US Food
System Reform
Fellowship
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 has momentum — what it lacks is funding and people power.
The US Food System Reform Fellowship trains you to do both: raise the funding and do the work. 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.
Why Food System Reform?
The Program
Ten months. A cohort of driven professionals. A direct path into the US food system reform movement, and how to fund it.
Apply (Rolling)
Selection
Our selection process focuses on skills over credentials, with multiple rounds to identify the right talent. Offers go out by May 28.
Fundraising
Your first mission: raise the money that makes your placement possible. Starting June 8th, we train you in the full lifecycle of fundraising, empower you to tap your networks with confidence, offer additional connections to aligned funders, and support you throughout. 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're bolstering the movement bringing in what it needs most.
Training
One week of intensive preparation with your cohort in the Netherlands (first week of September) followed by 3 additional weeks of U.S.-based learning that will arm you with the expertise you need to drive massive impact in your host organization placements.
Placement
Six months inside a trailblazing US organization that is disrupting the food system status quo. Not an internship — live campaigns, active advocacy, real challenges from day one. You're matched based on your skills and the organization's needs.
Cohort
Regular sessions with your cohort and your program manager at The School for Moral Ambition throughout the placement. Share what you're learning, work through challenges together, and build a network that lasts beyond the program.
Outflow
80% of our first EU cohort stayed in the field they entered. We ensure you maintain access to an unmatched network, and provide ongoing career support to help you land your next role.
These fields need you
WE OFFER
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We're looking for
Eligibility
- Minimum of five years' experience in one of the fields listed below. Non-linear careers welcome. We select based on skills, not credentials.
- Residing in and eligible to work in the United States.
Profile
- Marketing and communications, public relations, strategy consulting, finance, economics, or public policy.
- You don't need a background in food systems or related subjects. This is a career transition program — we're looking for transferable skills, not subject-matter expertise.
- Ambitious, resourceful, and ready to commit. You care about how the food system works, you're good at what you do, and you want your work to matter.
Good To Know
Your first task as a fellow is to raise the funding for your placement. We provide fundraising training, coaching on how to tap your networks, introductions to aligned funders, and support throughout, but the fundraising of $70,000 is yours to complete.
Watch Our webinar
Our Senior Program Managers hosted a live walk through of our fellowship programs — what the work looks like, how selection works, and what life as a fellow really involves. Missed it? Watch the recording below.
I Found The Cause I Believe In
Frequently Asked Questions
Do the EU Fellowships take place at a fixed location, or is travel involved?
The fellowships primarily take place in Brussels, where fellows are placed at NGOs or think tanks. Some travel may be involved depending on the project requirements. A limited number of placements could take place in a hybrid remote/on location structure. A small number of placements are in different EU capitals like Berlin or Geneva. During September, training will take place in The Netherlands (first week September) and Brussels (last week September), where you need to be present for a full week on site.
What type of formal affiliation do EU fellows have with the School for Moral Ambition or their Host Organisations?
Fellows are offered a temporary job contract with us, using employer of record Remote. Fellows are entitled to a monthly salary of €4000 pre-tax and 15 vacation days for the duration of this contract. The specific contract content, net salary and subsequent legal employee benefits are dependent on the location of work.
Do I need prior experience in one of the topics of the fellowships to apply?
Depending on the Fellowship, the amount of previous experience in the specific field is different. Our programs are designed as career transition programs, and the training is built to get you up to speed. Note that for the Global Tax Fairness Fellowship, some of the Fellows need to have solid experience in international tax and even be experts. There are specific profiles, listed explicitly in the website as well as in the application form, that we are looking for. Applicants are assessed based on whether they fit the profiles specified (together with other factors) and not assessed on their specific experience in the cause-area.
What training do fellows receive during the EU fellowships?
Fellows undergo a one-month intensive training from top trainers, learning about effective advocacy, the specific problem area they will work on, and receiving lessons from the best guest speakers in the industry. There will be an on-site week in The Netherlands, two weeks of group-research and a final week of on-site training in Brussels. The curriculum is designed to prepare them to be effective leaders in their respective fields. Learning will continue during the placements at host organisations through weekly exchanges and lectures on Fridays.
What is the minimum number of years of professional experience I need to have for the EU Fellowships?
What benefits does the Moral Ambition Fellowship offer to selected candidates?
Within the EU Fellows receive a monthly salary of 3800 gross per month, financial assistance in case of temporary relocation, professional guidance, and the opportunity to work on impactful projects at influential NGOs or think tanks. They also gain invaluable networking opportunities and one month of skill training that prepare them for continued careers in their chosen fields.
What opportunities are there for fellows to network with peers and experts?
During the training program Fellows will be able to interact with experts in the field. In the placement period Fellows work together during regular cohort meetings where they discuss learnings and attend seminars. Through their placement organizations they will get the opportunity to interact with experts in the field.
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Meet Our Fellows
They quit their jobs, joined the fellowship, and didn't look back. See where they are now.
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From the Field shares personal insights and stories from people working on some of the world's most pressing challenges. It is run by our Moral Ambition Fellows: professionals who left successful careers to work on challenges that are sizable, solvable, and sorely overlooked.
Other Fellowships
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