Applications for our national fellowship's Spring cohort is now closed but make sure you apply for our upcoming cohorts.
OUR STORY
Elected Officials to Protect America (EOPA) is a nonpartisan network of current and former elected officials who care deeply about protecting our lands, waters, and democracy while ensuring environmental justice and solving the climate emergency. EOPA educates lawmakers with our Public Leadership Certificate, informs through value-based multimedia platforms, and mobilizes elected officials to inspire strong environmental policy. Lawmakers who are veterans and elected officials representing frontline communities lead our mission.
Founded and led by lawmakers who are veterans, frontline leaders, and young elected officials, we have organized hundreds of elected officials in all 50 states to successfully help ban fracking statewide and win fossil fuel divestment in New York and secure a commitment to phase out oil and gas drilling in California. Nationally, we organized 500 elected officials from 41 states to support the Green New Deal and end fossil fuels and lawmakers who are veterans from 50 states to successfully defend the U.S. Land & Water Conservation Fund.
Our video production company, Code Blue, has exposed Saudi Arabia buying up American water, which was later covered in The Guardian, documented veterans in public office from all 50 states successfully helping defend the Land & Water Conservation Fund, and profiled the Last Chance Alliance coalition of hundreds of organizations calling to phase out oil and gas drilling in California.
EOPA works create prosperity, ensure environmental justice, and protect our lands, waters, and democracy. To achieve these objectives, we focus our strategy on three arenas:
- Policy and Mobilizing – Our membership of state and local elected officials, who care deeply about protecting the environment, are key program participants. Lawmakers who are veterans and frontline elected officials lead our National and State Leadership Councils. Our Leadership Council members participate in our press conferences, hearings, and earned and paid media campaigns. Our work is centered on peer-to-peer education because the best person to influence another lawmaker is a fellow lawmaker. We strive for demographic, geographic, and political diversity, including leaders from communities of color and frontline communities.
- Education and Training – EOPA and the University of San Francisco jointly run a Certificate in Public Leadership that expands lawmakers’ and civic leaders’ knowledge to effectively create, communicate, and implement policy through gaining a deeper understanding of emotional intelligence, leadership and management, public speaking, body language, value-based communications, legislative procedures, cyber security, and empathy-based fundraising, while connecting with elected officials who have had a significant impact on public policy. Lawmakers are asked to develop a policy solution to use in the course and advocate for that policy during and after the in-person and virtual programs. The best solution receives a $10,000 prize for implementation.
- Media and Storytelling – EOPA has an in-house film production arm to educate lawmakers, the media, and the public through visual value-based communication that inspires climate action. We have produced national digital advertisements on clean transportation, created a short documentary on water security where Saudi Arabia is buying up water rights, and countless other videos to support our mission. Additionally, we run a newsmagazine called ProtectEarth.News where we bring together our videos, print articles, letters, policy solutions, and op-eds written by lawmakers to share ideas and combat climate disinformation. Our lawmaker-run podcast the City Climate Corner explores how small and mid-sized cities are tackling climate change and moving toward an equitable and sustainable future. Our parent non-profit the Solon Center For Research and Publishing has published over 70 books.
ABOUT YOU:
If you are a highly motivated, dedicated, and passionate changemaker who wants to support and lead a variety of projects and programs then this fellowship is for you. Some of the qualities we are looking for:
- Passion and experience in environment, energy, civic engagement, and/or public policy issues
- Solid problem-solving skills
- Strong interpersonal, written, and verbal communication skills
- Ability to work remotely, efficiently, and reliably meet deadlines; arrange your schedule and hours
- Zest, grit, hope, love, gratitude, and a sense of humor
- Proficiency with Google Docs and Sheets
- Experience in organizing, campaigns, or policy is an asset
BENEFITS:
- Flexible hours: 20 to 40 hours per week, fellowship term 4 months with possibility of extension
- Work is online/remote
- $1,000 stipends for fellowship period are available, commensurate with experience. (In order to accommodate the most fellows from underserved communities and with economic needs as possible, institutional funding will be used before EOPA funding for any selected fellows with institutional funding support.) You can also learn about the Carmen Ramirez Scholarship here.
- Contribute to a strategic, high-leverage campaign with a direct national policy impact
- Work with influential state and local elected leaders
- Expand your network and join our talented community of current fellows and alumni
- Exclusive personalized training series from experienced lawmakers, civic service professionals, and the University of San Francisco Masters in Public Leadership
- Gain valuable organizing and campaign, experience
- Opportunities to advance in leadership as a Senior and Executive Fellow and staff
- We are a dedicated and fun team who learn from each other
SPECIALIZED TRAINING
Our training courses include value-based communications, empathy-based fundraising, and EQ leadership and management, in addition to job-specific mentorship and training.
- Emotional Intelligence and Public Leadership – The course will involve learning to increase each participant’s ability to empathize with others, to listen accurately, to communicate authentically, and create a work/campaign environment that maximizes team performance and creativity.
- Value-Based Communications – In a media environment where we receive five times more information every day than just five years ago, distinguishing oneself from the crowd to make a lasting impact is essential to an organization or campaign. This course will focus on how we communicate through framing, targeting, and implementing a media campaign that connects through stories that create emotion to create action. Through experiential learning, students will create their narrative and apply it to real-life events, including press conferences, and media campaigns we conduct.
- Empathy Based Fundraising – This course introduces students to the elements of fundraising for political campaigns and organizations, and how those techniques can also be applied to nonprofit groups. We then expand to advanced fundraising tactics to connect through values and build empathy with the funder. Students will understand what makes compelling fundraising asks and evaluate the most effective fundraising tactics.
HOW TO APPLY
Apply online here: National Fellowship Application
If the form is not accessible or for troubleshooting questions, please email: talent [at] protectingamerica.net
WHAT FELLOWS SAY
“It got me out of my comfort zone and I learned a lot – everything from winning grants, policy brief writing, and contacting elected officials. Good for the soul. The work we’re doing really makes an impact. It was exciting to see the TV segment featuring our press conference!” – Chris, Senior National Campaign Fellow
“We are building something really big here, and it’s amazing to be right in the middle of it all – from talking to elected officials to making websites to planning a nationwide outreach campaign – you can literally see the organization taking steps to firmly set itself as a key player in the national environmental policy landscape.” – Bert, National Campaign Fellow
“I joined this team because of the unique and incredible work that EOPA conducts on a daily basis. You really get to understand and build a new organization collaboratively. This is truly a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity to make a difference in our environment and collective public health.” – Jesse, National Campaign Fellow
“EOPA is truly a special organization. We empower leaders, whether elected officials or fellows, even as we massively scale our impact. The collaborative team and mission are inspiring. Everyone has a voice and is supported on their unique path and as a team. I’d highly recommend working for EOPA to anyone interested in environmental policy as well as growing to become a better leader, professional, and activist. – Kylie, Senior National Campaign Fellow
“Working for EOPA is a great way to work on all kinds of different projects and fields. The staff really encourages you to work on what you are interested in and take the lead on it. If you want to be a part of an organization that is trying to change things for the best, EOPA is the place to be.” – Capucine, National Campaign Fellow