National Alliance of Forest Owners Federal Advocacy Fellowship - Summer 2026

Position Summary

Are you a graduate student passionate about public policy? The NAFO Federal Advocacy Fellowship offers a meaningful, hands-on immersive experience in forestry advocacy – right in Washington, D.C.

The goal of the NAFO Federal Advocacy Fellowship is to provide emerging professionals the skills, confidence, and real-world experience that only comes from working alongside a team that operates at the heart of national forestry policy. The program is designed for students interested in forestry-related policy. As a fellow, you will work as an integrated member of the NAFO team – not an observer on the sidelines. You’ll work closely with team leads across communications, policy, and government relations. You’ll receive mentorship, professional development, and opportunities to learn from experts who shape the national conversation around private working forests. You’ll finish the summer with a capstone project that demonstrates your impact and showcases your skills.

If you’re seeking academic credit, we’re happy to coordinate with your university to meet all requirements.

The NAFO Federal Advocacy Fellowship is a chance to do meaningful work, build relationships in the nation’s capital, and help shape the future of sustainable forestry and natural resource policy. We hope you’ll consider joining us.

About NAFO

The National Alliance of Forest Owners (NAFO) is the voice for private forest owners in Washington, DC. NAFO is a national advocacy organization focused on advancing federal policies that support the long-term economic, and environmental benefits of sustainably managed privately-owned forests. NAFO member companies own and manage more than 43 million acres of private working forests – forests that are managed to provide a steady supply of timber. NAFO’s membership also includes state and national associations tens of millions of additional acres.

What you will learn by doing (Responsibilities):

As a NAFO fellow, you’ll gain real-world experience at the center of federal forest, environmental, and natural-resource policy. Your experience will span communications, policy, and government relations, giving you a 360° understanding of how advocacy happens in Washington, D.C. While projects will vary based on your interests and our evolving priorities, here’s a sense of what you’ll learn by doing:

Policy, Advocacy, and Communications Skills

• How forestry policy is developed, communicated, and advanced at the federal level.
• How to research emerging policy issues and translate them into clear insights for internal and external audiences.
• How NAFO engages with policymakers, partner organizations, and coalitions to drive impact.
• How to contribute to briefing materials, fact sheets and the planning and coordination of advocacy activities, including meetings, events, or educational briefings.
• How to assist in executing a communications strategy that spans digital media, member engagement, and policy storytelling.

Cross-Team Collaboration & Professional Skill-Building

• How a member-led advocacy organization operates, from communications and policy to government relations and member engagement.
• How to work collaboratively with NAFO members, partner organizations, federal agencies, and congressional offices.
• How to manage competing priorities in a fast-moving policy environment and adapt to the shifting focus and demands of federal policymaking.

This fellowship is designed to give you responsibility, guidance, and space to grow. You won’t just observe how federal advocacy works – you’ll help make it happen.

What You Will Gain:

• Real-world advocacy experience
• Professional mentorship
• The chance to work across teams and competencies
• A meaningful capstone project for your portfolio
• The opportunity to live and network in Washington, D.C.

Time Commitment:

The candidate must be comfortable working in both in-person and hybrid setting depending on the needs of the organization

Application Deadline:

January 31, 2026

Program Timing:

June 9 – August 15. We understand school calendars vary, so we offer some flexibility with start or end dates when needed.

Compensation:

Full-time fellows can earn up to $3,100 a month.

Application Instructions

To apply, please submit your résumé or CV along with two short written responses based on the prompts below.

Choose two of the five prompts and write an answer of roughly 300–400 words for each. We ask that one response be written with the help of AI and one be written entirely without AI. Please clearly label each response at the top (“Written with AI assistance” / “Written without AI”). There is no advantage to one approach over the other; we simply want to understand how you think and communicate in different modes.

Prompts (choose any two):

• What interests you about federal advocacy, and what drew you to NAFO specifically?
• What are you hoping to achieve within this fellowship, and how will it fit into your future professional goals?
• Describe a time when you used data or research to persuade someone or change their mind. What worked, and what didn’t?
• Explain a federal policy or regulatory issue you find interesting. If you were briefing a congressional staffer on it, what’s the one thing you’d want them to understand?
• Describe a time you collaborated with people whose backgrounds or perspectives differed from your own. What made the collaboration successful?

When your two responses are complete, email them—along with your résumé or CV—to jobs@nafoalliance.org.