The Bullitt Environmental Fellowship is an award that provides a currently enrolled graduate student with a $100,000 prize over a two-year span of time to advance a project, engage in creative thinking, or spur action to address a specific environmental issue that furthers the Bullitt Foundation’s mission, outreach and impact in the Emerald Corridor.

The purpose of this award is to support a student who shows promising leadership potential and to provide a platform to catapult them into success, while also furthering our mission, outreach and impact. 

The Foundation is seeking an award winner who can do the following:

• Work to advance a specific objective related to an issue aligned with the Bullitt Foundation’s mission, goals and program areas.
• Present a solid track record or plan for success in their endeavor.
• Provide progress reports (both written and presented) to the Foundation’s Board of Trustees during the award time period.
• When applicable, be open to collaboration or opportunities to attend relevant meetings, conferences, or other work in which Foundation staff is engaged.
• Receive the award and be honored at an annual dinner hosted by the Foundation, and be available for media requests and award promotion.

To be eligible, Fellowship winners must have the following qualities:

• Be nominated by a faculty member who has knowledge of the applicant’s studies and field work. We strongly encourage the nomination of persons of color.
• Currently enrolled in a graduate program in British Columbia, Washington State or Oregon. Students who have been accepted but who have not yet begun classes are not eligible.
• Have faced adversity, overcome a significant hardship, or dealt with a major disadvantage in life.
• Work on, study, or be actively engaged in issues related to the Foundation’s goals in the Emerald Corridor (the area stretching from Vancouver, BC to Portland, OR).
• Demonstrate a strong desire and capacity for leadership.
• Be early in their career.

Eligible candidates must be currently enrolled at the time of application in a graduate candidate program at a university physically located within the Foundation’s Fellowship funding region (Washington, Oregon, and British Columbia). However, the variety of educational, personal and professional experiences of candidates is also of interest to the Foundation.

The Bullitt Foundation seeks to identify, encourage, and support environmentally knowledgeable graduate students from communities that are not currently well represented in the environmental movement, students who have demonstrated an exceptional capacity for both leadership and scholarship. Candidates will also have demonstrated a desire and capacity to make substantial contributions to the environmental field.

Application Eligibility
The following items are needed for a complete application:

• Signed faculty recommendation
• Current resume
• Brief essay
• Reference contact information
• Official transcript from most recent institution attended

Application Submission Requirements:

• Applicants must submit their application through the Foundation’s online Fellowship Portal (different than the online Grants Portal) starting January 1st and must be received by April 1st at 11:59pm PT.
• No late applications will be accepted. All recommendation letters, transcripts and supplemental materials must be received by the deadline.
• Letters of recommendation and transcripts may be mailed to:

The Bullitt Foundation
1501 E Madison, Suite 600
Seattle, WA 98122

Letters of recommendation and transcripts may also be emailed to info@bullitt.org with the name of the applicant in the subject line. Letters must be signed and include contact information. No mailed, faxed or paper applications will be accepted.

Important dates to consider include
Applications Due: April 1^st
Semi-Finalists Notified: Mid-May
Interviews: Late June 
Awards Dinner: Fall date TBD

Fellowship documents will be first screened to make sure submitted applications are complete and candidates are eligible. Applications will be reviewed based upon faculty recommendations, applicant responses and thoroughness of the application packet. Further review will narrow the field down to finalists whose work best adheres to the Foundation’s focus and can demonstrate strong potential for future success and leadership. Finalists will be invited for an in-person interview at the Bullitt Foundation. One Fellowship winner will be selected and notified within one week of the interviews.

The Environmental Fellowship winner will be announced at a dinner hosted by the Foundation in the Fall. The award dinner will include members of the Foundation’s community, guests of the winner, media, and others. The award and first check will be presented at the dinner. Fellowship winners will also be asked to make a brief presentation at the award dinner, and to participate in media outreach efforts by the Foundation.

Fellows will also present their work to the Board and Staff of the Bullitt Foundation each year.

Award checks will be disbursed in two equal amounts of $50,000, with a first installment awarded at the dinner, and the second the following Fall. Second year checks are contingent on the submission of a one-year progress report of activities and accomplishments and a final report is due at the conclusion of the Fellowship.

Application Tips & Advice
The Bullitt Foundation values risk taking and bold leaps in innovation when reviewing potential grantmaking opportunities. We have often been the first funder to support a new idea, and know that meaningful action requires support, time, and encouragement. We bring this approach to our Fellowship program. We offer the following information to help you prepare a strong application.

Review the application and the Foundation website:
Review the application material to understand what the Foundation is looking for in an applicant. There is important information on the Foundation’s website, which describes our mission, vision and what we hope to achieve. You may consider looking at the program descriptions, as they have detailed information regarding the work our grants support. However, the Fellowship is open to any students who are engaged in work that aims to further our mission – not just work that aligns with our programs.

Start your application before the due date:
The due date is April 1st. Strong applications are well thought-out, reflective, concise and easy to read. Make sure you have time to proof-read and edit your application and have someone unrelated to your work read your application to make sure they understand your message. Because online applications can suffer from technical difficulties, we suggest you write your essays in a separate document and give yourself time in case you run into any issues with our online portal.

Clearly explain why you are the best candidate:
The Bullitt Foundation needs to know why you and your project are a strong contenders for this Fellowship. What makes your work and focus unique and important? What motivates you to do this work? Why are you the best person qualified to do what you aim to achieve? Your application should describe your personal connection to your work and community, and the specific issue you will address.

Be specific:
Vague and broadly outlined applications will not help us evaluate your potential for impact. If you have achieved significant results in your work, let us know in clear and specific terms. If you have an idea you are working on in your spare time, tell us in very clear terms what you want to do, and your plans to achieve your goals. How is your method to accomplish your goal different than anyone else’s approach? What can you achieve if you receive the award that you wouldn’t be able to do otherwise?

Be straightforward – use plain language:
The selection committee contains individuals who work in many different areas, so write for an audience who is unfamiliar with the technicalities of your work. Do not use shortened or abbreviated words, jargon, or overly technical descriptions. Write in plain English, so our review team can understand what you are trying to accomplish.

Make sure your resume or CV is relevant:
While your essays may tell us more about your work, your resume is also important, so don’t just include a vague or general version. If you are working to bring solar panels to low-income affordable housing neighborhoods, we don’t need to know that you worked as a temporary employee in retail during the holiday season. Unless, of course, that temporary job is relevant experience that you explain in your essays.

Think about your letter(s) of recommendation:
Someone who writes a letter of recommendation for you should know who you are, what you are trying to accomplish, and be supportive of your work. Be thoughtful about who you ask, as they are helping to paint a picture of you, complementing your application. Are they mentoring you or engaged in similar work to what you are doing? Have you known this person or worked with her or him for a long period of time? Have they seen you grow and evolve as a leader or in your project?

How to Apply
First, review the requirements for the Fellowship and connect with a Faculty nominator to confirm your eligibility to apply for the Prize.

The eligibility requirements changed in 2019 and are now different from past years. Applicants must be studying and demonstrate a commitment to subjects that are closely aligned with the Bullitt Foundation’s mission to safeguard the natural environment by promoting responsible human activities and sustainable communities in the Emerald Corridor, and its vision of a future that safeguards the vitality of natural ecosystems while accommodating a sustainable human population in healthy, vibrant, equitable, and prosperous communities. Please review the Foundation’s website and program areas to learn more about our work.

Use the Foundation’s online Fellowship Portal (different than the online Grants Portal) which is accessible in this section between January 1st and April 1st to create an account to start your application. Essays and resumes can only be submitted by uploading to your application through the portal.

To help you prepare, the essay questions are listed below with related questions in bullets to help you think about your response

What issue are you working to solve? How do you plan to solve it?
In your response please include information about the following:

• Describe the scope of the problem you are working to solve, the cause, and it why does it still exist? Who else is working on this issue?
• Explain how this problem relates to issues the Foundation is focused on.
• How will you get started?
• What is innovative about your approach and how will your plan succeed?
• Who is your target audience and how will your work positively impact this group? Does your work address issues of Diversity, Equity and Inclusion?
• How will you track your progress and assess whether you have achieved success?

Why are you a strong candidate for the Bullitt Environmental Fellowship?
In your response please include information about the following:

• What specific adversity, hardship, or major disadvantage did you have to overcome? How did that impact you and influence your work?
• Why are you so passionate about this issue? What motivates you? Describe any specific moment or experience that brought you into this type of work.
• Tell us about leadership skills and abilities you will use to achieve your goals. Please provide specific examples.

How will the Fellowship impact your life and career trajectory?
In your response please include information about the following:

• What contribution do you plan to make in your community if you receive this award?
• How would this award alter your future plans?
• How do you plan to use the award money?
• What unique, additional work will this Fellowship allow you to do?
• As someone who is early in their career, what are your goals for your future? Describe your career path, and where do you see yourself in 10-20 years?

Please keep in mind that your response to each of the three questions should be no more than 500 words each.

Apply here: https://bullittfoundation.force.com/Fellowship/s/flow/%3AflowName