Applications open for Bow Seat’s True Blue Fellowship Program

One of the biggest changes from the Fellowship Grant Program is that the creative arts must serve as the primary method of awareness and/or action in the project.

They aim to build a community of youth leaders among True Blue Fellows, provide mentorship and capacity building opportunities, and have a tangible youth impact on communities worldwide. With the Fellowship, Bow Seat hopes to demonstrate the power of creative arts to empower youth to take action and create change. Importantly, they hope all of the above will help improve youth resiliency and mental health as they face an unprecedented Earth crisis.

Role and Responsibilities

• Fellows agree to work closely with Future Blue Youth Council (FBYC) mentors, Bow Seat staff, and partners:
  • This includes calls at least once a month with FBYC mentors as well as informal check-ins via an online WhatsApp chat community, and emails when required. Fellows are expected to respond promptly to all communications.
• Fellows will be required to submit quarterly reports including a mid-year and end-of-year report that detail project updates, successes, key learnings, and expenses incurred.
• Fellows will support their Future Blue Youth Council mentors with developing a blog post about the project.
• Fellows agree to participate in a virtual weekend orientation on Saturday, January 3rd 2026, cohort meetings every month, and capacity building workshops.

Eligibility Criteria

• This program is open to young people worldwide ages 13-24; however, applications must be in English.
• Proof of age, identity, or eligibility may be required after application submission.
• Applications may be submitted by an individual or by a group of unlimited size. Groups must select one group leader to serve as the primary contact.
• Projects may be new or emerging (no older than 2 years).
• Projects utilize the creative arts as its primary method to enact change.
• Projects are related to safeguarding the ocean, waterways, and/or the climate.
• Only one application per youth is permitted. However, youth may submit to other Bow Seat programs such as the Ocean Awareness Contest.

Evaluation Criteria

• Applications will be evaluated based on how well the project:
  • Aligns with the Fellowship Program’s goals
  • Demonstrates issue knowledge
  • Is thoughtful in its approach
  • Is realistic in its goals (which includes the demonstration of an appropriate budget and timeline)
  • Is likely to result in measurable impacts.

For more information, visit Bow Seat.