Carol Brantley Policy Fellowship

Chesapeake Climate Action Network’s Climate Justice Policy Fellows gain hands-on experience in policy advocacy at the state or national level, deepen their understanding of climate justice landscape, and make professional connections to build their careers. In partnership with the Earth Rising Foundation, the Fellowship prioritizes young people of color in Virginia, Maryland, and Washington, D.C. who are interested in gaining experience in the climate and environmental justice sectors. We have three positions available, one each with our Virginia, Maryland, and Federal teams.

About Us

Chesapeake Climate Action Network (CCAN) is the only group in the Chesapeake region of Maryland, Virginia, and Washington D.C. dedicated exclusively to building a powerful grassroots movement to fight climate change. We envision an equitable energy future where truly clean power sources — such as solar and wind — sustain every aspect of our lives and dirty fossil fuels are phased out. We strive to include principles of justice and equity in every policy we advocate for, with the knowledge that racial and social justice is foundational to climate justice.

Our team is working on bold campaigns to reduce emissions at a scale that matches the climate crisis we face. For over a decade, we have been pushing the envelope of what’s “politically possible,” using every tool inside and outside the box—from organizing to lobbying to litigation.

What You Will Do

Legislative Research:

• Conduct legislative research, resulting in memos and talking points related to CCAN’s priority policies
• Engage in longer-form research papers on emerging policy issues

Policy outreach and education:

• Attend committee meetings to testify on key legislation, as well as coalition meetings with external partners
• Advocate for legislation that helps our region achieve its climate goals, in partnership
• Assist grassroots team with communicating priorities to our membership, and recruiting our membership to opportunities to take action

Administrative duties and CCAN team expectations

• Attend internal meetings to learn about and support the work CCAN does across the region on the state, local, and national level
• Work with and learn from the various departments within CCAN including communications, state or federal policy, and field
• Meet weekly with your manager to drive forward your work plan

Who you are

• Passionate about solving climate change (familiarity with climate issues is a plus, but not required!).
• Committed to justice and amplifying the voices of those most impacted by fossil fuel extraction and the effects of climate change.
• Able to manage time, work independently, and ask for feedback and support when needed.
• Excited to collaborate with and learn from a team.
• A strong writer and researcher.

The Details

Fellowships begin on January 5, 2026. Fellows at CCAN work 10 to 20 hours per week over ten to sixteen weeks and are paid $25 per hour. The CCAN team works on a hybrid schedule. Each Fellow will work with their manager to determine their weekly schedule.

Maryland Policy Fellowship applicants should live within reasonable driving distance of Annapolis, MD and be willing to work from Annapolis weekly. Virginia Policy Fellowship applicants should live within reasonable driving distance of Richmond, VA, and work in the Richmond office twice weekly. Federal Policy Fellowship applicants should live within reasonable driving distance of the Takoma Park, MD office.

How to Apply

Please complete this Google form application by Thursday, October 23, 2025. You will be prompted to answer a series of short questions and asked to submit a resume and writing sample.

CCAN provides equal employment opportunities to all employees and applicants and prohibits discrimination and harassment of any type without regard to race, color, religion, age, sex, national origin, disability status, genetics, protected veteran status, sexual orientation, gender identity or expression, or any other characteristic protected by federal, state, or local laws.

This policy applies to all employment terms and conditions, including recruiting, hiring, placement, promotion, termination, layoff, recall, transfer, leaves of absence, compensation, and training.