Earth Guardians runs the Indigenous Youth Initiative Training for emerging Indigenous leaders who want to organize around climate justice. Participants combine a virtual pre-training gathering with an in-person retreat at Roots to Sky Sanctuary in Western Maryland and receive ongoing mentorship afterward.
The curriculum covers community organizing, nonviolent direct action, Traditional Ecological Knowledge, media, storytelling, and developing a community climate project. The official program page lists summer and fall sessions for 2026.
Benefits & funding
- Accepted participants have travel, lodging, meals, training materials, and program expenses covered.
- The cohort is limited to 20 participants.
- Graduates may form an Earth Guardians Crew and apply for up to US$1,000 in project funding; the grant is not automatic.
- Participants receive peer and mentor connections plus ongoing support for community organizing after the retreat.
Eligibility
- Applicants must identify as Indigenous.
- Applicants must be 18–30 years old at the time of training.
- Applicants must primarily reside in Virginia, Washington, D.C., Maryland, Delaware, Pennsylvania, or West Virginia.
- No degree requirement is stated.
- Full participation in the virtual gathering, in-person retreat, and post-training mentorship is required.
Can you apply?
Here's who can apply
Decoded from the official rules. A free account checks them against your passport, degree and age in seconds.
Residence required
USA
Age requirement
18–30 yrs
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Application process
- 1Visit the official program page and follow its 2026 application link.
- 2Select every session the applicant can attend and provide contact details, age, residence, address, tribal affiliation, student status, and preferred pronouns.
- 3Complete the remaining application sections describing the applicant’s background, community work, and interest in the training.
- 4Submit early because applications are reviewed on a rolling, first-come-first-served basis until each cohort is filled.
Program timeline
Summer-session deadline stated on the official program page
June 1, 2026
Summer session stated on the official program page
July 2–6, 2026
Fall-session application deadline
September 18, 2026
Fall session stated on the official program page
October 9–13, 2026
Not yet announced
2027 reopening