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NFF believes in the value of matching the cutting-edge knowledge acquired at the graduate level of universities with practical, hands-on experience. The purposes of the Conservation Connect Fellowship Program are to align NFF’s collaboration and conservation work with a practicum and experiential education opportunity, and to build a cohort of next generation leaders in the field of natural resource conflict resolution.
The NFF will strive to meet each fellow’s learning objectives while also effectively extending the capacity of NFF and its partners to deliver community engagement and conservation results for National Forests and Grasslands. NFF gives fellows the chance to gain direct experience in the variety of NFF and partner functions.
We are looking for students with interest and academic experience in collaborative process and natural resource conflict resolution and on-the-ground science applications. We will also consider applicants with an interest in nonprofit administration, law, grants administration, communications, or marketing. Please note that this is not a research fellowship.
NFF administers the Fellowship Program, and NFF or partner organizations provide the practicum experience, which is a major component of the program. Between trainings, orientation, and the practicum, each fellow can expect to work 360 hours. Exact dates of practicum work will vary by project.
The NFF will match each fellow to a practicum at the NFF Missoula office, an NFF field office, or a partner host organization for a practicum. The practicum will take place over the summer or the academic year, with specific dates to be determined individually. The summer practicum schedule will require the fellow to complete their 310 hours over ten to twelve weeks during the summer of 2023. The academic year practicum is the same number of hours spread over a longer timeframe.
During each practicum, the fellow will focus on one or more projects. NFF will strive to match fellows with practicum opportunities according to the fellow’s preferences expressed in their application. As part of their practicum, fellows may spend a portion of their time (up to 20%) performing tasks associated with nonprofit administration, such as grant proposal preparation or organizational support.
The NFF will match each fellow with a mentor from the NFF or the host organization, who functions as the practicum supervisor. Fellows and mentors will schedule regular meetings to talk through questions and ideas as they connect their practicum work to the theories and methods they are studying at their university.
Fellows are required to participate in a post-fellowship evaluation process conducted by NFF. NFF will collect feedback and metrics on fellows’ experiences and accomplishments throughout the 12-month period.
Fellows will be hired as temporary, part-time employees and compensated at a rate of $18/hour for their time (with no benefits offered). Fellows will be reimbursed for approved travel expenses associated with participation in the fellowship program and practicum, including the in-person orientation in June.
Graduate students pursuing a master's degree or doctorate are eligible for the Conservation Connect Fellowship. Students must be enrolled in a graduate program during the 2023-2024 academic year. We anticipate students will have taken coursework related to the study of natural resources, conflict resolution, collaboration, non-profit management, communications, or other field related to the specific practicum.
Click to view a table of 2023 practicum projects, including location, timeline, and description. Please note that projects could be further customized based on applicant skills and interests. Additional projects may be developed for highly qualified applicants.
The Conservation Connect Fellowship application has five components:
Applications that do not include all components will not be considered.
The NFF will select Conservation Connect Fellows based on their readiness to take advantage of what the fellowship offers, both in terms of professional development and practical experience, and the strength of their application materials. A review committee will assess written materials and conduct candidate interviews. The National Forest Foundation welcomes a diverse pool of applicants and maintains a policy of nondiscrimination.