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Next Interior Fellows Program

In last week's Digest, we noted that if you’re interested in developing an idea that will support Interior’s future work at the intersection of people, climate, and nature, we'd be sharing a funding opportunity of interest.

Jacob Malcom

• 2 min read
Sunrise through a tree on the bank of a river under partly cloudy skies, with a tree-covered mountain across the river.
Want to help Interior protect and manage lands and waters like this, maybe with science, perhaps serving Tribes? Consider applying to the Next Interior Fellows Program! Photo CC-BY-SA Next Interior

In last week's Digest, we noted that if you’re interested—or know someone who is interested—in developing an idea that will support Interior’s future work at the intersection of people, climate, and nature, then be sure to check out a forthcoming Request For Proposals for a Fellows Program. (The Program is possible from the support for Next Interior from The Navigation Fund.)

Well, it's here! Rather than repeat the text in this post, you can download the RFP from here:

Request for Proposals - Next Interior Fellows Program
Request for Proposals_Next Interior Fellows Program.pdf
185 KB
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As you consider the opportunity and applying, we want to emphasize two things. First, think creatively about what you might propose; we're not interested in just research or reports, we want to motivate vision and action, so let the ideas flow.

Second, think broadly about your qualifications; we're less interested in degrees and more interested in knowledge, skills, relationships, and ideas that you may have gained in many different ways, and have prepared you to carry out your proposal. Note that this isn't an "internship-level" endeavor and will require a high degree of independence, hence the terminology of "fellows."

Relatedly, a small mea culpa. After I shared last week's LinkedIn post about the Next Interior Fellows Program, Democracy Forward announced their big fellowship program - $100k per fellow for a year, for about a dozen fellows. As you can tell, Next Interior's program does not yet have that level of financial support; apologies if you read of our Program and thought of all-year, full-time programs! But this is the starting point for a Program in the form of small grants to go beyond volunteerism alone, which raises equity issues; and to show there is a need for a place where people can share their ideas for the future of Interior. We believe by showing success here it will build bigger and better support down the road.

We hope you'll take a look, share with others, and if you or they have an idea for how to shape the future of Interior, send it in! The application is short - a 1-pager plus your 2-page resume - but the due date is 05 August, so don't procrastinate.