Programs

The True Blue Fellowship is an evolution of the Fellowship Grant Program. The Fellowship focuses specifically on funding projects that address ocean, waterways, and/or climate change issues through a creative arts lens. 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.

We 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, we hope all of the above will help improve youth resiliency and mental health as we face an unprecedented Earth crisis.

Creative arts can mean anything from visual arts, film, interactive & multimedia, performing arts, poetry, creative writing, and more. The way you want to create change in your project should involve some creative arts element. Check out some current grantees for inspiration:

• The Eco Poets are using poetry to raise awareness about climate change.
• The Mazingira School Drive are using performing arts to raise awareness about the effects of gold mining in their local community, and to recruit their community to participate in restoration efforts.
• Mindful Nature are using art therapy along with nature-based therapy to address mental health issues among youth in their local community.

You do not need to be a skilled artist yourself. Consider co-creating with your community. There are a multitude of ways the creative arts can be used as a catalyst for change.

Yes. We are eager to support initiatives that raise awareness about the interconnectedness of local ecosystems and the wider systems of the ocean, waterways and climate. If your project primarily addresses climate change, please use the available space in the application to describe how your project still highlights and celebrates these diverse connections. In summary, we want to know that you know how your work on climate change is connected to the ocean and/or waterways.

The Future Blue Youth Council (FBYC) is an internationally diverse group of Bow Seat Contest alumni working together to empower their peers to advocate for a healthy, sustainable, and equitable future. Each Fellow will be paired with two to three FBYC mentors in a peer-to-peer partnership. FBYC mentors meet at least once a month with Fellows including informal communication in between meetings. Mentors are paired based on common interests and useful expertise. They offer Fellows guidance with anything from project management, social media, and more.

Fellows get the opportunity to participate in skill-building workshops, hear from experts in the field, and have one-on-one sessions with partner organizations relevant to their projects. Once Fellows’ needs are identified in the application phase and quarter 1 of the Fellowship, Bow Seat staff work to provide personalized capacity building.

The True Blue Fellowship is a significant time commitment. In addition to conducting your project, you will be required to meet with your Future Blue Youth Council mentors at least once a month, and with your Fellowship cohort every other month. Informal communications via WhatsApp, email, etc. are expected between these meeting times. Other ad hoc meetings for capacity building or mentorship may occur. Unless there are extenuating circumstances, Fellows are expected to attend all meetings and reply promptly to communications.

Once all Fellows are selected, The True Blue Fellowship programming will start in January 2025 and end in December 2025. Projects may continue beyond the completion of the Fellowship programming. Bow Seat encourages Fellows to develop projects that have the potential for sustainability beyond the initial funding.

• Youth ages 13-24
• Young people worldwide (applications must be in English)
• Individuals or classes, groups, clubs, or organizations 
• New or emerging projects that are less than two years old (clubs or organizations that are more than two years old may apply so long as the proposed project is less than two years old)

No. We accept applications for new projects as well as projects that are less than two years old.

No. Anyone who meets our eligibility requirements may apply.

No. Only one person from your team, “the project lead,” should submit the application. You are welcome to work on it together.

Yes, but only if that team member who is within the age range accepts the responsibility to be the project leader and become the True Blue Fellow. That person must participate in all requirements of the Fellowship.

• Please submit your application using this form. Applications are due by September 1st at 11:59PM EDT.
• During September and October the 2024 Future Blue Youth Council will select a shortlist of finalists. Each application will be read at least twice.
• During November and December select FBYC and Fellowship alumni along with Bow Seat staff will interview each finalist and choose 10 True Blue Fellows.
• The True Blue Fellowship begins January 2025

Supporting documentation is optional. This is a space to include photos, news articles, social media posts, etc. of your project if you have any. Please keep any documentation focused specifically on your project.

Yes. Applications that do not use Bow Seat’s template timeline and budget may not be considered.

Final funding depends on many factors after rigorous evaluation of your application and interview. Bow Seat will ensure every True Blue Fellow has proper funding for their project.

Yes. Fellows should use funding based on the budget they provided. Fellows must notify Bow Seat in writing as soon as possible of any changes to how funding will be used.

Do not worry! Contact [email protected], and we will assist you.

Contact [email protected]