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Solon Fellowship Program 2026: Fully Remote and International Fellowship Opportunity in Climate Policy, Environmental Leadership and Public Affairs

Prince-Allen Larbi
Solon Fellowship Program 2026: Fully Remote and International Fellowship Opportunity in Climate Policy, Environmental Leadership and Public Affairs
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The Solon Fellowship Program, organized by Elected Officials to Protect America (EOPA), is offering an opportunity for motivated young professionals to gain practical experience in climate policy, environmental protection, public leadership, communications, research, fundraising, project management, and civic engagement.

The fellowship is designed for individuals who want to contribute to projects with national and international policy relevance while working alongside current and former elected officials, environmental advocates, veterans, frontline leaders, and other professionals committed to protecting the environment and strengthening democratic institutions.

Applications are currently being accepted for the Summer Cohort ’26.

The program provides fellows with an opportunity to participate in meaningful organizational projects, receive specialized professional training, develop relationships with elected officials and policy leaders, and potentially advance into more senior fellowship positions.

Importantly, the fellowship can be completed remotely, from EOPA’s offices in Rockland, Maine or Washington, DC, or internationally, making it potentially attractive to qualified applicants outside the United States.

About Elected Officials to Protect America

Elected Officials to Protect America (EOPA) is described as a nonpartisan network of current and former elected officials focused on protecting land, water, democracy, and environmental justice.

The organization works at the intersection of:

EOPA’s approach combines policy mobilization, education and training, and media and storytelling.

According to the fellowship information, the organization has organized hundreds of elected officials across all 50 U.S. states and has also worked internationally.

Its activities include supporting policy initiatives, educating lawmakers and civic leaders, producing media campaigns and documentaries, and creating opportunities for elected officials and emerging professionals to develop leadership and policy skills.

What Makes the Solon Fellowship Different?

The Solon Fellowship is not simply structured as a conventional work-placement program.

Instead, fellows are expected to become involved in a range of organizational activities and may have opportunities to contribute to projects involving research, policy, communications, partnerships, fundraising, media production, and project management.

The fellowship therefore provides exposure to multiple areas of public-interest work.

For individuals interested in environmental governance, climate policy, international development, public administration, political communication, nonprofit management, sustainability, urban governance, advocacy, or public leadership, the program can provide a multidisciplinary professional experience.

Areas of Work and Strategic Focus

EOPA identifies three major areas through which it advances its mission.

1. Policy and Mobilizing

One major component of EOPA’s work involves mobilizing elected officials and supporting policy initiatives.

The organization works with lawmakers, including veterans and elected officials representing frontline communities, through leadership councils and specialized task forces.

Fellows may therefore gain exposure to activities involving:

The organization emphasizes peer-to-peer education, based on the idea that elected officials can be particularly effective in educating and influencing fellow lawmakers.

EOPA states that its policy work has included initiatives ranging from international energy-security proposals and United Nations climate negotiations to national and state-level environmental policies.

2. Education and Training

The second major area is education and professional development.

EOPA works jointly with the University of San Francisco to operate a Public Leadership Certificate designed to strengthen the leadership and policy capabilities of lawmakers and civic leaders.

The program covers areas including:

Participants also have opportunities to interact with elected officials who have played significant roles in public policy.

The fellowship provides an opportunity for fellows to potentially participate in this leadership certificate program.

EOPA states that more than 200 leaders from around the world apply for the Public Leadership Certificate, with approximately 37 participants accepted on average.

This makes access to the certificate a potentially significant professional-development benefit for successful fellows.

3. Media and Storytelling

EOPA also places significant emphasis on communication, journalism, storytelling, and visual media.

The organization has an in-house film production arm that develops media intended to educate lawmakers, journalists, and members of the public.

Its work has included:

The organization also operates ProtectEarth.News, a newsmagazine intended to bring together videos, articles, policy solutions, letters, and opinion pieces.

For fellows interested in strategic communications, journalism, public relations, digital media, filmmaking, storytelling, advocacy communications, or political communication, this area could provide particularly relevant experience.

Who Is the Fellowship Looking For?

The Solon Fellowship is intended for motivated and dedicated young professionals who are prepared to support and potentially lead different types of organizational projects and programs.

The opportunity specifically highlights candidates interested in areas such as:

Applicants do not necessarily need to specialize in only one of these areas.

The fellowship appears particularly suitable for people who are adaptable and interested in working across different functions within a mission-driven organization.

Fellowship Responsibilities and Potential Areas of Contribution

Because EOPA works across policy, communications, education, and mobilization, fellows may have opportunities to contribute to different projects depending on their skills and the organization’s needs.

Potential areas include:

Research and policy

Fellows may contribute to research activities supporting environmental and public policy initiatives.

This could include gathering information, analyzing policy issues, preparing briefing materials, supporting advocacy initiatives, or contributing to written policy products.

Partnerships

Fellows interested in stakeholder engagement may contribute to partnership development and relationship-building activities.

This could involve working with elected officials, organizations, civic leaders, environmental groups, and other stakeholders.

Fundraising

The program also exposes fellows to nonprofit and political fundraising.

This includes learning how fundraising messages can be developed around shared values and how organizations can build stronger relationships with potential funders.

Communications

Fellows may support communications activities such as:

Video production

Candidates with media-production skills may have opportunities to contribute to video editing and production.

Op-ed writing

The organization’s emphasis on policy communication creates opportunities for fellows interested in opinion writing, public commentary, and policy storytelling.

Data and project management

Candidates with analytical and organizational skills can potentially contribute to data-management and project-management activities.

Fellowship Duration and Working Hours

The fellowship is structured as a four-month program.

Fellows can work between:

20 and 40 hours per week

This flexible structure can make the program suitable for individuals who need to balance professional development with other academic, professional, or personal commitments.

The organization also indicates that the fellowship may be extended beyond the initial four-month period.

Remote and International Work Options

One of the notable features of the Solon Fellowship is its flexible location arrangement.

The fellowship can be undertaken:

The availability of international participation is particularly important for applicants who are not based in the United States.

However, applicants should carefully review the application form and any subsequent communication from EOPA to confirm whether particular positions have location-specific requirements.

Fellowship Stipend

Selected fellows may receive a $1,000 stipend for the fellowship period, with the amount described as being commensurate with experience.

It is important to distinguish this from a salary or fully funded employment package.

The opportunity describes the payment specifically as a stipend for the fellowship period.

Applicants should therefore review the fellowship’s terms carefully to understand the payment structure and any conditions attached to it.

APPLY ONLINE HERE: Solon Fellowship Application

If the form is not accessible, please email talent@eopa.org

Professional Development Opportunities

The Solon Fellowship places considerable emphasis on professional development.

Fellows receive specialized training covering areas that can be useful well beyond environmental advocacy.

The training includes:

  1. Emotional Intelligence and Public Leadership
  2. Value-Based Communications
  3. Empathy-Based Fundraising
  4. Job-specific mentorship and training

These components are intended to help fellows develop both technical and interpersonal capabilities.

Emotional Intelligence and Public Leadership Training

The emotional intelligence component focuses on improving participants’ ability to:

These skills can be particularly valuable for professionals working in public administration, government, nonprofit organizations, advocacy, development, communications, and community engagement.

Value-Based Communications Training

The fellowship also provides training in value-based communication.

The underlying principle is that effective public communication requires more than simply providing information.

Participants learn about:

Fellows are expected to apply the concepts to real-world activities, including events, press conferences, and media campaigns.

This makes the training potentially valuable for people pursuing careers in strategic communication, public relations, political communication, environmental advocacy, development communication, or journalism.

Empathy-Based Fundraising Training

Another specialized component focuses on fundraising.

Participants are introduced to fundraising approaches used by political campaigns and nonprofit organizations.

The training explores how organizations can build relationships with funders by connecting fundraising appeals to shared values and demonstrating empathy.

Topics include:

This can be particularly useful for professionals interested in nonprofit management, development organizations, civil society, political campaigns, or social-impact organizations.

Public Leadership Certificate Opportunity

One of the fellowship’s potentially significant benefits is the opportunity to attend EOPA’s Public Leadership Certificate.

According to the program information, more than 200 leaders from around the world apply for the certificate, while approximately 37 are accepted on average.

The certificate is designed to develop practical capabilities in leadership, communication, management, public policy, and related areas.

Participation can therefore provide fellows with an additional professional-development experience beyond their day-to-day fellowship responsibilities.

Networking Opportunities

Successful fellows can also expand their professional network through interaction with:

The fellowship specifically highlights the opportunity to join its community of current fellows and alumni.

For early-career professionals, this network can potentially support future collaborations, employment opportunities, policy initiatives, and professional development.

Direct Exposure to Public Policy

Another major advantage is the opportunity to work on programs that EOPA describes as having national and international policy impacts.

Rather than limiting fellows to theoretical learning, the program is structured around practical projects.

Fellows can potentially observe how policy ideas are:

  1. Researched
  2. Developed
  3. Communicated
  4. Mobilized
  5. Presented to decision-makers
  6. Connected with broader public campaigns

This practical orientation may be particularly valuable for applicants pursuing careers in government, policy research, environmental governance, development, advocacy, or international affairs.

Career Advancement Opportunities

The fellowship can also function as a pathway into more senior roles within the organization.

EOPA states that fellows may have opportunities to advance into:

The organization also indicates that it traditionally hires from its existing pool of fellows and alumni.

This means that the fellowship may provide more than short-term experience; strong performance can potentially create opportunities for continued involvement with the organization.

Click here for more information on Solon Fellowship

Why This Fellowship Could Be Valuable for Emerging Professionals

The Solon Fellowship may be particularly valuable for professionals who want to combine career development with public-interest work.

The program brings together several fields that are increasingly interconnected in contemporary governance.

These include:

Climate and environmental governance

Climate change requires professionals who understand policy, institutions, communication, financing, infrastructure, and community engagement.

Public leadership

The opportunity provides exposure to elected officials and public leaders, offering insight into how policy is communicated and implemented.

Nonprofit management

The fundraising, partnership, project-management, and communications components can help fellows understand how mission-driven organizations operate.

Policy communication

The emphasis on storytelling and value-based communication can strengthen a fellow’s ability to communicate complex policy issues to wider audiences.

International engagement

The organization’s stated international work and international working option can provide exposure beyond conventional U.S.-focused professional environments.

Who Should Consider Applying?

The fellowship may be particularly relevant to applicants with backgrounds or interests in:

Applicants who can demonstrate initiative, strong communication skills, research ability, adaptability, and a commitment to public-interest work may be especially well positioned.

Deadline

No application deadline is stated in the information provided.

The opportunity is described as currently accepting applications for the Summer Cohort ’26, so prospective applicants should verify the current status directly through the official application page rather than assuming that applications will remain open indefinitely.

Click here for more global fellowship programs 

Conclusion

The Solon Fellowship Program offers a multidisciplinary professional-development opportunity for young professionals interested in climate action, environmental policy, public leadership, communications, advocacy, research, nonprofit management, and policy implementation.

Its combination of practical project experience, specialized training, exposure to elected officials, networking, leadership development, and potential career progression makes it particularly relevant to individuals seeking to build careers at the intersection of public policy, environmental sustainability, governance, communications, and social impact.

The program is also notable for its flexible working arrangements, with opportunities to work remotely, from EOPA’s U.S. offices, or internationally. The four-month fellowship requires between 20 and 40 hours per week, and selected fellows may receive a $1,000 stipend.

For professionals who want to move beyond academic knowledge and gain practical experience contributing to real-world policy, advocacy, communications, and environmental initiatives, the Solon Fellowship could provide a valuable platform for developing both technical and leadership capabilities.

Applications for the Summer Cohort ’26 are currently being accepted. Since no specific closing date is provided in the announcement, interested applicants should apply as soon as possible and verify the current application status through EOPA’s official application channel.

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