In the ten years since we launched Making Policy Public, we have created 34 editions of fold-out posters that use the power of intensive collaborations; excellent communications design and illustration; and CUP’s strength in translating complex ideas into easy-to-understand visual tools that make information on policy truly public: accessible, meaningful, and shared.

In total, the projects have reached more than 150,000 people, helping domestic workers enact their labor rights, supporting young people navigating the juvenile justice system, and helping rent stabilized tenants avoid eviction.

Making Policy Public has received recognition from Fast Company’s Innovation by Design Awards, Sappi’s Ideas That Matter, and has been featured in the Cooper Hewitt Smithsonian Design Museum, the International Venice Architecture Biennale, and the Victoria & Albert Museum, among others.

Making Policy Public is at the forefront of social-impact design work, and continues to build on the lessons learned over the years. We believe the deeply collaborative process in which CUP partners closely with grassroots community organizations and advocacy groups and talented design teams not only creates great work, but is a transformative process for all of the project participants.

CUP seeks organizations who are working to address a policy issue that would benefit from a visual explanation, and where the lack of understanding of this issue is leading to social injustice. We seek groups who work directly with the constituency impacted by the issue and can distribute the completed foldout poster to them. Advocates receive 1,000 free copies of the publication they help produce.

We’ll be holding a webinar for prospective applicants on July 19th from 1-2 pm, where CUP’s Community Education Program Director, Ingrid Haftel, will walk through the application process step-by-step and answer questions about how our collaborations work. To attend, email [email protected]!

CUP also seeks designers and visual artists with an interest in public policy who will bring unique visual solutions to the design challenges presented by communicating complex issues. Teams are encouraged to apply. 

For application guidelines, community and advocacy organizations can click here and designers can click here.

The deadline for applications has been extended through Monday, September 11th at 5 pm! Please forward this call far and wide!