FAO Schwarz Fellowship in Social Impact at The Trustees

HOW TO APPLY

Applicants must be college seniors at accredited four-year colleges or universities at the time of application and be eligible to work in the United States for the duration of the two-year Fellowship.

For more about what we are seeking, please see What We’re Looking For. Please visit The FAO Schwarz Fellowship website for more information about the new positions.

To apply, visit the FAO Schwarz Fellowship website where you’ll see detailed instructions. You will be asked to answer some questions about yourself, upload your resume, and respond to four short answer questions by February 1, 2026 at 9:00 pm ET. You may apply to more than one host, but you must submit a different application for each host you’re applying to.

The deadline to apply is February 1, 2026 at 9:00 pm ET. Host organizations will select applicants for interviews and make their decisions by the end of April 2026. Fellowships begin in the summer of 2026.

ABOUT THE TRUSTEES FELLOWSHIP IN BOSTON

The FAO Schwarz Fellowship is an intensive, transformative two-year experience in the world of social impact. Fellows work at leading nonprofit organizations in Boston, New York City and Philadelphia. Each organization is deeply valued in their communities and has a strong record of delivering high-quality services that address critical issues of social inequity and producing consistent results. The Fellowship is a two-year commitment that pays $52,000 in year one (includes $2,000 start of Fellowship bonus) and $58,000 in year two (includes $3,000 end of Fellowship bonus). 

The FAO Schwarz Fellow will co-lead Mobile Adventures, a nature-based educational program, for their direct service work, and lead the evaluation and strategic expansion of the Boston Waterfront Ambassador Program in alignment with The Trustees’ new strategic plan for their strategic project work.

Mobile Adventures makes our outdoor programming more accessible to families with children ages 6-12 by overcoming transportation barriers and bringing events to people where they live. The Mobile Adventures van travels to community events and festivals, local parks, public housing communities, and community centers, bringing pop-up style experiences designed to spark exploration, play, discovery, and curiosity with nature. 

The Waterfront Ambassadors Program is a transformative initiative that equips Boston-area youth with essential job-readiness skills through seasonal paid work experiences. This seven-week program is designed to address critical workforce development goals while fostering civic engagement, environmental stewardship, and leadership among teens aged 15-18.

DIRECT SERVICE

The FAO Schwarz Fellow will lead nature-based educational programming in The Trustees’ community gardens, pocket parks, and at our community partner’s locations for their direct service work. This work will bolster access to environmental education and provide workforce development opportunities to Boston’s youth. The Fellow will also take an increasingly active leadership role in The Trustees’ Waterfront Ambassador Program and Trustees’ Mobile Adventures initiative, which engages youth in experiential learning around climate change, food access, and community resilience. The Fellow will:

• Lead hands-on educational programming in Boston’s community gardens and community sites focused on topics related to food systems, climate change, and environmental justice.
• Co-lead the 8-week Waterfront Ambassador Program for 15 high school students, including supporting daily operations, team supervision, and curriculum delivery. In the first year, the Fellow will co-lead the program and conduct hands-on educational workshops. In the second year, the Fellow will take on additional responsibility and serve as the primary supervisor and educator for the program. 
• Serve as a facilitator for The Trustees Mobile Adventures program, delivering youth-focused, nature-based activities at events and festivals citywide. 
• Coordinate and host field trips for Boston Public Schools, connecting youth to local food systems and real-world applications of mitigating climate change.

STRATEGIC PROJECT

The FAO Schwarz Fellow will lead the evaluation and strategic expansion of the Boston Waterfront Ambassador Program in alignment with The Trustees’ new strategic plan, which emphasizes food access, climate resilience, and youth leadership. They will also develop curriculum and partnerships that support broader implementation across Massachusetts. The Fellow will:

• Evaluate and redesign the Waterfront Ambassador Program based on three years of past outcomes, then co-lead the planning of an expanded model to launch in 2027. 
• Research, write and pilot a climate change curriculum tailored to Boston’s urban landscape for use across youth programs and schools. The curriculum will be aligned with Massachusetts education standards and will be adaptable for both in-school and out-of-school settings.
• Develop partnerships with community-based organizations and city/state stakeholders to strengthen cross-sector collaboration around community education. 
• Co-lead the reactivation of Leatherbee Woods, including access improvements and new community programming. Leatherbee Woods is an 8-acre parcel situated in a densely populated urban area of West Roxbury. Currently, this property is closed to the public. The Fellow will lead youth in the reactivation of this site by building an accessible boardwalk and installing educational signage throughout the property. This project will support the Trustees’ strategic goal of increasing access to green space in historically underserved communities.

TYPICAL WORK SCHEDULE

The Fellow will be expected to work Monday - Friday from 9am-5pm with occasional availability on the weekends or evenings depending on the schedule of community events. Fellows will never be expected to exceed their allotted hours during any given week.

• 80% in person at the office or on location at community sites for direct service or special project work. 
• 20% of the role can be accomplished through flexible remote work. 
  
  

QUESTIONS?

Visit the FAO Schwarz Fellowship website to research the opportunity, and attend an info session if you can. If you have any additional questions, reach out to us: [email protected].