2026 Community Organizing Fellowship

Job Description

Job Description

Forward Montana seeks four part-time Fellows - one in each community in Billings, Bozeman, the Flathead Valley, and Missoula - to grow skills in community organizing and learn about other areas of advocacy nonprofits such as development (fundraising), operations and communications! Fellows will have the opportunity to connect with interns, fellows and staff across the state, develop management skills by directly managing 2 cohorts of 1-2 interns, continue to gain skills in youth organizing and support 3 separate special projects across Forward Montana departments.

At Forward Montana, we know that while not everyone will be a paid community organizer forever, there’s a ton of work that goes on behind the scenes to ensure organizers are able to seamlessly connect with young folks across the state! That’s why we’re scaling up our internship/fellowship programs by offering this next step. 

The ideal fellow is someone who is passionate about political organizing and Montana! Fellows must have completed a Forward Montana summer or fall internship (formerly fellowship) and must be passionate about political engagement in Montana. 

Who We Are

Forward Montana, founded in 2004, is the state's largest youth-led, youth-focused civic engagement organization. We strive to transform government and communities to be just, sustainable, and equitable while working toward a future where Montana celebrates and reflects the diversity of our generation. We support young people to build power with and for each other to create lasting change.

What You’ll Do

Every fellow will support and engage in each of these areas throughout the fellowship under the supervision of their local Lead Community Organizer and Senior Organizing Manager. 

• Direct Management : Management experience is invaluable and also difficult to come by! This fellowship will jumpstart that experience and you’ll be supported the whole way. Fellows will each directly manage a summer and fall cohort of 1-2 interns after completing a 4 week internal management course which will set you up with tools, resources and skills to succeed!

• Community Building : Each fellow will be responsible for engaging with current volunteers and bringing new volunteers into FMT’s work throughout the internship. This could look like helping out a new volunteer on their first voter registration or canvassing shift, having a one-on-one conversation with someone new to the Forward Montana circle or attending a partner event as support!

• Event Planning & Support: Each community will hold several events throughout the year. Fellows will not only support the planning, recruitment and execution of these events but will also lead on 2 community events that they want to try out!

• Department Project Support: Forward Montana couldn’t do the work we do without the skilled staff we have in our Operations, Development (fundraising) and Communications departments! Throughout the year, fellows will rotate amongst departments to support 3 separate projects across these departments to learn more about the work and maybe find a new interest while we’re at it!

Must-Haves

• Completed a Forward Montana internship (formerly fellowship) : This position is our next step opportunity to further develop skills from the community organizing internship, so it’s important you’ve completed that already. If you haven’t, check out our internship posting and join us for the fellowship next year! 

• Creativity & Innovation: You’re motivated by connecting with other young Montanans and willing to try new things to do just that! You’re down to wear a costume, not afraid to talk to strangers, can conduct fieldwork for up to 8 hours at a time, hand out stickers that say ‘Give a Shit’, and are committed to finding ways to make new connections. If any of these sounds nervewracking, don’t worry! The most important thing is that you’re willing to step out of your comfort zone!

• Flexibility & Adaptability: You are able to shift quickly to meet the needs of the ever-changing political world, and work to implement the changes. You have a history of going with the flow and being able to adapt quickly to change.  

What Else You Should Know

Forward Montana is an equal-opportunity employer and we value having staff who come from communities that are most impacted by our issues and work. We especially encourage people of color, LGBTQ2S+ people, women, and people with disabilities to apply.

Logistics

• This fellowship will run April 20th through December 18th

• Fellows must have access to reliable transportation in Billings, Bozeman, the Flathead Valley or the Missoula area and be able to attend events, field shifts, and other required aspects of the fellowship. 

• This fellowship is a part-time, minimum 20 hours per week position with the possibility to work up to 25 hours per week. The exact number of hours will be determined during the interview process. 

• You must be comfortable working unconventional hours -- including nights and weekends

• This position includes both in-person and virtual components

• You must be comfortable being managed and building relationships with our statewide team remotely

This position pays $20 per hour. Forward Montana also offers the following benefits:

• Leadership development opportunities 

• Flexible work schedule

To apply for the 2026 Forward Montana Fellowship, simply click Apply For This Position on this page. This application process will have you answer a few short questions, and upload a resume (which is optional). There will also be an interview via phone or Zoom. We are excited to see your applications!

If you have any questions or need support, please email us at View email address on ziprecruiter.com  

Applications will be accepted on a rolling basis. The application will close April 3rd, 2026 with a priority deadline of March 30th, 2026 . The start date will be April 20th, 2026 .