The FAO Schwarz Fellowship at
The Trustees of Reservations
Boston, Massachusetts
The Trustees of Reservations (The Trustees) is a member-supported nonprofit conservation organization that preserves, for public use and enjoyment, properties of exceptional scenic, historic, and ecological value in Massachusetts.
About the Fellowship Position
Description
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 Trusteesโ 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.ย
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 Trusteesโ community gardens, pocket parks, and at our community partnerโs locations for their direct service work. This work will bolster access to environmental education and provide workforce development opportunities to Bostonโs youth. The Fellow will also take an increasingly active leadership role in The Trusteesโ Waterfront Ambassador Program and Trusteesโ 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 Bostonโs 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
ย The FAO Schwarz Fellow will lead the evaluation and strategic expansion of the Boston Waterfront Ambassador Program in alignment with The Trusteesโ 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 Bostonโs 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 Trusteesโ strategic goal of increasing access to green space in historically underserved communities.
LOCATION: Boston, MA
WEBSITE: thetrustees.org
FOUNDED: 1891
STAFF: 338
Applications open November 1, 2025.
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.
You may apply for more than one Fellowship. Consider the details of each Fellowship described below when you begin your application.ย
For more about what we are seeking, visit the application overview at this link.
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.
Learn more about The Trustees of Reservations by visiting their website.:
A Closer Look
About The Trustees
ABOUT US
The mission of The Trustees of Reservations is to preserve, for public use and enjoyment, properties of exceptional scenic, historic, and ecological value in Massachusetts.ย
Founded in 1891 by landscape architect Charles Eliot, The Trustees is the nationโs first and Massachusettsโ largest nonprofit dedicated to land conservation and preservation. With stewardship of 120+ unique propertiesโencompassing nearly 27,000 publicly accessible acres across the stateโThe Trustees is committed to safeguarding Massachusettsโ natural and cultural treasures for future generations.
Impact
Our Impact
For over 130 years, The Trustees has been a leader in land conservation, stewardship, and community engagement across Massachusetts. The organization engages with communities statewide, building partnerships with individuals, businesses, and organizations that share its commitment to conservation.
Each year, nearly two million people visit The Trusteesโ 120+ reservations, 250,000 individuals participate in more than 5,000 programs and events, and volunteers contribute over 50,000 hours to support our mission.
Together, we ensure that Massachusettsโ landscapes remain open, accessible, and protected for everyone, forever.
Policies
The Trustees is committed to a policy of non-discrimination and equal employment opportunity for all employees and qualified applicants without regard to race, color, religion, sex, pregnancy, sexual orientation, gender identity, national origin, ancestry, age, military service, application for military service, veteran status, physical or mental disability, genetic information, or any other status protected by applicable law.ย ย
Compensation & Benefits
COMPENSATION
Fellows who start their Fellowship during the summer of 2026 will receive total compensation of approximately $110,000 (Boston & New York) plus benefits over the two-year Fellowship.
- ย $52,000 in year one (includes $2,000 start of Fellowship bonus)
- $58,000 in year two (includes $3,000 end of Fellowship bonus)
- Entry-level benefits from host organization
- Professional development & leadership training
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BENEFITS
- Health insurance
- Dental insurance
- Vision insurance
- Paid time off
- Paid sick leave
- Retirement plan
- Retirement match
For general questions about compensation, please see the Fellowship FAQ.ย
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.ย
- 20% of the role can be accomplished through flexible remote work.ย
- 80% in person at the office or on location at community sites for direct service or special project work.ย