Fellowship/Professional Development Program

Climate Crossroads Congressional Fellowship

The Climate Crossroads Congressional Fellowship provides current Congressional staff with a solid grounding in the science, engineering, and health dimensions of climate change. Policy relevant to agriculture, natural resource management, transportation, infrastructure, immigration, health, national security, and more can be informed by how climate change could affect these sectors, and how they can be part of the solution.

Not accepting applications

About Review process Past awardees

Key dates

March 18, 2025: Application Open
April 11, 2025: Webinar Information Session
May 7, 2025: Application Close
May-June 2025: Application Review and Selection
July 2025: Fellowship Cohort Finalized
September 2025: Fellowship Kick-Off Event
October 2025-May 2026: Additional Events and Activities
Winter 2025/26: Weekend Seminar
June 2026: Reception to Conclude Fellowship

Award details

The 2025-2026 cohort will start their fellowship with a reception in September in Washington, DC, followed by a series of additional events to be held in-person during the following eight months. This will include some combination of lunch and breakfast briefings, evening seminars, and other events in or near the Capitol Complex and the National Academies’ buildings in Washington, DC. An intensive weekend seminar outside Washington, DC will be central to the fellowship. In addition, fellows will have the option of participating in fellow-only activities in conjunction with other National Academies events. Fellows who complete the program will be part of the alumni network, have access to future alumni events, and receive invitations to future climate programming at the National Academies.

This program is designed to comply with House and Senate ethics rules.

Participation Expectations

There is an expectation that a Climate Crossroads Congressional Fellow will actively participate on an ongoing basis throughout the nine-month program. Minimum participation typically requires attending 1-2 events monthly, which include 2-3 hours of event time plus reviewing pre-read materials, and must be balanced alongside commitments to your primary position. As part of the fellowship, fellows are expected to attend the semi-monthly educational events organized by National Academies staff referenced above; attend an intensive weekend seminar; and adhere to National Academies’ Policy on Preventing Discrimination, Harassment, and Bullying.

Application

The National Academies staff review panel will select a bipartisan and bicameral cohort of Congressional staff members from a wide range of policy backgrounds.

Applicants must:
- Work in one of the following: U.S. Congress, the Congressional Budget Office, the Congressional Research Service, or the Government Accountability Office to apply and at the time of the fellowship start date in September 2025
- Have a minimum two years of work experience
This opportunity is open to early-, mid-, and senior-level staff. Previous climate change knowledge or higher degrees are not required.

Fellows are not required to maintain their status as a Congressional, CBO, CRS, or GAO staff member throughout the remainder of the fellowship, but continuation in the program following changes in employment is not guaranteed. Determinations will be made by the National Academies on a case-by-case basis to avoid conflicts of interest (actual or perceived) and to ensure compliance with ethics and other policies of the National Academies, Congress, and the new employer. In the event of a change in employment status, fellows are responsible for ensuring that their new employer is aware and supportive of their active participation in the program.

The fellowship modules and other events will primarily take place in Washington, DC. Fellows are expected to attend in-person 1-2 monthly events in Washington, DC and are responsible for making their own transportation arrangements at their own expense.

Preference may be given to applicants who work in a Washington, DC-based office; have relevant full-time work experience in science, policy, and/or science policy; or who are permanent staff, but applicants who do not meet those criteria are eligible to apply.
Application Deadline: May 7, 2025 at 7pm Eastern Time

The application includes ten short questions, including the three prompts below:
- Why do you want to be part of this fellowship? Please include a brief description of your professional goals and how this program will help you advance them. (Up to 250 words)
- How does climate change relate to your work, and where are you hoping to grow and/or learn? This should include particular topics you would like to learn about and skills you are interested in developing. (Up to 250 words)
- How do you hope to gain from and contribute to the fellowship community? (Up to 150 words)
Resumé/CV: This should include your responsibilities in your current role, years of experience working in Congress/CBO/CRS/GAO, work history, and highest education level.

Letter of Acknowledgment: This should indicate that your office leadership (for example, Staff Director, Chief of Staff, or member of Congress) is aware and supportive of your active participation in the program in your official capacity.

The Letter of Acknowledgment must:?
- Include text that your office leadership is aware and supportive of your active participation in the program in your official capacity
- Be written by your office leadership and include their professional title
- Be submitted as an upload in the application OR as an email to ClimateCrossroads@nas.edu by the application deadline
Full Letters of Recommendation are not required nor requested.

Selection process

Each application will be reviewed by at least three National Academies reviewers as part of a competitive selection process. Top candidates will be interviewed virtually by National Academies staff. For the 2025-2026 cohort, up to 35 fellows will be selected. Applications will be reviewed starting in May.

Guided by the review criteria below, the National Academies staff review panel will select a bipartisan and bicameral cohort of fellows from the U.S. Congress, the Congressional Budget Office, the Congressional Research Service, and the Government Accountability Office with a range of policy backgrounds at various career stages and holding a variety of professional roles on Capitol Hill. Preference may be given to applicants who work in a Washington, DC-based office; have relevant full-time work experience in science, policy, and/or science policy; or who are permanent staff.

Applications will be scored using the following review criteria:
- Relevance: Applicant's responses demonstrate 1. connections between the fellowship and their professional goals, 2. potential to build capacity for science-informed policy making, and 3. potential to enable community-building and foster dialogue among peers.
- Learning: Applicant's responses demonstrate interest, openness, and enthusiasm to learning about the science, engineering, and health dimensions of climate change and their intersections with policy.
- Community: Applicant’s responses demonstrate interpersonal skills and interest in fellowship community, networking, and openness to hearing other viewpoints.
- Capacity Building: Applicant’s responses demonstrate self-awareness of needs for growth and interest in developing skills related to science-informed policy making.
- Career Path / Experience: Applicant’s responses and resume demonstrate, relative to career stage, policy or specialty experience that connects their career path to the fellowship and prepares them to participate meaningfully in the cohort. Experience includes education/research, community engagement, policy experience, industry experience, non-profit/NGO experience, and other relevant experience.

FAQs

Throughout the fellowship what type of activities do fellows engage in? What is the anticipated time commitment?

The 2025-2026 cohort will kick off with a welcome reception in September. The fellowship curriculum will then begin and fellows will participate in a series of monthly seminars that will run through May 2026. Seminars will be a mix of lectures, panel discussions, and interactive activities, and each one focuses on a different facet of the complex topics surrounding climate change. Program events are held both on Capitol Hill and the National Academies’ buildings in Washington, DC. These seminars will not occur at a set time every month, but the schedule will be sent out in advance to give fellows adequate notice to reserve the time and prepare for the seminar topic.
One month during the fellowship, the National Academies will host an intensive three-day weekend seminar that will take place outside Washington, DC. This trip will foster a sustained learning atmosphere with lectures, panel discussions, and interactive activities; field site visit experiences to see the intersection of climate change, policy, and science in action; and networking opportunities to build deeper connections with speakers and other fellows.
In addition, fellows will have the option of participating in activities in conjunction with other National Academies events and fellowship programs. There is an expectation that a Climate Crossroads Congressional Fellow will actively participate on an ongoing basis throughout the nine-month program. Minimum participation typically requires attending 1-2 events monthly, which include 2-3 hours of event time plus reviewing pre-read materials, and must be balanced alongside commitments to your primary position.
What topics will program seminars cover?

The seminars will explore climate-related dimensions relevant to agriculture, natural resource management, energy, transportation, infrastructure, immigration, health, national security, and other topics of emerging interest. The curriculum will review the state of understanding for each topic, highlight tools and resources for further learning, and provide opportunities for discussion about intersections with policymaking. Fellows are also encouraged to continue the discussion with seminar speakers on areas of deep interest to fellows.
What type of speakers attend fellowship events?

Fellows will learn directly from and interact with leaders in the scientific and policy communities, with panelists who are experts in their fields. Prior speakers have included individuals from academia, non-profits, industry, state governments, and the federal executive branch with vast experience contributing to our understanding of climate change as well as decision-making relevant to the topics of each seminar.
How is the program funded and is participation free?

The fellowship is free to participate in and is designed to comply with House and Senate ethics rules. The sponsors of the fellowship include Arnold Ventures, the Heising-Simons Foundation, Gordon and Betty Moore Foundation, National Academies of Sciences Arthur L. Day Fund, and BESI Fund.
What criteria are considered during the application process?

The National Academies staff review panel will select a bipartisan and bicameral cohort of fellows, from the U.S. Congress, the Congressional Budget Office, the Congressional Research Service, and the Government Accountability Office, with a range of policy backgrounds at various career stages and holding a variety of professional roles on Capitol Hill. Strong candidates will clearly demonstrate how their current and future professional roles intersect with climate change and how this program will support their professional goals, show a strong interest in learning, and a commitment to being a member of a fellowship community. Applications should address how applicants will benefit from participation in the fellowship as well as how they can contribute to the fellowship community.
Is the program for those already working in the climate space or those who are looking to move to that space?

The program is designed as a professional development opportunity for both those with prior experience working on climate issues and those new to this space. This opportunity is open to early-, mid-, and senior-level staff. Prior climate change knowledge, direct experience working on climate issues, or higher degrees are not required.
Do I need to maintain my current position throughout the fellowship to participate?

Fellows are not required to maintain their status as a Congressional, CBO, CRS, or GAO staff member throughout the remainder of the fellowship, but continuation in the program following changes in employment is not guaranteed. Determinations will be made by the National Academies on a case-by-case basis to avoid conflicts of interest (actual or perceived) and to ensure compliance with ethics and other policies of the National Academies, Congress, and the new employer. In the event of a change in employment status, fellows are responsible for ensuring that their new employer is aware and supportive of their active participation in the program.
Do you need two years of work directly in Congress to be eligible?

No, a fellow does not need to have two years of work experience in Congress itself to be considered eligible.

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My Academies

Climate Crossroads Congressional Fellowship

Key dates

Award details

Participation Expectations

Application

Application Process

Eligibility

How to apply

Selection process

Selection criteria

FAQs

FAQs

Throughout the fellowship what type of activities do fellows engage in? What is the anticipated time commitment?

What topics will program seminars cover?

What type of speakers attend fellowship events?

How large is the fellowship cohort?

How is the program funded and is participation free?

What criteria are considered during the application process?

Is the program for those already working in the climate space or those who are looking to move to that space?

Do I need to maintain my current position throughout the fellowship to participate?

Do you need two years of work directly in Congress to be eligible?