FREQUENTLY ASKED QUESTIONS
Mentors & Mentees
When do applications open for the mentorship program?
Each year mentor and mentee applications will open in early September and individuals will be able to apply directly from our website. Check out our application timeline here for more detailed information.
What is an economics-adjacent field?
The Research in Color Foundation defines an economics-adjacent field as “public policy, political economy, applied economics, finance, and quantitative methods in political science.”
How long is the mentorship program?
Our mentorship program currently lasts eight months, starting in January and ending in August.
What is required to successfully complete the mentorship program?
Successful completion of the 8-month long Research in Color mentorship program requires that mentees meet with their mentor at least 3x a month (from January to July) to work on an independent research project (of their choosing) which is expected to be completed by the end of the program. From January to July, mentees must also: attend biweekly office hours hosted by the RIC leadership team; attend 2 Methods workshops (Methods I-II) hosted by Abdul Lateef Jameel Poverty Action Lab(J-PAL); attend 2 Methods workshops (Methods III-IV) hosted by /Professor Jesse Rothstein of UC Berkley; attend 2 workshops hosted by the Institute for Fiscal Studies (IFS); attend 1 workshop hosted by the World Bank; attend 1-2 Research writing office hours hosted by Soumaya Keynes of The Economist; present their independent research projects at the annual Research in Color Conference in August; and submit a final 10-page research write-up of their independent research project by the end of September.
To remain in compliance with the Internal Revenue Service 501c(3) exemption requirements, Research in Color mentees who are unable to successfully fulfill the above will be ineligible to receive the 1000 USD scholarship. Furthermore, those ineligible mentees will be unable apply to the J-PAL internal fellowship and will also be unable to receive the 2500 USD first-year fellowship, if admitted to graduate school. Thus, it is very important to have a good sense of bandwidth before committing to the program.
Can I be A mentee?
Our mentorship program is open to undergraduate students, master’s students, research assistants and anyone who is planning to complete (or has completed) their bachelor’s degree; is interested in a Ph.D. in economics or an economics-adjacent discipline; and has the capacity to successfully complete the program (see the aforementioned section). The Research In Color Foundation strongly encourages scholars from historically excluded groups to apply, including but not limited to:
Black/African/African American
Hispanic/Latino Americans
American Indian or Alaskan Native
Native Hawaiian or Other Pacific Islander
*International scholars can apply to and participate in the Research in Color mentorship program and are eligible to receive our scholarship upon completion of the program.
However, our efforts at this time are focused on prospective Ph.D. students, though under special circumstances we might be able to serve Ph.D. students as well. In the future we look to expand and include current Ph.D. students.
Racial Non-discriminatory Policy: The Research In Color Foundation admits mentees and mentors of any race, color, creed, national origin, or ethnic origin to all the rights, privileges, programs, and activities generally accorded or made available to our members. We do not discriminate on the basis of race, color, creed, national origin, or ethnic origin in administration of our mentorship program or scholarships. Applicants from all backgrounds are encouraged to apply.
What makes for a STRONG mentee APPLICATION?
We like to see that applicants are serious about their desire to study economics or adjacent topics, and that they briefly communicate why they are in need of a mentor, guidance, and/or financial support. This means that a personal statement should be clear, thoughtful, and compelling in that it makes a strong case not only for why you want to study this subject, and certain topics within it, but what you’d like to do with your skills in the future and why and how you would benefit from being part of Research in Color. Furthermore, though writing samples need not be in economics, ideally they should indicate your ability to do research or communicate your thoughts about a subject in a compelling, factual, and meaningful way. Writing samples should include citations and references.
mentee APPLICATION REQUIREMENTS?
Online Application (opens in October of each year)
*The online application includes a section where you must upload a combined PDF document containing:
Resume/CV (up to 2 pages)
Personal Statement (at least 500 words)
5 page (10 pages double-spaced) single-authored writing sample *please note that this does not have to be an economics paper, but we HIGHY recommend sending in an economics paper or research paper that will speak to your ability to do research.
*All documents should be single-authored, in English, and the writing sample should be at least 5 pages (10 pages double-spaced)
AS A MENtee WHAT BENEFITS WILL i HAVE ACCESS TO?
4 Abdul Latif Jameel Poverty Action Lab (J-PAL) quantitative skills building workshops (1 per month starting in January);
2 Institute for Fiscal Studies in the United Kingdom (IFS) quantitative skills building workshops (1 per month starting in March);
2 quantitative skills building workshops from Professor Jesse Rothstein of University of California, Berkeley (1 per month starting in March);
2 Writing workshops from Soumaya Keynes of the Economist;
8 hours (on average) of leadership team office hours each week from January to August. Office hours include interview preparation and practice, resume and cover letter editing, data analysis help in R and STATA, career advice, and peer support;
3 Mandatory meetings with personal mentor each month;
Research in Color buddy system for peer to peer support within each cohort;
Opportunity to present independent research live at the Annual Research in Color Conference
1000 USD scholarships for all mentees that complete the Research in Color Mentorship program;
2500 USD first-year fellowships endowed by the Jain Family Institute, RX Foundation, and Innovations for Poverty Action for mentees that complete the Research in Color Mentorship program and go on to start a PhD;
Internships directly available to mentees upon completion of the mentorship program specifically for Research in Color mentees through J-PAL Global and the Jain Family Institute;
Mentees are regularly sent direct adverts for Research Assistant and Pre-doctoral positions through Research in Color from institutions including Princeton University, J-PAL Global, J-PAL North America, the Federal Reserve, and the World Bank Group;
Access to Letters of Recommendation from Research in Color mentors for graduate school;
Ad-hoc workshops for mentees. For example: the International Finance Corporation and Research in Color Workshop hosted a workshop in February entitled “Diversity in Economics Research”;
Graduate school application fee waivers.
WHEN WILL i HEAR BACK ABOUT MY APPLICATION?
Mentees who have been accepted into the mentorship program will hear back around the end of December/early January of each year. Unfortunately, due to the large number of applications we receive, we are unable to provide individual feedback on unsuccessful applications. We highly encourage previously unsuccessful applicants to apply again and reach out to past mentees for application advice.
Can I be A mentor?
If you’ve received a Ph.D. in an economics-adjacent discipline (economics, public policy, political economy, applied economics, finance, or quantitative methods in political science) and are interested in supporting the next generation of academic, industry, and policy economists, you qualify to be a mentor.
AS A MENTOR WHAT BENEFITS WILL i RECEIVE?
The opportunity to help develop and support talent from historically marginalized groups in economics and economics-related disciplines.
The opportunity to learn about fresh perspectives from the next generation of academic and industry economists.
The opportunity to help shift the narrative and integrate nuanced viewpoints on communities of color.
Comprehensive and direct mentor training using the Research in Color Model of Mentorship.
Mentorship training certificate.
Is eight months long enough for mentees to complete a full research PROJECT?
With guidance from their assigned mentor, mentees will conduct mini research projects – typically an extension of work they have already started and are passionate about. If a mentee has not done independent research before, they should put together a well-motivated and thought out research proposal. The idea is that this work can be used as the foundation of a Ph.D. writing sample and that mentors could be a letter of recommendation writer for mentees.
2. Strategists & Graduate Fellows
Can I be A FEllow?
Our part-time strategist positions are unpaid volunteer positions and open to all individuals that are potentially able to complete and submit a Form W-4: Employee’s Withholding Certificate of the United States Internal Revenue Service. Our graduate fellowship positions are paid positions and open to any PhD student who can complete and submit an Internal Revenue Service Form 1099-NEC. Ideally, fellows will be PhD students in economics, but PhD students from other fields will be equally considered.
3. Donating to Research In Color
Where can I donate to research in color?
Please donate here!
Will I receive a donation receipt?
Anytime you donate, a donation receipt will be sent to you at the email address you provide. Please be sure to keep a copy of this email confirmation for tax purposes.
Is my donation tax deductible?
As of 2021, the Research in Color Foundation is a registered 501c(3) non-profit organization. For individuals who have donated before this date, you may be able to retroactively claim your donation as tax-deductible.
Is my donation secure?
All donations to The Research In Color Foundation are processed by Stripe.com with full SSL encryption throughout the entire checkout process.
What is the official name of the organization?
The Research in Color Foundation Inc. The organization also goes by Research in Color®.
is research in color a 501c(3) non-profit?
Yes. The Research in Color Foundation Inc. is a registered 501c(3) non-profit organization as designated by the United States Internal Revenue Service (IRS).
What is Research in Color’s EIN Number?
The Research in Color Foundation’s EIN is 84-2871558.
WHere does Research in Color do business?
Since its founding in 2019, the Research in Color Foundation Inc. has conducted business virtually. However, individuals can send correspondence mail to:
Attn: The Research in Color Foundation Inc.
Address Line 1: 867 Boylston Street, Suite 500
City/State/Zip Code/County: Boston, MA 02116, Worcester County