Our CivicSpark Fellows have brought a fresh perspective on how we engage the community in energy planning in the Sierra Nevada, and they are not short on ambition.
Nicholas Martin, Sierra Business Council
CivicSpark Project Partner
Become part of a cohort of 135 Fellows throughout California, Colorado, and Washington making an impact in local communities!
Need help with a sustainability or social impact project in your community? Apply to receive support from a Fellow!
Our CivicSpark Fellows have brought a fresh perspective on how we engage the community in energy planning in the Sierra Nevada, and they are not short on ambition.
Nicholas Martin, Sierra Business Council
CivicSpark Project Partner
Serving as a CivicSpark AmeriCorps fellow has shown me that we have the power to make an impact in the communities around us. Helping staff members of water agencies master leak detection in underground pipeline is just one project I’ve been involved in, and just one project will result in a very large amount of water and energy savings.
Alyssa Collins
2015-16 Fellow, Sierra Nevada Region
I personally feel that CivicSpark has opened an endless collection of doors into many different sectors of society–certainly within the climate change, environmental and sustainability industries, but also with a variety of social justice movements that are connected in so many ways to the work that we are doing. I truly feel like we are strengthening communities–not singlehandedly, but as a collective group of passionate people working to get things done.
Kriselda Bautista
2014-15 Fellow, SIerra Nevada Region
The CivicSpark fellowship opened the door for me to the worlds of environmental planning and water efficiency. I was able to combine those two worlds into my current position, water conservation planning. CivicSpark prepared me to successfully launch my career.
Hannah Braun - Water Resources Analyst, Maddaus Water Management
CivicSpark 2017-18 Fellow
The projects our Fellow is working on are important for the County’s success in designing and implementing climate action strategies. They are also significant components in broader thinking about long-term sustainability. Without our CivicSpark fellow, these significant pieces of work would be several years out for their completion.
Sally Seymour, Sustainable Napa County
CivicSpark Project Partner
CivicSpark helped introduce the trials and tribulations that local governments and other agencies face to address climate adaptation, housing insecurity, or access to transit. The journey brought me into the field of city planning and demonstrated the importance of learning how policy interacts with the built environment and has given me a more holistic understanding on how to be solutions-oriented in addressing these issues.
Emmanuel Lopez - Associate, ECONorthwest
CivicSpark 2016-17 Fellow
I would consider CivicSpark just the program I needed to jumpstart my career and provide me with more possibilities for my future. Additionally, I feel so grateful to have been part of the CivicSpark fellowship program. Beyond the professional development, I have also gained friendships, knowledge and expertise as well as a great community with the Sonoma County Energy and Sustainability Division.
Lauren Lum
2015-16 Fellow, Bay Area Region
CivicSpark has been excellent, because it pairs you with local leaders. It has been a huge professional development experience. It is the ultimate way to dive in head first without hitting your head on the bottom.
Trevor Wilson
2015-16 Fellow, Central Valley Region
Our CivicSpark Fellows have been very active, enthusiastic, and engaged with our staff and have been a pleasure to work with. Their outreach work and communication has been wonderful.
Stephan Schmidt, County of San Luis Obispo
CivicSpark Project Partner
It’s nice knowing that a running theme that binds us is AmeriCorps’ mission: Get things done. It certainly feels like that when we can congregate and reflect on the work we’re doing in our own region, and share that with other fellows.
Kriselda Bautista
2014-15 Fellow, Sierra Nevada Region
CivicSpark Fellows assist in many ways to build local government capacity to respond to pressing community resilience issues.
CivicSpark Fellows focus on a range of climate change, water, housing, and mobility projects. The video to the left shows an example of a project from the 2017-18 cohort year.
Are you interested in gaining experience with critical environmental or social equity issues while working hands-on with local governments and nonprofits? If so, the CivicSpark AmeriCorps program may be for you! Apply today! If interested in learning more, register to attend an upcoming informational webinar.
Upcoming Application Deadlines – May 12th, Priority