Ocean Leaders Fellowship 2026 is sponsored by Sustainable Ocean Alliance. Fully-funded fellowship for early-career ocean and climate leaders aged 18-35 to influence policy, strengthen marine protection, and advance the 30x30 agenda, with weekly sessions and in-person programming.

Sustainable Ocean Alliance The Ocean Leaders Fellowship (OLF) Program empowers and supports exceptional young professionals in their efforts to protect and restore the health of our ocean. Ocean Leaders Fellowship 2026 Deadline: February 15, 2026 · 11:59 PM PST Cohort: 40 Global Fellows · Ages: 18–35 The ocean is our lifeline. And the next generation of ocean leaders is inheriting the responsibility to protect it.

Yet systemic barriers, such as limited opportunities and exclusion from critical decision-making spaces, often prevent young leaders from contributing their expertise and advancing their careers.

The Ocean Leaders Fellowship (OLF), developed by Sustainable Ocean Alliance in partnership with Dona Bertarelli Philanthropy , is an annual program dedicated to empowering the next generation of ocean conservation and climate leaders by equipping 40 early-career delegates each year with critical tactical skills, leadership opportunities, and high-level networks necessary to advance impactful initiatives.

OLF is designed to cultivate belonging, activate collective power, and build lifetime leadership capacity, so Fellows can bridge local knowledge and global decision-making with confidence and integrity.

The program curriculum includes skill development workshops, access to mentors, collaboration opportunities with peers, and a special opportunity to travel and participate in an international conference and leadership institute in June 2026. The Fellowship Experience: The Fellowship runs from March 26th to December 5th 2026, and combines weekly virtual programming with an immersive in-person institute.

OLF supports young ocean leaders who are already organizing, leading teams, and influencing systems, and want to deepen their impact. Thematic Focus: Advancing 30x30 The 2026 cohort is centered on furthering the goals for the 30x30 roadmap: protecting 30% of the ocean by 2030. By elevating 40 leaders, the Fellowship activates ripples far beyond the cohort, strengthening ecosystems of action worldwide.

Rather than abstract pledges, Fellows work on: What protection means in their specific local and regional context Equity, livelihoods, and Indigenous leadership Ocean–climate connections How collective leadership shifts systems Work in peer leadership pods (4–5 Fellows) that form the backbone of belonging and accountability Participate in dialogue-based learning, coaching, and office hours Practice leadership skills in real high-stakes policy contexts Build trust, confidence, and clarity as leaders in complex systems Your browser does not support the video tag.

Phase 1: Listening & Storytelling Goal: Gather and represent community voices on ocean protection and 30x30 Hosting Community / Citizen Dialogues Active listening and multi-stakeholder engagement Creating a policy brief grounded in local realities Developing a media package and press outreach strategy Goal: Translate community knowledge into global policy spaces Influencing decision-makers Strategic networking and relationship-building Storytelling in high-stakes environments Phase 3: Activating Collective Power Goal: Turn learning into action Designing and leading a global and/or local campaign Coalition and movement building Fundraising basics and career pathing Sustaining momentum, joy, and resilience as leaders Dates: March 26 – December 5, 2026 Time Commitment: ~5 hours/week (average) Who Should Apply & Eligibility Please review all eligibility requirements carefully before submitting your application Be 18–35 as of June 20, 2026 Work in ocean or climate action (with a strong interest in 30x30 ) Align with one of SOA's five Ocean Impact Areas Have C1 English proficiency Be available for international travel the entire dates of June 9-19th 2026 Not have previously attended OOC or UNOC Youth forums 👉 Apply by February 15, 2026 👉 Nominate a young ocean leader The Ocean Leaders Fellowship launched in 2025, welcoming 40 young ocean leaders.

The inaugural cohort focused on Leadership & Storytelling, with a program curriculum that included skill-building workshops, expert mentorship, peer collaboration, and participation in the 2025 Our Ocean Youth Leadership Summit and UN Ocean Conference . Explore the 2025 OLF Fellows in the gallery below: Sustainable Ocean Alliance is a charitable non-profit organization under Section 501 (c)(3) of the U.S. Internal Revenue Code.

Donations are tax-deductible as allowed by law (Tax ID: 82-4972091). © 2025 Sustainable Ocean Alliance information@soalliance. org