NAAEE is now accepting applications for the 

Civic and Environmental Education (CEE) - Change Fellowship Program

The fellowship program is a partnership with US EPA and the Cedar Tree Foundation to help strengthen environmental education and civic engagement.

 All application materials are due by May 17, 2021, 11:59 PM ET. Applicants will be notified of their status early July 2021.

Start your online application

NAAEE will hold an informational webinar on Monday, March 29, 2021, 3:00–4:00 PM ET.

Register for the webinar

Applicants who applied for the delayed 2020 Community EE Fellowship Program are eligible to submit an abbreviated application for the CEE-Change Fellowship. Contact Anne Umali at CEEchangeFellow@naaee.org for more information.

The Civic and Environmental Education (CEE) - Change Fellowship Program will bring together a diverse and inspiring cadre of formal and nonformal educators and community leaders across North America who are working to address today’s complex environmental and social concerns at the local, state, and national levels.

Each Fellow will design joint Civic Education and Environmental Education Community Action Projects and have access to a limited pool of mini-grant funding to support their work. Grant funds will be prioritized for Fellows who have the most innovative ideas and effective strategies for using CE and EE to address a community environmental issue, lead to progress on civic engagement, and strengthen community resilience to address environmental concerns. Grant funds will also be set aside for Fellows seeking additional leadership training and professional development, including professional learning exchanges with other Fellows. Projects will emphasize community and civic engagement, sustainability, and resilience. Additionally, each project will address US EPA’s core mission to provide Americans with clean air, land, and water.

The eighteen-month fellowship will provide CEE-Change Fellows with opportunities to learn, network, and share through online professional development, technical assistance, and face-to-face training. The fellowship will also lay a strong foundation for continued professional growth after the program ends.

Benefits of Becoming a Fellow

Each Fellow accepted into the program will receive training and individualized support for their work, including the following:

• Professional development and leadership training* with a focus on civic education, environmental education, JEDI in the environmental movement (justice, equity, diversity and inclusion), partnership building, participatory planning strategies, community engagement, leadership, strategic communications, fundraising, project planning, grant management, mapping power, coalition-building, design-thinking, and evaluation (Professional development will be designed based on a needs assessment.)
• An enhanced professional network of CEE-Change Fellows and leaders in civic education, environmental education, conservation, community resilience, and other disciplines
• Increased access to relevant practices and resources through NAAEE’s professional development opportunities on eePRO
• A virtual Leadership Institute to be held sometime between July 12 and 23, 2021 (exact dates and timing TBD)
• Monthly virtual training webinars on priority topics
• Scholarship funds to attend the 2021 Annual NAAEE Conference October 13–16, 2021 in Pittsburgh, PA (in-person or virtual conference TBD); Scholarship funds to attend a face-to-face follow-up in summer 2022
• Technical assistance in planning and implementing a Community Action Project
• Opportunities to apply for mini-grant funds to implement a Community Action Project; grants will range from $3,000 for a planning grant up to $10,000 for a collaboration grant (Collaboration grants are two or more Fellows working together to promote a larger-scale effort.)
• Access to professional development funds to seek additional leadership training and to support learning exchanges between Fellows
• Mentoring and networking opportunities within the Fellows cohort and the NAAEE network
• Individual and organizational recognition through ee360 and NAAEE 
• The opportunity to both participate and inform an emergent framework for a new toolkit for educators working at the intersection of environmental education and civic and community engagement.

*NAAEE has a strong record of designing engaging and immersive professional development and fellowship programs. At this time, our plans for in-person gatherings are based on the best available information we have about COVID-related health and safety protocols. Any necessary adjustments to the schedule and nature of convenings will be made with the best interests of staff and participants in mind. We are committed to providing a meaningful and inspiring experience for all CEE-Change Fellows.