Dana Alston Environmental Justice Fellowship

Founded in 1936, the National Wildlife Federation has grown into America’s largest and most trusted grassroots conservation organization with 52 state/territorial affiliates and more than six million members and supporters, including hunters, anglers, gardeners, birders, hikers, campers, paddlers, and outdoor enthusiasts of all ages and stripes. The mission of the National Wildlife Federation is to unite all Americans to ensure wildlife thrive in our rapidly changing world. We advance this mission through programming focused on conserving wildlife, restoring habitats and waterways, expanding outdoor opportunities, connecting children with nature, advancing environmental justice, and addressing the causes and consequences of climate change.

The Dana Alston Environmental Justice Fellowship Program is named after an environmental justice leader who was instrumental in the development of the environmental justice movement. Ms. Alston assisted in the convening of the historic First National People of Color Environmental Leadership Summit in 1991. This event, which  brought together grassroots environmental justice activists from around the country and helped to establish a national agenda for the environmental justice movement serves as a pivotal moment in environmental justice history.

NWF is working to address the longstanding and systemic inequities that have resulted in environmental injustices in low-income, frontline/fenceline, and communities of color. For decades, these communities have borne the disproportionate burden of pollution, hazardous waste, and other environmental hazards, leading to a range of health problems and impacted quality of life. Our hope is that the Dana Alston Environmental Justice Fellowship is the first of many fellowships recognizing the work and contribution of environmental justice leaders.

Our program aims to develop and prepare environmental justice leaders by providing meaningful and impactful experiences in our environmental justice program. Through the program, we aim to harness and hone our fellowship recipients’ skills, knowledge, and tools to advance environmental justice policies and practices from the hyperlocal to the national level.

By investing in these emerging leaders, we envision a world in which communities that are most impacted by oppressive systems are able to cultivate and benefit from emerging, collaborative, and transformational solutions to promote healthy, sustainable, and just environments.

This position is part of NWF’s fellowship program. NWF Fellows must be available to work a full-time schedule. This 11-month position offers $25.00 per hour plus core benefits. 

Dana Alston Fellowship Program and Duties:

The Environmental Justice Fellows Program at NWF is aligned with and in honor of the work that Dana Alston, and countless others, have led in our communities across generations.

The Fellows Program will…

• Provide participants with an immersive and experiential opportunity to engage in the field of environmental justice;
• Connect participants to a nation-wide network of environmental justice leaders and stakeholders, providing opportunities for continued learning and growth;
• Cultivate participants deep understanding of environmental justice principles and policies to advance systemic change in communities; and
• Include site visits to communities impacted by environmental injustice.

Program Project

This Fellowship will explore the intersection of housing justice, environmental justice, and disaster policy to examine opportunities to bolster community and ecosystem resilience.

As climate change impacts continue to increase in severity, frontline communities, especially historically marginalized and underserved communities, also face increased hazard risks, like floods, storms, extreme heat, and more. These communities most vulnerable to environmental risks – environmental justice (EJ) communities – often also face issues relating to housing security and justice. This research proposal aims to explore and understand the current relationships between federal housing and disaster policies through the lens of environmental justice. By examining the existing federal landscape, this research seeks to identify opportunities to improve federal programs or policies to enhance community resilience and promote environmental justice.

Particular questions could include (but are not limited to): How can federal housing policy be used to enhance community resilience and promote environmental justice, particularly looking at the intersections of Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) and U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development (HUD) policies and programs? What changes could be made at the federal level (e.g., HUDs programs) to bolster both community and ecosystem resilience?

Scope of research includes examination of relevant literature or studies, policy documents, reports, and federal policies, regulations, or legislative language.

Final products for this Fellowship could include, but not be limited to, the creation of white papers, reports, developing various community toolkits, story-telling efforts, and presentations to NWF staff, partners, and government decision-makers on findings and recommendations. These final products could include a mixture of these elements: literature reviews, data collection, policy analysis, case studies, qualitative interviews/surveys, and recommendations. These are just a few examples of the many products that will be developed over the course of this Fellowship.

What the Fellows Program provides…

The individual selected for the 11-month Fellowship with the National Wildlife Federation will hold a full-time position within the Environmental Justice, Health and Community Resilience and Revitalization Program at NWF, complete with benefits. This fellow will:

• Receive individualized support through ongoing check-ins and updates with Senior Program Manager;
• Be an integrated member of the Environmental Justice program at NWF;
• Have access to all NWF related program tools and resources;
• Engage with a network of leaders in the Environmental Justice and the conservation movements;
• Assist in the programmatic evaluation and planning of the 2024 fellowship program, drawing on the experiences and lessons learned from the 2023 program.

We strongly encourage applications from people who work with or in environmental justice organizations, who represent frontline climate communities, and/or who have a strong background in environmental justice-oriented organizing and practice.

Qualifications:

The ideal candidate for this position possesses the following qualifications and competencies: 

• You should possess 1-2 years of relevant experience, with a working knowledge of federal policy, environmental justice, and natural disaster issues
• A Bachelor’s Degree or higher in environmental policy or science, climate change, environmental justice, engineering, or relevant fields can count towards experience
• Motivated to help facilitate greater understanding of the intersections between climate resilience, federal policy, and equity/justice issues to further the fair, beneficial, and responsible implementation of disaster recovery practices where most needed
• Strong interpersonal and networking skills with the ability to find common ground and develop collaborative, productive, respectful relationships with diverse interests
• Familiarity with federal, state, and local governmental bodies, processes, programs, and policies related to environmental regulation, housing policy and in supporting on-the-ground climate and justice solutions
• Strong analytical, critical thinking, and problem-solving skills, with an ability to identify and solve complex issues
• Excellent written and verbal communication skills with proficiency in using various tech tools, such as email, Google and Microsoft Suites, Slack, Zoom, Airtable, etc.
• Outstanding administrative and organizational skills, including the ability to produce, track, and manage deliverables with overlapping deadlines in a high-performing, self-starting environment
• A clear and present sense of emotional intelligence and conflict resolution skills, including strong interpersonal skills
• Deep commitment to Environmental Justice, Climate Justice, and the intersection with Health
• Commitment to justice, equity, and inclusion as organizational practice and culture
• Awareness of positional power and privilege, both personally and professionally, and its relationship to white dominant culture, systemic oppression, and hierarchies

Maintains an ethos of excellence and growth in developing personally and professionally

NWF Values:

Your actions are expected to reflect the staff values of the National Wildlife Federation: collaboration, mindfulness, empowerment, inclusivity, and mission focus.  Your competencies should include:

• Being motivated by values of equity and responsibility to those most marginalized;
• Consistently bringing a high level of empathy and social skills to work and interpersonal interactions;
• Being committed to deepening an environmental justice approach in policy priorities, program development and partner engagement;
• Actively seeks feedback, direction, and guidance from all team members and keeps staff informed of decisions that impact them;
• Being dedicated to advancing NWF’s internal equity transformation and compelling partners and allies to incorporate equity into their work; and
• Passion for and commitment to NWF’s mission

Applicants are invited to learn more about National Wildlife Federation’s required equity competencies at https://www.nwf.org/About-Us/Careers.

Travel Requirements: 

Occasional travel may be required for the position.

Location and Work Mode: 

This position is based out of our National Advocacy Center in Washington, DC. The National Wildlife Federation is committed to a flexible and empowered work environment with an authentic community of care for all staff. In this position, the employee may work in the office, in a hybrid manner, or fully remote, to be decided jointly with their supervisor in the final stages of the interview process. For more information on Work Modes, please review the benefits section of our careers page: https://www.nwf.org/About-Us/Careers. 

Physical Requirements of the Job:

Remaining in a normal seated or standing position for extended periods; reaching and grasping by extending hand(s) or arm(s); dexterity to manipulate objects with fingers, for example, using a keyboard; communication skills using the spoken word; ability to see and hear within normal parameters; ability to move about the workspace. The position requires mobility, including moving materials weighing up to several pounds (such as a laptop computer or tablet)

Persons with disabilities may be able to perform the essential duties of this position with reasonable accommodation. Requests for reasonable accommodation will be evaluated on an individual basis.

Please Note: this job description sets forth the job’s principal duties, responsibilities, and requirements; it should not be construed as an exhaustive statement, however. Unless they begin with the word “may,” the Essential Duties and Responsibilities described above are “essential functions” of the job, as defined by the Americans with Disabilities Act.

Application:

Applications will be reviewed on a rolling basis. Candidates must submit a cover letter, resume, contact information for three (3) references, and an example of past work that demonstrates or reflects your interest in this work to be considered for the position.

For more information on our recruiting process, please review our Careers page: https://www.nwf.org/About-Us/Careers 

We strive to increase diversity, equity, inclusion and justice (DEIJ) in all elements of our work and with our partners to support the interdependent needs of wildlife and people in a rapidly changing world. We recruit, employ, train compensate, and promote regardless of race, religion, creed, national origin, ancestry, sex (including pregnancy), sexual orientation, gender identity (including gender nonconformity and status as a transgender individual), age, physical or mental disability, citizenship, genetic information, past, current, or prospective service in the uniformed services, or any other characteristic protected under applicable federal, state, or local law. We are proud to be an equal opportunity employer. Applicants are invited to learn more about National Wildlife Federation’s commitment to diversity, equity, and inclusion at nwf.org/equity.

We recognize that people come with a wealth of experience and talent beyond just the technical requirements of a job, therefore our job descriptions are guidelines, not hard and fast rules.  Your experience, which may include paid and unpaid experience, including volunteer work, helps build the competencies and knowledge that translates to our openings.  Diversity of experience and skills combined with passion is a key to innovation and a culture of excellence.  Therefore, we encourage people from all backgrounds to apply to our positions.

Please let us know if you require accommodations during the application or interview process by reaching us at hrhelp@nwf.org  or 703-438-6244.

If selected for this position, a background check will be conducted.