Event and Travel Program FAQ

Events

Where in DC are the events?

The events are in the Navy Yard neighborhood and are accessible from the Navy Yard metro station. The career fair and expo on the 9th is at HQO located at 1385 Canal Street, SE, Washington, DC, 20003.  The expo we will be held on the bottom two floors of the building. The Party will be at Audi Field, which is about a 16 minute walk from the Career Fair and Expo.

How do I get to the Career Fair and Expo?

HQO is located in Navy Yard across from Nationals Park. 

  • Metro Access: Take the Green Line to Navy Yard-Ballpark Exit the Navy Yard Metro Station via the Department of Transportation exit.  and walk 5 minutes south on 4th Street. Proceed to the intersection of N Street, SE, New Jersey Avenue & Tingey Street, SE. Follow signs for DC Water’s entrance.
  • Bus Access: There are several bus stops close to the venue.
  • Driving: From I-295, take the exit toward M Street/Washington/Navy Yard from I-695 W. From I-695, take the exit towards South Capitol St/Nationals Park or the M St exit. From M St SE, turn south on New Jersey Ave SE. The entrance is where New Jersey Ave ends.
  • Parking: There are accessible parking spots for guests with disabilities at our venue. Other parking can be found at one of the lots nearby or street parking.

What is your COVID-19 policy?

You must be vaccinated with at least two doses of Moderna or Pfizer’s COVID-19 vaccines, or at least one dose of Johnson and Johnson’s COVID-19 vaccine, with the last dose occurring before May 25th, 2022, and will supply verification of this AND a negative COVID test taken no early than June 7th through VOW Digital Health platform. If your vaccination comes back invalid, you will not be able to attend. Please click here to set up your account on VOW.

If you test positive, are feeling sick and/or believe you were in close contact with a COVID exposure, you will notify GAIN POWER immediately, and will stay home. Please review symptoms and travel guidelines issued by the CDC.

Do I have to wear a mask?

For the career fair and expo, we will be requiring masks in all indoor spaces due to the heightened prevalence of COVID-19 in the District of Columbia.

Do I need to register in advance?

If we do not have you already in our COVID screening platform, you will need to upload a copy of your vaccine card and ID, along with a negative COVID test day of. This will eat into the time you can make connections, but we will try to accommodate. Please register in advance if you think you will be coming.

Who will be there?

In general you will be meeting employers from across the progressive movement spectrum including national and state Democratic party committees, labor unions, advocacy organizations, networked organizations with reach in multiple states, and consulting firms.

  • America Votes
  • American Bridge 21st Century
  • AFSCME
  • Association of State Democratic Committees
  • DCCC
  • DGA
  • DNC
  • DSCC
  • EMILY’s List
  • Equis Research
  • Movement Talent
  • NARAL Pro-Choice America
  • NEA
  • New Ground Strategies
  • New Virginia Majority
  • The Outreach Team
  • ProgressNow
  • Sterling Strategies
  • Working America
  • Working Families Party

What is the panel schedule?

11:30 AM – 12:15 PM Voter ED and 501(c) – Is Advocacy the Path for Me?
12:30 PM – 1:15 PM The Political Operative Playbook: Working in the Progressive
Space
1:30 PM – 2:15 PM The Digital Dish: Breaking into a Career in Digital
2:30 PM – 3:15 PM Fundraising Frenzy: The Importance of Fundraising Staffers
3:30 PM – 4:00 PM New Battleground States: The Power of Mobilizing the Rising
American Electorate & Opportunities to Work + Win AZ, GA and
NC

 Can I attend the awards?

Due to capacity limits, at this time the awards program on June 8th is invitation only, but will be live-streamed.

Can I print my resume there?

We recommend you bring many copies of your resume (50 would be ideal) so you can drop them off with employers and others at the career fair. If you are in DC and need a nearby place to print your resume, there is a UPS store nearby. Also, try to have a copy accessible on your phone if an employer prefers to be emailed a copy.

Can I drop off my resume?

Yes, please click here to drop off your resume for our employers.

What should I wear?

We recommend you wear outfits appropriate for job interviews, but also have comfortable shoes as there will be a lot of walking. If you plan to go to The Party, you may want to change to something more comfortable.

What is the deal with The Party?

We planned this event so you can also attend The Party which starts two hours after the career fair and expo conclude. GAIN Power will be submitting a list of participants to The Party so you should be on the list if you registered before 9AM Eastern on June 7th. Note: The Party is not run by GAIN Power.

Travel Program

How are you determining who is accepted for a travel scholarship?

The main event is the career fair, so we will be prioritizing people who are actively looking for employment opportunities, generally prioritizing people who are willing to relocate, then people who can start immediately. We will be extending offers on a rolling basis based on budget availability and whether people accept their scholarship. If you have not heard from us, you should assume that we are not extending a scholarship to you until you hear otherwise.

Can I attend without a scholarship?

The event is open to the general public and you can attend on your own. Make sure to register here.

Can I make changes to the offered travel and hotel plan?

We are open to proposed changes as long as it does not increase the cost to GAIN Power, and we ask you make changes before you sign your form as we book travel after you sign. For example, if you want to stay in DC for the weekend, you can absolutely do that, but GAIN Power will not cover the additional lodging and you will be responsible for any difference in transportation costs.

What is included and not included in the scholarship?

In the offer, we list what is included, which will generally be a mode of transportation (bus, train, flight, or personal car mileage reimbursement) leaving on June 8th and returning on June 10th, and hotel room for the nights of June 8th and June 9th, 2022. GAIN Power or The Party will have food available for most of the program, but you may need to get some meals on your own. There are many coffee shops, fast food options, and restaurants in the area.

If you have meals outside of this program, you will be responsible for the costs of these meals. You will also be responsible for costs associated with getting to and from your point of departure (aka a cab to the airport), any personal travel, and costs for getting from the airport to the hotel if not pre-approved. We recommend that you download the WMATA App and put $10 of credit on it to cover metro fare. You will also be responsible for baggage fees, any incidental expenses, including damages,  and/or upgrades to your booking.

What do I need in order to check into my room?

All hotels require a photo ID and a credit card upon arrival. A daily hold will be placed on your card to cover incidentals. If there are no additional charges to your room, the funds will be reversed after check-out.

Can I bring a friend?

You can absolutely bring a friend, but your friend will need to register separately, and GAIN Power will not cover their transportation, lodging, or food. If you want to room with your friend, please let us know immediately so we can make sure you have a room with two beds, and we cannot guarantee availability.

What should I bring?

  • Clothes for two days. You may want to bring an extra set to change into for the Party as well. Check the weather forecast before you leave, but DC around this time is usually in the low 80’s.

  • A government issued ID with photo. This is required for most forms of travel, and with the hotel.

  • A credit card. This will be required by a hotel to cover incidentals. If there are no additional charges to your room, the funds will be reversed after check-out.

  • Copies of your resume. We recommend that you bring at least 50 copies of your resume so you can give it to employers who will be attending. We advise keeping your resumes to one page. Also, we recommend having an electronic copy of your resume available to email from your phone.

  • A KN95, N95, or other form-fitting mask. The career fair and expo is an indoor event, and we will be requiring mask use in the indoor areas.

I was offered a scholarship but I can’t make it.

Please let us know if you can’t make it as soon as possible, so we can offer travel assistance to another job seeker on the waitlist.

I applied for a scholarship and haven’t heard anything about it.

Please email us at travel@gainpower.org and we can check on your offer.

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