Each year the National Forest Foundation (NFF) hosts a small group of exceptional graduate students pursuing advanced studies in conservation, natural resources management, and related fields. The goal of the Conservation Connect Fellowship Program is to build experience, knowledge, and skills within the next generation of collaborative and conservation leaders. The National Forest Foundation (NFF) invites master’s and doctoral students to apply to the Conservation Connect Fellowship Program. Fellowships pair the knowledge you are acquiring through your academic work with practical, hands-on experience and contribute directly to collaborative stewardship of our National Forests.
Here’s what you will gain by being a Conservation Connect Fellow:
- Applied experience with a national leader in conservation through a hands-on practicum project.
- Mentorship from skilled conservation professionals from the NFF and its partners, including the USDA Forest Service.
- Trainings in collaborative leadership, including facilitation, stakeholder engagement, managing projects, and more.
- Real-world understanding of forest and public lands management.
- An expanded personal and professional network.
Fellowships include a summer 2024 or academic year 2024-2025 practicum, or some combination of the two, and may be at a specific location or virtual depending on the project. Fellows will be compensated at a rate of $20/hour for up to 300 hours over the one-year fellowship.
Requirements
Practicum (at least 245 hours)
The NFF will interview candidates and strive to match selected fellows with one of their preferred projects, as indicated in the application. Practicum work will take place over the summer and/or the academic year, with specific dates to be determined individually. The summer practicum schedule will require the fellow to complete their 245 hours over eight to ten weeks during the summer of 2024. The academic year practicum is the same number of hours spread over a longer timeframe. As part of their practicum, fellows may spend a portion of their time (up to 20%) performing tasks associated with nonprofit administration, such as meeting agenda development, notetaking, or organizational support.
Professional Development and Networking (estimated 55 hours)
- Conservation Connect Advisory Council Meetings: Each fellow will have an opportunity to participate in meetings of the Conservation Connect Advisory Council, composed of leading thinkers in the field of natural resources collaboration.
- Fellows Retreat: The NFF will host a paid, in-person retreat June 3-7, 2024, near Big Fork, Montana. The retreat will provide an orientation to a variety of topics, including collaboration, best practices for neutral facilitation, NFF’s approach to engaging community interests, working with the Forest Service, and more. This is also an opportunity for fellows to get to know one another, meet NFF staff and partners, and participate in a field trip.
- Peer Networking and Trainings: Fellows are asked to participate in monthly virtual meetings where the NFF offers trainings and supports fellows as a group to discuss issues that arise, share accomplishments, and solicit feedback from both their peers and NFF.