to collaborate with CUP and the advocacy partner.

The project team will then collaborate to produce a final product over the next four to five months. Advocacy partners should expect to participate in regular meetings during the project period, and to provide the background information for the project.

Organizers can choose the media format that best meets their needs from four options, each designed to be easily completed within the four- to five-month project time frame. The formats offered this year are:

CUP manages the collaborative process, provides production costs, and helps staff each project with additional design support, research, and writing as needed.

Advocates have the right to use completed projects in their outreach efforts and republish the work (at cost) in perpetuity. For print-based projects, advocates will receive 1,000 copies of the print materials to distribute directly to their constituents, and have the opportunity to print additional copies at cost at the time of printing.

Application Timeline

• October 24: Applications open
• November 25: Applications close
• Early January: Jury meets to select projects
• End of January: Chosen applicants are notified

Strong applicants will have firsthand knowledge of the project topic, access to and a relationship with the constituency affected by that topic, and the capacity to participate in regular meetings and provide feedback throughout the process. Proposed topics should be bounded enough to work within the Public Access Design time frame and format options.

The jury will use the following criteria to evaluate project proposals:

• Is the topic clearly articulated?
• Does the project address a social justice issue?
• Would the topic clearly benefit from visual explanation? 
• Is there a credible distribution plan and a clear constituency with a need for the tool?
• Is the project tied to a larger effort or organizing campaign around this issue?
• Would the final product engage and educate a larger public? 
• Is the issue concise enough to be completed within the Public Access Design time frame and format options?
• Does the advocate have the capacity to participate in the program? 
• Does the advocate have sufficient expertise in the topic?

What is a good size scope for a Public Access Design project?
You should be able to explain your proposal in 10 words or fewer. Explanations of large complex systems are better left to Making Policy Public. More concise topics should be addressed through Public Access Design.

For example, a proposal about the rights of rent-regulated tenants would be a better fit for Making Policy Public, whereas a proposal about what should be on your lease if you are a rent-regulated tenant would be a good fit for a Public Access Design. See examples of current and past Public Access Design projects here.

Can we apply to Public Access Design to create campaign materials or promotional materials for our organization?
No. This program is for making educational materials that community organizations and advocacy groups can then use in their work. For example, Damayan Migrant Workers Association has an ongoing anti-trafficking campaign. We collaborated with Damayan and designer Raj Kottamasu to create a short educational video that explains some of the causes of labor trafficking of Filipino domestic workers.

Can our project visualize proposed legislation?
No, proposals to visualize proposed or pending legislation will not be selected for Public Access Design. Proposals related to legislation that hasn’t passed should focus on creating a visual explanation of the current system or policy that the legislation would modify. 

Can we submit more than one application?
Yes, community or advocacy organizations may submit more than one project proposal.

If our application is not chosen, can we apply again?
Yes. Public Access Design juries will meet approximately every four months to select a new project proposal from advocate applicants. If your project proposal is not selected in the upcoming jury session, it will automatically be considered once more in the next round unless you opt out of this during the application process.

After that, organizations are welcome to apply again. Please review the selection criteria upon reapplying to better understand what makes for a strong application. 

Should I apply to Making Policy Public or to Public Access Design?
Public Access Design projects are completed within a shorter time frame than Making Policy Public. To accomplish this, they are narrower in scope (see above).

In addition, Public Access Design projects are limited to New York City-based organizations and constituencies. Making Policy Public is open to local as well as national and out-of-state issues (although we look for partners that can attend meetings locally).

Making Policy Public uses a single format – an 8” x 11” pamphlet that unfolds three times to a 32” x 22” poster. Public Access Design projects can take the form of a booklet, a motion graphic, an interactive graphic, or a fold-out. You may choose which program to apply to based on the format most appropriate to your program.

CUP accepts applications from community organizations and advocacy groups for the Making Policy Public program once a year. Public Access Design applications are accepted about every four months.

If neither of these programs seems like the right fit but you still would like to work with CUP, you can hire us through our Technical Assistance program. 

Find out more about Making Policy Public

Find out more about Technical Assistance

We are currently working with CUP through one of CUP’s other Community Education programs. May we apply to Public Access Design?
No, organizations that are currently collaborating with CUP are not eligible to apply for this program.