Farmlink FIELD Fellowship

Farmlink's Innovation, Education, and Leadership Development Fellowship

APPLICATIONS CLOSED

Dates

FEB-NOV 2024

Work Setting

Hybrid (In-person in summer)

Deadline

January 5th
APPLICATIONS CLOSED

Anna

Hometown: Baton Rouge, LA

Anna spent her summer with ProduceGood in San Diego, shadowing a small but mighty gleaning team and coordinating a 1,000+ volunteer network. Anna helped ProduceGood rescue and redistribute food from all levels, including relationship development at farmers markets, harvesting from private residences, farms, and even rescuing surplus from grocery stores. Anna is excited about the immense difference one dedicated individual can create in their community.

  • Phase 1: February 13 to April 28
       ○ Remote,  ~12 hours weekly
  • Phase 2: May 29 - August 4 OR June 5 - August 11
       
    ○ In Person, 40 hours weekly
       ○ Summer start and end date is flexible between these two options to accommodate different student schedules
  • Phase 3: September 6 to November 19
       ○
    Remote, ~12 hours weekly
       ○ Summit included

Owen and Alysia

Owen and Alysia were immersed in Sonoma, CA with a gleaning organization called Farm to Pantry. Over the summer, they gleaned hundreds of pounds of fresh produce from neighbor’s backyards and local farms to feed the local community. They are pictured at a donation drop-off for Redwood Empire Food Bank.

The FIELD Fellowship

The FIELD fellowship catalyzes the next generation of ambitious leaders to create sustainable solutions within the food space. We will work alongside The Farmlink Project to take a deep dive into the current U.S. food system, and challenge you to construct action plans that tackle the food insecurity and food waste epidemic.

Who is this for?

We select a small cohort of outstanding students from diverse backgrounds who are motivated to create change in the food system. Our program is designed for students pursuing an undergraduate degree, however, people who have completed a college education or are pursuing a graduate degree are welcome to apply. This internship is unfortunately not open to high school students.

Stipend

Given the full time and in-person demands of Phase 2, The Farmlink Project offers a $6,000 living stipend and covers travel cost to and from immersion destination. If your involvement in Phase 1 and 3 would be limited due to financial stress, please reach out to people@farmlinkproject.org.

2024 Schedule

A 9-month program that demands as much time as a college course for the spring (Phase 1) and fall (Phase 3), and requires full time work during the summer (Phase 2); fellows must commit to participate in the program’s entirety. The Farmlink Project is well-versed working around a college schedule.

  • Phase 1: February 13 to April 28
       ○ Remote,  ~12 hours weekly
  • Phase 2: May 29 - August 4 OR June 5 - August 11
       
    ○ In Person, 40 hours weekly
       ○ Summer start and end date is flexible between these two options to accommodate different student schedules
  • Phase 3: September 6 to November 19
       ○
    Remote, ~12 hours weekly
       ○ Summit included
  • Phase 1
    • Virtual,  ~10 hours weekly
    • February 19- May 3
  • Phase 2
    • In Person, 40 hours weekly
    • Dates determined with your industry partner, flexible to all school schedules
  • Phase 3
    • Virtual, ~10 hours weekly
    • September 2- November 8
      Summit included
Phase 01
Education with Farmlink. (10 weeks, remote)

Dynamic Learning with Farmlink.

The purpose of Phase 1 is to equip fellows with the tools to succeed in their immersion and project development. During this time, you will join a supportive community of driven students aligned by a passion for creating positive change. Our meetings will involve learning from global sustainability leaders about the ins and outs of the food system, its biggest challenges and frameworks to drive rapid change.

Fellows can expect to spend 10-12 hours per week during Phase 1; which consists of a combination of synchronous meetings and asynchronous assignments. The time commitment is similar to the demands of a 4-unit course in the semester system.

Phase 02
Immersion with a Partner. (10 weeks, full time, in-person)

Immersion with a Partner.

The purpose of Phase 2 is to provide a completely immersive, out of your comfort zone experience for fellows, creating active learning on a problem statement.

Be prepared to get your hands dirty working* on-site with a food bank, community center, food distributor, logistics company, or grower in a full time capacity. Conduct a holistic needs assessments for the industry partner and infer how those needs may be reflected in other stakeholder institutions. Collaborate with your partner to test potential solutions for project creation.

*Please note that immersion within the food system may include physical requirements (i.e. minimum lifting requirements to process produce deliveries). However, this is not a limiting factor in your internship experience or application decision. The Farmlink Project is committed to making the internship work for all people. Please do not hesitate to contact us with any concerns.

phase 03
Synthesize your summer immersion into action. (10 weeks, remote)

Synthesize your summer immersion into action.

Develop your project to change the food system with the support of mentors and industry experts. Phase 3 culminates in presenting your projects at a summit in front of a network of Farmlink alumni, industry partners, corporate partners, donors, press, and more!

Fellows are expected to work 10-12 hours per week during Phase 3; which consists of a combination of synchronous and asynchronous hours. These expectations are similar to the demands of a 4-unit course in the semester system.

APPLICATIONS CLOSEDLearn More

We're looking for

trailblazers
changemakers
organizers
leaders
self-starters
doers
trailblazers
changemakers
organizers
leaders
self-starters
doers
trailblazers
trailblazers
changemakers
organizers
leaders
self-starters
doers 🔧
creative 🥳
coffee-lover ☕️
developer 💻
data analysts ✏️
creator ⚡️

We're looking for

  • community-minded individuals who plan to use this internship opportunity to uplift their local food system. You have identified or will identify an area of opportunity in local food distribution or food-insecurity action, and are eager to build out your idea with support and mentorship from Farmlink.

  • passionate individuals interested in zero hunger, and zero waste food-systems. You are an ambitious, self-starter ready to join Farmlink’s community to learn about its food system operations, and identify areas for improvement.

  • individuals excited by the opportunity of being part of the first, trailblazing cohort of FIELD Fellows. The newness of the program will require fellows that are excited to co-create and boldly shape a change making curriculum for future generations. We are seeking to build a community of curious, determined, and brave individuals who are ready to get out in the field and create change with Farmlink.

Qualifications

Project Design

self-starter with an ability to adapt in a dynamic environment with little supervision; creative, innovative thinker with out-of-the-box problem solving skills; good time-management and organizational skills; comfortability with public speaking and presentation 

Action Oriented

enjoys working hard and looks for challenges; able to act and react as necessary, even if limited information is available; not afraid to take charge of a situation; can overcome obstacles to project design and receive critical feedback when given 

Immersion

demonstrates a professional, confident, and kind demeanor whether speaking to others in person over the phone, via video conference, through email and/or letters; ability to consistently make good decisions through a combination of analysis, experience, and judgment; and good problem solving, project management, and creative resourcefulness

Education

some higher education required (Associates or Bachelors); all majors accepted, freshman-juniors in school preferred

Leadership and Organization

great capacity for self-management; a team builder who will connect to peers both on an individual level and in large groups; capacity to engage in new or out-of-your-comfort environments

The requirements listed in this description are guidelines; you do not have to satisfy every requirement or meet every qualification listed to apply. If you believe you have skills that are transferable to this internship experience and are excited by this opportunity, we encourage you to apply!

Stipends and Accommodations

Given the full time and in-person demands of this internship, The Farmlink Project guarantees a living stipend for Phase 2 of the program. More specific information about the stipend will be provided soon.

We bet you've got tons of questions. Feel free to look through our FAQ, and reach out to our Fellowship Manager, Stella, who is eager to answer any additional questions you may have! stella.delp@farmlinkproject.org

APPLICATIONS CLOSED

FAQs

Who is eligible to apply to the FIELD fellowship?

Our program is designed to work around a college student's schedule, but anyone with post-secondary education is welcome to apply. This internship is unfortunately not open to high school students. We invite you to check out our ROOT fellowship instead!

How do I apply?

Please complete the google form application linked here.

What is the difference between The FIELD and ROOT Fellowships?

Both opportunities are designed to equip qualified individuals with the resources to grow as leaders and challenge their ideas of what is possible. You will join a community of passionate, bold, and innovative individuals from diverse backgrounds to work together in creating a more equitable and sustainable food system. 

The ROOT Fellowship occurs every Fall, Spring, and Summer as a minimum 12 week commitment (commitment varies by season). This seasonal fellowship directly supports the work of Farmlink’s full time staff on operational, media, fundraising, and policy initiatives. ROOT fellows are the force that runs Farmlink! 

The FIELD Fellowship occurs once annually and is an 8-month commitment. It is a hybrid experience that includes on-site food system work and independent project design. The FIELD fellowship educates, empowers, and elevates the transformative power and potential of passionate minds to build tomorrow’s solutions!