99% of US farmed animals are raised in factory farms. But only 3% of animal charity funding goes to organizations working to change this system. The movement to reform the US food system has momentum, but it’s fighting two bottlenecks: not enough money, and not enough talented people working to bring it in.
The US Food System Reform Fellowship addresses both gaps. You bring the skills; we train you to fund the work and do it. You start with intensive fundraising training, pitch for your own placement, and then spend seven months inside the organizations leading the fight for food system reform in the US. We provide the tools and the infrastructure. You make it happen.
This program builds on the success of our European Food Transition Fellowship, where 83% of fellows remain engaged in food system reform work. The US fellowship is a ten-month program: a cohort of driven professionals on a direct path into the US food system reform movement.
What we offer
The program runs for ten months. It begins in June with a fundraising phase: you’ll receive training in the full lifecycle of fundraising, learn to tap your networks with confidence, and receive connections to aligned funders. Lack of funding is the single biggest bottleneck in the fight against factory farming. The skills you build here don’t just launch your fellowship; they bolster the movement with what it needs most.
In September, you join your cohort for one week of intensive training in the Netherlands, followed by three additional weeks of US-based learning. Then: six months inside a trailblazing US food system reform organization. Not an internship. Live campaigns, active advocacy, real challenges from day one.
- A tight-knit cohort of ambitious, mid-career professionals who share your mission.
- Regular cohort sessions throughout your placement to share learnings and build a lasting network.
- Ongoing career support after the fellowship to help you land your next role.
Who we’re looking for
We select on skills, not credentials. You don’t need a background in food systems or agriculture. This is a career transition program: we’re looking for transferable skills, not subject-matter expertise.
- Minimum of five years’ experience in marketing and communications, PR, strategy consulting, finance, economics, or public policy.
- US resident and eligible to work in the United States.
- Self-starting, entrepreneurial, and ready to raise funding and do the work.
- Non-linear careers welcome.
How to apply
Applications are reviewed on a rolling basis. Apply sooner, get reviewed sooner. Round 1 closes April 27, 2026.
Note: the US Food System Reform Fellowship has a separate application from the EU/Global fellowships. You cannot apply for both.
