Application Submissions Now Closed!

"The fellowship space always feels very sacred and important ... We've built relationships and we've had so many powerful shared experiences ... Being able to just be and learn and listen to one another is what I've been craving from the beginning, and I just want more of this fellowship." - Erika Allen, 2019-2022

The Castanea Fellowship looks for dedicated leaders ready to deepen the impact of their vision to build a healthier, more equitable, and sustainable food system. The Fellowship is for engaged leaders who are already equipped with a deep understanding of how the food system could shift in a meaningful way and have had considerable impact, yet know they could do much more. The leaders we seek are those who have demonstrated commitment to the work, understand racial equity, believe in the power of diversity, and welcome collaboration.

The Castanea Fellowship is a two-year, awarded program that provides fellows the space, time, and resources to grow skills, connections, and community. We aim to further the work of established leaders from across the country and provide them with unique learning and skill-building opportunities.

The Castanea Fellowship Experience

An unparalleled opportunity to amplify your vision, influence, and impact.
Four 4-6 day in-person gatherings to build and learn as a cohort and benefit from diverse regional perspectives and tactics. Immersions may include training in communication, finance, leadership development, organizing, and policy, among other topics.
An international learning experience to explore food systems outside of the U.S. context and the global dynamics of food.
$40,000 awarded over the two years of the fellowship to support the work and participation of Fellows.
Support, mentorship, and love from the Castanea community.

Application Process

Applications are closed as of September 16, 2022 at 9pm PST.

Please review our Frequently Asked Questions for more information.

Watch the informational webinar here.

Application Milestones

The application timeline is below. Dates are subject to change based on volume of applications.

August 1, 2022: Applications Open
August 25: Informational Webinar
September 16: Application Deadline
Sept-Jan 2023: Applicant Review Process
January 16: Applicants Notified of Status
January 23: Deadline for Acceptance
Jan/Feb: Kickoff Gathering (online)
February: Fellows Announced Externally
Spring 2023: First in-person gathering

Eligibility and Criteria

Who Are We Looking For?

We welcome established visionaries who:

Align with our values of racial equity, diversity, and impact.
Lead their field and have already demonstrated inspiring results.
Have experience working with communities or populations across a range of physical and cultural geographies.
Believe that food system change involves a multi-sector and multi-strategy approach.
Welcome being part of a diverse, robust, multiracial cohort.
Want to deepen skills in communication, finances, organizing, and/or policy.
Understand intersectionality of race, gender, class, ability, environmental, and health issues.
See themselves as constant learners and seek to be in a learning community.
Can commit to devoting the necessary time to be fully engaged in the fellowship.
Reside within the United States.

Our Call for Applicants Across Sectors

The Castanea Fellowship gathers dedicated and experienced leaders from across the food system: farmers, organizers, racial justice advocates, health care professionals, policy makers, entrepreneurs, ecosystem caretakers, community developers and those whose various approaches, tactics, and strategies will help us build a healthier, more sustainable and equitable food system.

Our Commitment to Diversity

We aim to bring together a strategic, dynamic, and collaborative cohort. We know that a successful cohort will be one made up of fellows who are diverse in race and ethnicity, gender, geographic representation, issue areas, change-making strategies, and experience. We encourage all applicants who meet our requirements to apply!