Urban Conservation and Community Fellow

Urban Conservation and Community Fellowship Program 

About the Program  

In 2024, the Fund’s Parks with Purpose Program will launch our inaugural cohort of the Urban Conservation and Community Fellowship Program (UCC) aimed at identifying high-potential individuals interested in working with community-based, nonprofit organizations that are currently partnering with the Fund. The UCC Fellows will be placed with nonprofit and community partner organizations and develop a twelve (12) month work plan in collaboration with the community-based organization, the Fund, and the UCC Fellows Advisory Council. The fellowship program is designed to provide full-time experience working at the community-scale assisting communities realize park, trail or other greenspace visions and related social, economic and environmental benefits.  

The UCC Fellowship Program is designed to adaptably respond to community-based partners’ needs to build their capacity and collaborate with the local community, respectively. Our community-based projects include (but are not limited to) new neighborhood parks, improved access to parks, greenspace amenities, trails, and healthy food producing, sites that also include job or skills training, environmental learning, community-based stewardship, and linkages with affordable housing, health and mental health promotion using outdoor settings, childcare and youth learning, historically and culturally relevant art, and other forms of community-development and quality of life improvement. Community partners can utilize various types of expertise and capacity, with public relations and marketing, communications, technology, community engagement, programming and event management, educational programming, grant writing and reporting, landscape design, and hands-on volunteer project management. Fellows will have a variety of avenues to contribute to advancing equitable access to parks and nature and equitable community development.  

In this role, UCC Fellows will: 

• Gain working knowledge of the effort to incorporate the improvement of outdoor spaces into federal, state, and local policies that invest in disadvantaged neighborhoods across the nation.
• Connect with early environmental educators, local community leaders, and conservation professionals to build a broader professional network.
• Attend virtual and in-person training sessions and/ or certification programs to further develop professional skills.
• Write and edit grant applications.
• Work with the Partners to develop strategies for working with local government entities and community members.
• Coordinate the development and implementation of advocacy tactics; this may include drafting content for policymakers, media, and both internal and external partner audiences.
• Working with Partnership Managers, lead the creation of a network of equitable green space leaders, thereby building a cohort of influencers and advocates across the nation.
• Work with Partner organizations to strengthen community engagement tactics.
• Help Parks with Purpose partners produce or update data-driven charts, maps, and graphics for different target audiences.
• Perform administrative duties and help with shared office tasks as needed.

What Professional Development Will Urban Conservation and Community Fellows Receive? 

Urban Conservation and Community Fellows will share their ideas and experiences, forge new alliances, expand networks, and support communities in planning and implementing Parks with Purpose projects. Fellows will:   

• Community Engagement: Gain a comprehensive understanding of reparative spatial justice frameworks, tools, and strategies that challenge the status quo and pave the way for equitable housing and land use. Incorporate meaningful community-driven change through direct community input.
• Justice, Equity, Diversity and Inclusion: Learn how to advocate for practices that address historical injustices, center community priorities, and expose racial inequities in land use and housing policies — all with the aim of influencing national policy conversations and ushering in a new era of housing and land equity.
• Non-Profit Fundraising & Proposal Writing: Learn and understand how non-profits gain funding through various grants, including but not limited to federal grants, foundation grants, and private entity grants.
• Project & Budget Management: Learn and understand how non-profits manage funds through different means, such as grants, donations, and membership fees. Gain an understanding of grant reporting, and project tracking with different funding sources and matching methods.
• Narrative Power: Acquire the skills to shape and change the narrative about reparative spatial justice, both internally and externally, to create a broader understanding of its importance.
• Coalition Building: Explore how to engage a diverse range of allies and partners in the pursuit of shared equity goals, amplifying your impact in the housing and land justice movement.
• Peer Exchange: Connect with like-minded fellows in a collaborative learning environment. Exchange ideas, lessons, and tools that will support fellows to build new partnerships and a strong sense of solidarity that will drive transformative change.

Who Should Apply? 

The Conservation Fund seeks high-potential individuals that are building a career related to environmental conservation, community engagement, park planning and management, water conservation or GIS, or non-profit management. The UCC Fellowship Program is a good fit for high potential, emerging leaders committed to social justice and seeking to expand their management acumen. 

Qualifications: 

• Previous experience with community-based groups, environmental justice, conservation, or any other related field- This can be in educational, volunteer, or professional experience.
• Have an interest in supporting community-driven initiatives designed to make neighborhoods safer, greener, and more equitable.
• Interest in building a career working within nonprofit, organizing or public sector careers
• Excellent verbal and communication skills
• Knowledgeable about social and economic justice issues affecting underserved communities
• Self-starter able to work effectively in both a team-based and independent environment.

UCC Followship Program Timeline  

• Application Opens: Early 2024
• Selection and Placement: March 2024
• Program Kick-Off and Orientation: April 2024
• Convening 2: Rotating locations
• Convening 3: Rotating locations
• Convening 4: October 2024 Parks with Purpose Peer Exchange
• Fellowship Program End: March 2025

Fellows must be available to fully participate in the kick-off convening and all in-person and virtual training workshops.   

Fellowship Details  

The 12-month fellowship will provide fellows with ongoing support and opportunities for growth, including:  

• A stipend to support their work in the fellowship and to help advance the capacity of local community-led organizations.
• Quarterly convenings throughout the fellowship term for shared learning, group discussions, and professional development.
• In-person convenings to build relationships with other fellows, advisors, and staff.
• Coaching and mentorship from expert advisors

Compensation + Work Expectations 

Fellows will receive a salary as a full-time paid employee of the hosting organization in which they are placed. Fellows should anticipate working some evenings and weekends to participate in community meetings and programs as needed. 

Application 

Applications will open soon!! 

Individuals from underserved communities and people of color are strongly encouraged to apply. 

FAQ’s 

Relocation  

This fellowship does not cover relocation costs. 

Can I only apply for 1 location? 

Preferably, yes. This position does not cover the financial costs of relocation, and each location has a different community partner with different community needs. If you do want to apply for more than 1 location, please submit an application for each position- changing just the preferred location for each application. 

What is the salary for this position? 

The anticipated salary range for this position is $40,000-50,000 per calendar year.Final terms of employment will be determined by host organizations. 

Questions 

For questions, concerns or issues with the application form, please contact the UCC Fellows Program Coordinator at ilyon@conservationfund.org 

About the Parks with Purpose Program 

The Conservation Fund’s Parks with Purpose program focuses on some of our most vulnerable urban communities. Through equitable park development projects and a community-centered approach, we work with residents to transform and restore depressed, inner-city properties into vibrant new parks. Not only do these new greenspaces provide safe places for kids to play and neighbors to gather, but they also reduce stormwater flooding impacts, train and employ local residents, provide access to fresh, healthy foods, and create natural habitat in these highly urbanized neighborhoods. Most importantly, these parks are planned, developed and constructed by community residents. Please learn more about the Parks with Purpose program at www.conservationfund.org/our-work/parks-with-purpose.  

About The Conservation Fund  

At The Conservation Fund, we make conservation work for America. By creating solutions that make environmental and economic sense, we are redefining conservation to demonstrate its essential role in our future prosperity. Top-ranked for efficiency and effectiveness, we have worked in all 50 states since 1985 to protect more than 8.5 million acres of land. Please learn more about The Conservation Fund at www.conservationfund.org.