Young Natural Resource Professionals Cohort in the Northern Great Plains

First Nations’ Young Natural Resource Professionals Cohort (“cohort”) is a 12-month enrichment opportunity, designed to support the knowledge and networks of young natural resource professionals in the Northern Great Plains. The goal of the cohort is to support and convene 15 early-career natural resource professionals who are employed by Tribes in the Northern Great Plains. Members of the cohort will develop professional, leadership, and technical skills, and learn how to employ tribal and community conservation priorities.

By the end of the cohort, participants will 1.) gain a deeper understanding of traditional stewardship practices that improve and conserve tribal lands, 2.) receive specialized training to manage projects, and 3.) be able to communicate the importance of upholding tribal sovereignty, cultural grounding, and connection to ancestral lands in resource management.

Members of the cohort have access to the following:

• A $5,000 stipend to hosting Tribe

• Travel support for professional development

• A $50,000 tribal grant to lead a conservation-focused project

• Participation in a supportive network comprised of other young professionals in your region.

• Mentorship in project planning, management, reporting, and much more!

During the cohort, participants are required to participate in virtual webinars, fieldwork, and regional in-person trainings, and attend First Nations’ Leadership & Entrepreneurial Apprenticeship Development (L.E.A.D) Conference and organized networking events with other young natural resource professionals. Applicants will also be required to submit one formal report at the end of the cohort.

Eligible applicants must be early-career tribally-affiliated natural resource professionals that are employed by a tribal natural resource and/or environmental department in the Northern Great Plains (Montana, Nebraska, North Dakota, South Dakota and Wyoming).

Eligible applicants include, but are not limited to:

• Applicants must be tribally-affiliated with a Native American community.

• Applicants must be employed by a tribal natural resource and/or environmental department in the Northern Great Plains.

• Applicants must be between the age of 18-30 years old.

• Applicants must be U.S. citizens or permanent residents.

Cohort Award

Selected early-career young tribal natural resource professionals will receive a stipend of $5,000 over the course of 12-months. The stipend will be sent directly to the hosting tribal natural resources department in two payments. The stipend is intended to support the participation of selected early-career young natural resource professionals in the cohort activities.

A grant up to $50,000 will be awarded to the Tribe, where the 15 selected early-career Native natural resource professionals will be hosted. The grant award will be sent directly to the hosting tribal natural resources and/or environmental department. The intent of the grant award is to provide the young natural resource professionals with the opportunity to lead a new project further developing their grants management skills and community engagement strategies.

Submission Deadline

Applications are due FRIDAY, SEPTEMBER 27, 2024, no later than 5 pm Mountain Time.

First Nations recognizes that some of our most rural and remote applicants may have limited access to internet and unable to submit an online application. An exception to an online application may be requested by September 5.

For application assistance email please contact Wolf Star Duran (wsduran@firstnations.org) and Darrick Silversmith (dsilversmith@firstnations.org). Please include your name, tribal natural resource and/or environmental department, and the best phone number to reach you.

Unfortunately, First Nations cannot make any emergency exceptions to application deadlines. Partial applications, incomplete applications due to user error, or faxed/emailed/mailed applications will not be considered unless they have received prior approval.

All applicants must complete the First Nations’ ONLINE application via AirTable, including submission of necessary attachments by **FRIDAY, SEPTEMBER 27, 2024, no later than 5 pm Mountain Time. **

Application Requirements:

**Applicant Information: ** The online application will ask applicants to provide their contact information, demographic information, tribal employer information, and additional information regarding the applicant’s experience in natural resources and vision for the cohort period. The online application also requires that applicants upload attachments throughout the online submission process.

Questions/Short Response: In the application, applicants will be asked to respond to two short questions. These questions are designed to yield more insight into applicants’ experience in natural resources and vision for the cohort period.

• Statement of Community Impact: In 200 words or less, please share more about your professional background as it relates to natural resources management and/or environmental programming. Please make sure to address 1.) how you actively engage in natural resources or the environment, 2.) how you actively engage with the tribal community where you work, and 3.) how your work currently supports Native people and communities.

• Vision for Cohort Period: In 200 words or less, please describe your personal and/or professional goals related to tribal natural resources and/or environmental programming. Please explain how the Young Natural Resources Professional Cohort will advance your goals. Please make sure to address 1.) the goals you hope to achieve during the cohort, 2.) what you want to learn during the cohort.

Attachments:

• One (1) Letter of Recommendation: Applicants must submit one letter of recommendation from an individual in the tribal natural resources or environmental department who supervises the applicants work. The individual should speak on the applicant’s role in the department, experience working with and supporting the tribal community, and acknowledge that the department will support the applicant’s participation in the 12-month cohort. This attachment must be uploaded as a .pdf or Word file.

All applicants will receive confirmation of submission after completing the application form via AirTable. Please check your junk or spam folder should this email not arrive in your inbox, and reach out to Wolf Star Duran (wsduran@firstnations.org) and Darrick Silversmith (dsilversmith@firstnations.org).

Important Note: Please allow yourself enough time to submit a complete application before the deadline, as the online system will shut down automatically at 5 pm MT on FRIDAY, SEPTEMBER 27, 2024, and no data may be entered thereafter. Partial, faxed, emailed or mailed applications that are not received on time due to user error will not be considered. Any requests for exemptions to the online system must be received no later than two weeks before the deadline.

Begin your Online Application here.