What Would Our Future Leaders Do With $100 Million of the Budget?

Giving back is a big part of GovLoop. Every year we try to give back to government and those people who focus themselves on public service. One of our initiatives to accomplish that is our annual scholarship contest.

This year we partnered with NASPAA and are awarding 3 scholarships to graduate students who’s educational focus is on the public sector. Each of the more than 170 students that applied for the scholarship were charged with answering how they would dedicate the last 100 million of the federal budget in the current state of government.

Throughout October, graduate students in public administration, public policy, public affairs, law, and other fields submitted proposals in response to a scenario in which the government had only $100 million to spend.

Using rigorous criteria, panels of academic professional and peer judges from GovLoop and NASPAA evaluated each essay based on how innovative, realistic, and cost-effective its proposal was. The judges narrowed the competition to a Finalist pool of the top 15. Some of the proposed funding priorities include:

• investing in expanded broadband access for homes, small businesses and rural communities

• funding a land banking program to reverse inefficient land use patterns

• eliminating “food deserts” through a revolving fund that supports urban agriculture operations in low-income areas

• improving primary and secondary education and creating a “national vocational university”

There were several other great ideas from finalists that are worth taking a look at which can be found at the link below.

Finalists represent a broad spectrum of schools, from New York to Texas to Hawaii, and fields of study, as well as a range of ages and past experience, including an international student. Between now and November 21, GovLoop’s 50,000 members will review and vote on the essays, ultimately leading to awards of $2,500, $1,500, and $1,000 for the three essays with the most votes.

Click Here to read the essays and vote

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