Congressional Hispanic Caucus Institute, Inc.
Developing the next generation of Latino leaders
Programs and results
What we aim to solve
The Hispanic community in the United States is drastically underrepresented in leadership roles – in all fields and industries, but notably in the federal government and public policy arena. This underrepresentation leads to the Hispanic community being left out of policy solutions, resource allocation, and other significant decisions, because we are usually not present at the decision-making table, and therefore must rely on others remembering and choosing to advocate for us. There are systemic disparities and challenges faced by the Hispanic population, and by investing in our own leadership we can equip a new generation of leaders to represent the community, address its needs, and advance its interests, while ensuring a prosperous future for the nation.
Our programs
What are the organization's current programs, how do they measure success, and who do the programs serve?
Congressional Internship Program
The CHCI Congressional Internship Program provides Latino college students with work placement on Capitol Hill four days a week, where they gain substantive work and networking experience. Interns also participate in once-a-week educational programs and leadership training, where they meet with national public- and private-sector leaders and engage in national policy discussions. This comprehensive approach to leadership preparation provides unmatched professional and learning opportunities. Promising Latino undergraduates from across the country are selected for participation in this prestigious program.
CHCI also offers corporate sponsors the opportunity to offer company-based internships following students’ successful completion of CHCI’s Congressional Internship Program.
Graduate Fellowships
CHCI’s Graduate Fellowship Program helps increase the number of Latino leaders in policy areas in which they are traditionally underrepresented. It provides exceptional Latino college graduates and young Latino professionals from across the country unparalleled opportunity for professional experience in public policy arenas such as education, health, housing, international affairs, law, and the STEM fields (science, technology, engineering, and mathematics). It also offers a chance to participate in CHCI's nationally acclaimed leadership development training program, including research and publication of a public policy brief about a public policy issue in their chosen field. These policy briefs are presented an audience of key public- and private-sector leaders on Capitol Hill each spring.
CHCI also offers corporate sponsors the opportunity to offer company-based fellowships following students’ successful completion of CHCI’s Graduate Fellowship Program.
Public Policy Fellowship
CHCI’s Public Policy Fellowships offer a paid, nine-month fellowship and professional leadership training program for young Latinos who have completed a bachelor’s degree. Fellows work in congressional offices on Capitol Hill, congressional committees and federal agencies, the White House, national nonprofit advocacy organizations, government-related institutes, and corporate federal affairs offices. This intensive work experience is enhanced by weekly leadership training sessions where they engage with national leaders around substantive public policy issues. Exposure to the wealth of information, contacts, and political activity in Washington D.C. gives fellows a unique opportunity to pursue their public policy career goals.
CHCI also offers corporate sponsors the opportunity to offer company-based internships or fellowships following students’ successful completion of CHCI’s Public Policy Fellowship Program.
R2L NextGen
The R2L NextGen program is a week-long Washington, D.C. experience. CHCI brings students finishing 10th and 11th grade to Washington, D.C. to spend five days learning about how the Federal Government works, meeting important leaders, visiting historic sites and developing a deeper understanding of how they can affect positive change in their communities and their nation.
CHCI Next Opp
In late 2013, CHCI transitioned its most popular resource, the sixth edition of the National directory of scholarships, internships, and fellowships for Latino students, to an online searchable database called NextOpp. This groundbreaking online resource provides a comprehensive listing of opportunities for Latino students across the nation to receive financial support for their education and obtain hands-on experience in the field of their choice.
CHCI Alumni Association
The mission of the CHCI Alumni Association (CHCI-AA) is to support CHCI in developing the next generation of Latino leaders through lifelong alumni engagement and leadership advancement. CHCI envisions alumni actively engaged in developing Latino leaders, involved civically in their communities, supporting CHCI’s programs through volunteerism and philanthropy, and continually developing their own professional and leadership skills. The CHCI-AA is one of the fastest growing networks of Latino professionals in the country and highly accomplished alumni have successfully continued their journey beyond CHCI into the workforce as powerful leaders in the public, private and nonprofit sectors. It promotes active visible leadership in the community, while providing members with professional development, networking and opportunities to mentor our Latino youth. By giving their time, talent and passion, CHCI alumni remain connected to each other and to CHCI well after their programs end.
Annual Leadership Conference and Awards Gala
The annual leadership conference facilitates discussion of the most significant issues affecting the Latino community and the nation. The conference takes an innovative approach that runs concurrent sessions and addresses relevant, hot button issues, identifying best practices. CHCI works with Members of Congress on its Board of Directors and Advisory Council to take part in the sessions, and national issue experts to achieve the highest level of participation. Session topics include education, environment, workforce diversity to immigration reform, economy, healthcare and civic engagement.
The Annual Awards Gala Program celebrates the accomplishments, contributions and the positive image of Latinos in America and gathers national leaders from all sectors during Hispanic Heritage Month each year.
Where we work
External reviews

Our results
How does this organization measure their results? It's a hard question but an important one.
Number of participants attending course/session/workshop
This metric is no longer tracked.Totals By Year
Population(s) Served
Young adults, Adolescents, People of Latin American descent, Economically disadvantaged people
Type of Metric
Output - describing our activities and reach
Direction of Success
Holding steady
Context Notes
Participants in primary leadership development programs: Public Policy and Post-Graduate Fellows, Congressional Interns, and R2L NextGen participants.
Number of clients placed
This metric is no longer tracked.Totals By Year
Population(s) Served
People of Latin American descent, Economically disadvantaged people, Young adults, Students
Type of Metric
Output - describing our activities and reach
Direction of Success
Holding steady
Context Notes
Fellows and interns placed in Congressional offices
Goals & Strategy
Learn about the organization's key goals, strategies, capabilities, and progress.
Charting impact
Four powerful questions that require reflection about what really matters - results.
What is the organization aiming to accomplish?
CHCI seeks to develop the next generation of Latino leaders by:
* Providing leadership, public service, and policy experiences to outstanding Latino/a/x students and young professionals
* Convening Members of Congress, other public officials, corporate executives, nonprofit advocates, and thought leaders to discuss issues facing the nation and the Hispanic community.
* Recognizing and celebrating outstanding accomplishments among Hispanic leaders in the United States
What are the organization's key strategies for making this happen?
Strategies include:
LEADERSHIP DEVELOPMENT PROGRAMS
* The Public Policy Fellowship is a nine-month, paid fellowship program for recent college graduates to develop careers in public policy by working in Washington, DC, at congressional offices, federal agencies, national nonprofit advocacy organizations, and government-related institutes. The Post Graduate Fellowship is designed for Latino leaders who have completed graduate studies.
* The Congressional Internship Program provides college students of any major from throughout the country with a paid placement in a congressional office for 10-12 weeks. Students gain work experience, participate in community service, and receive educational and professional programming.
* The R2L NextGen program brings high school students from across the nation to Washington, DC for five days to learn about the Federal Government, meet important leaders and develop a deeper understanding of how they can affect positive change in their communities and the nation.
* NextOpp is a powerful online database allowing users to search for scholarships, internships, fellowships, and other opportunities based on their unique profile, location, and interests. The site also provides helpful reading materials to further educate users about the college-going process.
* The CHCI Alumni network consists of more than 4,500 highly accomplished alumni who have successfully continued their journey beyond CHCI as powerful leaders in the public, private, and nonprofit sectors. CHCI provides alumni members opportunities for professional development, networking and continued giving back.
CONVENINGS
CHCI hosts a series of day-long summits that connect leaders for focused, high-level discussions and networking around a focused issue or industry.
CHCI’s annual Leadership Conference held during Hispanic Heritage Month brings together key partners and thought leaders for high-level, thoughtful discussion about issues facing the Hispanic community and the nation.
At convenings, discussions focus on solutions in policy and practice, and feature Members of Congress, corporate executives, community activists, educators, celebrities, media personalities, nonprofit leaders, CHCI program participants, and CHCI alumni.
LEADERSHIP RECOGNITION
CHCI holds an annual Awards Gala that recognizes the trailblazers in our community and celebrates our community’s culture by presenting the Medallion of Excellence awards. The awards are CHCI’s highest accolade and one of the most prestigious honors in the Latino community bestowed each year to exemplary individuals who are role models and outstanding civic citizens for the Latino community.
The CHCI Here to Lead podcast features inspiring interviews with Hispanic leaders who discuss their career and personal history, journey to leadership, field of work, and how they are ensuring the success of a new generation of Latino leaders.
What are the organization's capabilities for doing this?
CHCI has a highly-trained and experienced staff who implement all its programs and activities. Building on more than 44 years of excellence, CHCI leverages its close relationship with Members of Congress and other public officials, its strong partnership with corporate partners and sponsors, its deep history and collaboration with philanthropy and nonprofit advocates, and its extensive network of alumni and key supporters and stakeholders to carry out its mission.
What have they accomplished so far and what's next?
The organization has grown and increased the effectiveness of its work, now serving approximately 200 emerging leaders per year through its programs, and thousands more via its online presence. CHCI also now has more than 300 corporate partners who make significant investments of resources in its work. And the organization convenes more than 3,000 individuals through its issue summits, annual conference, and other gatherings, advancing dialogue to find solutions for the challenges that the Hispanic community and the nation face.
How we listen
Seeking feedback from people served makes programs more responsive and effective. Here’s how this organization is listening.
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How is your organization using feedback from the people you serve?
To identify and remedy poor client service experiences, To identify bright spots and enhance positive service experiences, To inform the development of new programs/projects, To strengthen relationships with the people we serve
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Which of the following feedback practices does your organization routinely carry out?
We collect feedback from the people we serve at least annually, We look for patterns in feedback based on people’s interactions with us (e.g., site, frequency of service, etc.), We engage the people who provide feedback in looking for ways we can improve in response, We act on the feedback we receive
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What challenges does the organization face when collecting feedback?
It is difficult to get the people we serve to respond to requests for feedback, It is difficult to identify actionable feedback
Financials
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Operations
The people, governance practices, and partners that make the organization tick.
Connect with nonprofit leaders
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- Analyze a variety of pre-calculated financial metrics
- Access beautifully interactive analysis and comparison tools
- Compare nonprofit financials to similar organizations
Want to see how you can enhance your nonprofit research and unlock more insights? Learn More about GuideStar Pro.
Connect with nonprofit leaders
SubscribeBuild relationships with key people who manage and lead nonprofit organizations with GuideStar Pro. Try a low commitment monthly plan today.
- Analyze a variety of pre-calculated financial metrics
- Access beautifully interactive analysis and comparison tools
- Compare nonprofit financials to similar organizations
Want to see how you can enhance your nonprofit research and unlock more insights? Learn More about GuideStar Pro.
Congressional Hispanic Caucus Institute, Inc.
Board of directorsas of 10/23/2023
Rep. Nanette Díaz Barragán
U.S. House of Representatives
Term: 2020 - 2022
Marco A. Davis
CHCI
Leo Muñoz
CHCI Vice Chair, Comcast NBC Universal
Maria Luisa Boyce
CHCI Treasurer,UPS
Peter R. Villegas
CHCI Secretary, Actum
Silvia R. Aldana
Pacific Gas & Electric Company
Angela Arboleda
Altria Client Services
Rep. Tony Cárdenas
US House of Representatives CA-29
Evelyn DeJesus
American Federation of Teachers (AFT)
Rep. Jimmy Gomez
US House of Representatives CA-34
Bruce C. Harris
Walmart
Sen. Ben Ray Luján
US Senate New Mexico
Antonio "Tony" Moya
Salt River Project
Ademola Oyefeso
United Food and Commercial Workers Union
Jose Plaza
CHCI Alumni Association National President
Jesse Price
TikTok
Ignacio A. Sandoval
CHCI General Counsel, Morgan Lewis
Rep. Darren Soto
US House of Representatives FL-9
Zuraya Tapia-Hadley
Meta
Rep. Norma J. Torres
U.S. House of Representatives CA-35
Board leadership practices
GuideStar worked with BoardSource, the national leader in nonprofit board leadership and governance, to create this section.
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Board orientation and education
Does the board conduct a formal orientation for new board members and require all board members to sign a written agreement regarding their roles, responsibilities, and expectations? Yes -
CEO oversight
Has the board conducted a formal, written assessment of the chief executive within the past year ? Yes -
Ethics and transparency
Have the board and senior staff reviewed the conflict-of-interest policy and completed and signed disclosure statements in the past year? Yes -
Board composition
Does the board ensure an inclusive board member recruitment process that results in diversity of thought and leadership? No -
Board performance
Has the board conducted a formal, written self-assessment of its performance within the past three years? Not applicable
Organizational demographics
Who works and leads organizations that serve our diverse communities? Candid partnered with CHANGE Philanthropy on this demographic section.
Leadership
The organization's leader identifies as: