Overview
The Washington Sea Grant Coastal Resilience Fellowship offers a unique educational opportunity for early or shifting career professionals to provide additional capacity for coastal communities around coastal resilience. Highly motivated, qualified individuals are matched with Tribes, local nonprofits, municipalities, special districts, conservation districts, and other local entities working on projects focused on coastal resilience. Hosts provide mentorship, supervision, and opportunities for fellows that support their professional and educational goals. Through collaborative work planning, fellows’ projects provide tangible results for host organizations.
The 2-year, paid fellowship program is driven by coastal communities’ most urgent and critical areas of focus around coastal resilience. Washington Sea Grant works to provide assistance to coastal communities in defining project scopes and criteria for prospective fellows. Criteria for potential fellows and subsequent outreach efforts are dependent on the project focus.
The inaugural year of this fellowship will aim to initially focus on projects on the Pacific Coast, but since there are opportunities for fellows to engage in multiple projects throughout their two year fellowship, all organizations working on coastal resilience projects are encouraged to apply. Additionally, prospective fellows with experience living, working, learning along the Pacific Coast are prioritized.
The Washington Sea Grant Coastal Resilience Fellowship Program aims to:
- Provide tailored coastal resilience support to coastal communities through intentional capacity building,
- Develop fellows’ pathways for careers in coastal resilience through project-based learning with their host organization, mentorship, and professional learning, and
- Nurture a vibrant coastal resilience network of partnerships.
For Hosts – Application & Interest Form
- Click here to access the Google Form host application. The host application is due at 5 pm on April 15, 2025.
- If your not yet ready to submit your host application and/or you’re not sure about your eligibility, please feel free to reach out to the WSG Resilience Fellowship Specialist, Becky Bronstein, at beckyb23@uw.edu, or share your interest via this Google Form.
For Fellows – How To Apply
See the “For Prospective Fellows” tab below for application instructions and to access the eSeaGrant application portal. The application information will be updated by May 19, 2025.
Award
In 2025 each fellow will receive an award of $87,500, which includes the following.
- Untaxed stipend of $82,500 (To cover living costs, health related benefits, and tax related expenses)
- Professional development budget of $5,000 (Administered by Washington Sea Grant)
Values Statement
The WSG Coastal Resilience Fellowship Program, like all WSG programs, adheres to a set of core values focused on achieving positive environmental and societal impact. It seeks to forge tools, foster insights, build capacity and invest in relationships for sustainable management, enjoyment and use of Washington’s marine resources to support safe and prosperous fisheries and aquaculture, rich cultural and maritime heritage, resilient communities, and biologically diverse ecosystems. Facilitating practical and collaborative solutions to today’s ocean and coastal issues, WSG supports a culture of scientific integrity and serves as a trusted source of place-based information and real-world expertise that honors the history, people and places of Washington.
WSG seeks to create access to resources and opportunities for everyone in Washington, and to incorporate the breadth of the state’s perspectives and priorities in all that we do. WSG’s work is based on a culture of trust, respect, partnerships and accountability. Specifically, WSG strives to:
- ensure the right of all people to live and work in a clean environment;
- create fair access to natural resources, opportunities, decision-making processes and protection from environmental hazards;
- foster learning by encouraging open, honest and respectful exchange that honors differences in experience, background, interests and values;
- build community and collaboration by valuing and engaging with the priorities, expertise, capabilities, and participation of diverse partners; and
- create a welcoming work environment, so that each person and group feels respected, valued and safe.
Application Information for Hosts and Fellows
Instructions on how to apply to participate as a WSG Coastal Resilience Fellowship Host office or apply to be a Fellow.
Host Office Application Information
The Washington Sea Grant (WSG) Coastal Resilience Fellowship program welcomes participation from Tribes, local nonprofits, municipalities, special districts, conservation districts, and other local entities working on projects focused on coastal resilience. Interested host offices are invited to submit an application to WSG.
WSG Coastal Resilience Fellows are teamed with mentors in a host office for two years, working on coastal resilience projects. Prospective hosts are expected to mentor, supervise and provide opportunities for fellows to be involved in substantive issues that support their professional and educational goals. The experience provides fellows with a unique perspective on coastal resilience and allows them to share their lived, learned, and work experience with their host offices. In their application, hosts are welcome to share if their capacity better suits working with a fellow part-time across their two-year fellowship, as well as their preferred work set-up with their fellow (in-person, hybrid, remote).
Host/Mentor Expectations
- Matching Process – In the inaugural year we aim to include hosts/mentors in the matching process, which may include reviewing finalists applications and participating in interviews. The details of the process will be shared with the host/mentors and adjusted based on capacity.
- Onboarding – WSG will support general onboarding of the fellows, including an overview of Washington Sea Grant, logistical items regarding their award, and orientation to general systems and practices to support their fellowship. The hosts/mentors will provide onboarding regarding their organization, as well as on the ground support for coastal resilience projects. Note: Depending on the project and past experience, expect several months of onboarding until the fellow can move from knowledge gathering to contribution for a given project.
- Ongoing Check-ins/Project(s) Support – Hosts/mentors will be encouraged to solidify regular check-ins (ex. weekly) with fellows depending on project scope and workflow.
- Professional Development Support – Hosts/mentors are encouraged to identify professional development opportunities for fellows and co-create a professional learning plan with their fellow. The WSG Resilience Fellowship Specialist will support solidifying this plan. The fellow will have $5,000 in professional development funds to support professional learning opportunities.
- Reflection – Hosts/mentors are encouraged to support fellows in ongoing reflection. Additionally, hosts/mentors are encouraged to share ideas for improving the fellowship at any time. Towards the end of the two-year fellowship, fellows and hosts/mentors will dedicate additional time to process and reflect on their experience.
Click Here to Access the 2025 Host Application
Host Application Includes the Following Elements:
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- Host Organization Information + Mentor/Co-Mentor Information: Provide your organizations the name and address (where fellow’s office space would be located, if in-person) + Provide the name, title, and contact information for the individual who would serve as the fellow’s primary mentor and supervisor. This individual will take the lead on fellow onboarding, supervision of work, and will provide essential fellowship related mentorship (coaching, professional development. Additionally, provide the name, title and contact information for any other key fellowship co-mentors.
- Project Description: Project title, description, current status, project lead and team, needs, timeline, goals, additional projects (if applicable), organizational values
- Project overview including any specific tasks, timelines, partners or major project components. Projects should be specific however, it is ok to include descriptions of more than one potential project if applicable*. For all projects we encourage you to build in some amount of flexibility to align project activities with your fellow’s individual skills and interests. *Please note that some former fellows have felt that their host organization provided too many options/possibilities and a lack of clear direction or well defined project goals presented challenges.
- Mentorship, Professional Development and Networking: Describe the key mentorship, professional development, and networking opportunities that will be available to the fellow through your organization or external partners
- Professional Development, Onboarding, and Workplace Considerations: Professional development opportunities for the fellow, fellow working location, supports for housing, equipment, travel considerations, need for background checks or security clearances. Please note, responses within this section are considerations for host selection, not requirements. We aim to create a supportive network for hosts and fellows to be successful so it’s okay if not all aspects of these questions are determined.
Acceptance of a Host Application Will be Based on the Following Criteria:
- The perceived ability of the fellowship project(s) and mentorship opportunity to make a positive impact for coastal communities and the fellow.
- This might look like fellow projects that provide opportunities for lasting change within a coastal community or opportunities for fellows to develop and further partnerships throughout the region. This might also look like fellows meeting an essential need that is important to the host organization.
- The focus of the project(s) on coastal resilience efforts on Washington’s Pacific Coast.
- The inaugural year of this fellowship will focus on Washington’s Pacific Coast, but future cohorts may work on projects in other geographic areas. There is also opportunity for fellow projects to focus on work in other coastal communities, if there are natural synergies between work.
- We recognize and respect that coastal communities interpret coastal resilience in different ways and we encourage potential hosts to define resilience projects in alignment with their community’s vision/priorities. For the purposes of this fellowship, coastal resilience refers to a community’s ability to prepare, recover, and bounce back from coastal hazards like sea level rise, flooding, erosion, and tsunami. Projects may encompass topics related to coastal hazards and climate adaptations, including, but not limited to, relocation efforts, vulnerability assessments, feasibility studies, community engagement plans, communications and education, and community cultural climate resilience efforts.
- The level of educational and professional development benefits for the fellow.
- Alignment of project with WSG goals and values as listed above.
Review the timeline at the top of this webpage for key dates.
Fellow Selection
Fellowship applications will be submitted to WSG, and a review panel will be convened to recommend finalists based on an evaluation of academic and professional background, career and education goals, community and extracurricular activities, potential impact of the fellowship on future success, as well as personal characteristics such as initiative, leadership, adaptability, communication and analytical skills. For the inaugural year, the review committee may incorporate the selected hosts to ensure a successful matching process. WSG selects up to five WSG Coastal Resilience Fellows (depending on size of candidate pool and number of host offerings).
WSG plans to hold a mandatory work planning workshop between hosts and fellows. The timing and set up of the workshop will be determined based on final host and fellow assignments.
The length of a fellowship assignment is two years and is not renewable. WSG will administer monthly stipend payments and will manage a discretionary professional development and fellowship related travel budget for each fellow. Once selected, hosts will need to work with Washington Sea Grant to put in place an interagency agreement (i.e. a funding contract) for each fellowship award prior to the start of fellowships in September. The fellowship contracts will begin on September 1. Fellows may not start work until the contract is in place.
Fellowship Expenses: “How Much Does it Cost to Host a Fellow?”
There is no cost to the host office to participate in the WSG Coastal Resilience Fellowship. However, if the host office is able to provide financial support for any necessary work equipment (ex. laptop), travel expenses, additional professional development funds or other miscellaneous expenses, that is greatly appreciated.
Contact Information
For more information or if you have questions about becoming a host, please contact the WSG Resilience Fellowship Specialist, Becky Bronstein, at beckyb23@uw.edu.
Prospective Fellow Information
Eligibility
- The WSG Coastal Resilience Fellowship currently is open to individuals who have skills, work and lived experience that can support capacity building for coastal communities around coastal resilience.
- DACA students are eligible to apply.
- Black, indigenous and other people of color (BIPOC) as well as representatives of the LGBTQ+ community, and allies are encouraged to apply for this opportunity.
Application Requirements
Applications are submitted via the eSeaGrant online submission portal.
Check back by Mid-May 2025 for details.
Finalist Selection
Check back by Mid-May 2025 for details.
Selection Criteria
Check back by Mid-May 2025 for details.
Placement of Fellows
Check back by Mid-May 2025 for details.
How to Apply
Washington Sea Grant will be accepting all fellowship applications through our online submission portal, eSeaGrant. eSeaGrant will open to applicants in May. If you are new to eSeaGrant please give yourself plenty of time to complete your application and contact our office if you have questions.
For further information please contact:
E-mail: sgfellow@uw.edu