Our Mission
The Martha’s Vineyard Vision Fellowship is a nonprofit organization rooted in the Vineyard community. The Vision Fellowship empowers promising Islanders who are committed to the environmental and social sustainability of Martha’s Vineyard.
Financial Awards
The Vision Fellowship awards financial support for the education and professional development of Island-based emerging leaders and change makers. Fellowships also may be awarded for self-designed, Island-based projects and social enterprises. For high school seniors, the Vision Fellowship offers the Vision Scholar Award.
Community and Collaboration
The Vision Fellowship encourages knowledge sharing, collaborating across disciplines, community building and mentoring. The Vision Fellowship enables its Fellows to learn new skills or refine existing ones to better understand and address the unique challenges facing the Island’s environment and social fabric.
Our Interest Areas Emphasize the Island’s Environmental and Social Sustainability
The Martha’s Vineyard Vision Fellowship seeks candidates who strive to meet challenges related to the Island’s environmental and social fabric in the interest areas listed here.
Affordable Housing
Alternative and Renewable Energy
Conservation and Biodiversity
Education, including Environmental Education
Older Adult Services
Health Care, including Mental Health
Island Cultures
Shellfish and Fishery Management and Conservation
Social Services
Sustainable Agriculture
Sustainable Architecture/Built Environment
Water (including Nitrogen Management and Water Resources)
Waste (including Composting and Recycling)
Our Approach
The Vision Fellowship makes the following types of awards:
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Mid-Career Vision Fellowship Awards
These awards are for mid-career individuals who are pursuing degree programs (postgraduate and undergraduate) and professional development certification courses, trainings, and work-shops. A high school graduate with at least three years in the workforce qualifies as ‘mid-career’.
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Project-Based Vision Fellowship Awards
These awards are for individuals who propose projects or activities that clearly address or advance one or more of the Vision Fellowship’s sustainability areas of interest on the Island.
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Vision Scholar Awards
These awards are for college-bound high school seniors whose educational goals are strongly aligned with one or more of the Vision Fellowship’s sustainability areas of interest.
To be considered for a Vision Fellowship award, a person should be a Martha’s Vineyard resident who is committed to remain on the Island, or to return here after completion of the Fellowship, and to contribute to the Island community on a continuing basis. A person’s demonstrated alignment with one or more of the Vision Fellowship’s sustainability areas of interest is required. An established relationship with an Island-based non-profit or progressive for-profit sponsoring organization and/or mentor is viewed favorably.
For more about sponsors and mentors, click here.
For college-bound high school seniors, the Vision Fellowship offers the Vision Scholar award. This award is for up to $10,000 per year for two years. The Vision Fellowship takes a long view with Vision Scholars. Young students grow and gain valuable education and experience by living and working elsewhere, so a commitment to return to the Island after graduation is not emphasized. However, these students are encouraged to develop strong relationships with mentors on and off the Island and to engage in internships related to their educational goals.
Components of a Vision Fellowship Award
Amount & Duration of Fellowship Awards
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The amount of the award for successful mid-career and project-based candidates is determined by the Vision Fellowship Grants Committee on a case-by-case basis, upon review of the applicant’s proposed budget and consultation with the Vision Fellowship’s Executive Director. Mid-career Fellowships typically last two years. Project-based Fellowships typically last one to two years. The program is flexible, though, so the proposed duration may be shorter or longer. Candidates seeking undergraduate degrees must be high school graduates with at least three years of work experience.
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The Martha’s Vineyard Vision Fellowship Scholar Award recognizes high school seniors who are committed to strengthening the Island’s social and environmental sustainability and who show promise as future leaders and change advocates.
The Vision Scholar award is for two-years in the amount of up to $10,000 per year. The Vision Fellowship Grants Committee may choose up to five Vision Scholars per year. Funding in the second award year is subject to satisfactory performance during the first year.
‘Satisfactory performance’ means that the Vision Scholar has continued with the course of study identified in the Scholar’s original application and has maintained at least a ‘c’ average. If a Vision Scholar changes the course of study identified in the Scholar’s original application, the Scholar must notify the Vision Fellowship’s Executive Director promptly. If the new course of study does not align with the Vision Fellowship’s mission and areas of interest, then the Vision Fellowship Grants Committee will decide whether to continue funding the original award. Also, when determining whether funding will be continued, a Vision Scholar’s participation in Vision Fellowship events and in internships related to career goals will be considered. Vision Scholar funding may be used for educational expenses including tuition, room, and board.
To be invited to apply for Vision Scholar awards, Island residents graduating from the Martha’s Vineyard Regional High School, the Martha’s Vineyard Public Charter School, or Falmouth Academy must be nominated by their respective Guidance Departments or principals or by a local nonprofit with which the student has an established relationship. The Vision Fellowship Grants Committee reviews all nominations and decides which candidates to invite to apply.
Expectations for all Fellows
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Each mid-career individual who is awarded a Fellowship will work with the Fellow’s mentor (if applicable) and the Fellowship’s Executive Director to develop a professional and educational development plan.
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Fellows in degree-based programs are expected to take part in internships or sustainability projects during each year of their Fellowship, unless they are full-time students or are employed full-time. Internships may take place on or off Island, at the Fellow’s sponsoring organization or at an organization of the Fellow’s choosing, as long as the work is aligned with the Fellow’s educational and professional development goals.
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Each individual or team that is awarded a project-based Fellowship will work with the sponsoring organization and the Vision Fellowship’s Executive Director to refine and implement the project plan and will report regularly to the Program Director regarding the project’s progress.
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All Fellows are expected to participate in Vision Fellowship events, including orientation. The orientation for new Vision Fellows typically begins in May and generally involves an informational group meeting, an individual meeting with the Vision Fellowship’s Executive Director, small group breakfasts or lunches at which new Fellows become acquainted with each other, and an all-day orientation event during which the new Fellows meet many of their predecessors in the Vision Fellowship program.
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Each Fellow is an integral part of the Vision Fellowship Community. This community includes current Fellows, alumni of the program, and mentors. The Vision Fellowship community meets several times a year, to greet the new Fellows, to hear presentations from Fellows and alums, and to connect and exchange information. In addition, Fellows and alums are invited to participate in small group breakfasts, at the Vision Fellowship’s expense, to get to know one another and to learn about what others in the Vision Fellowship community are doing. Fellows are encouraged to participate in these gatherings as often as possible.
Additional Grant Award Opportunities for Degree-Based Fellows
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Each degree-based Fellow who participates in an internship or sustainability project with a sponsoring organization, whether during the summer or the academic year, is eligible for an annual Sponsor Grant of up to $5,000. This grant may be applied for by the Fellow if the sponsor is a 501(c)(3) organization. If awarded, these funds are typically used as follows: $2,000 to fund a project or purpose of the sponsor’s choice but ideally one that enhances the Fellow’s experience; and $3,000 to cover or supplement the Fellow’s wages during the internship or project.
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Each degree-based Fellow also may apply for an annual Opportunity Grant of up to $3,500 to explore education and career paths through study abroad, for volunteer or internship experiences abroad or in the U.S., for attendance at conferences or workshops, to facilitate research projects and the like. Opportunity Grants are awarded on a case-by-case basis. Successful applications for such funds will demonstrate that their use will further the Fellow’s professional and educational development plan.
Number of Awards Per Year
The Martha’s Vineyard Vision Fellowship is a highly competitive program. The number of Fellowships to be awarded each year is determined annually by the Vision Fellowship Grants Committee.
Post-Fellowship Funding Opportunity Through Community Vision Grants
Alumni and mentors may submit proposals to access funds for projects and activities that will increase impact in the Fellowship’s interest areas and that promote learning, information sharing and collaboration among the Fellowship Community and more widely. A maximum of $10,000 is available annually for such projects. Contact the Fellowship’s Exec Director for information on applying for Community Vision funds.
Conflict of Interest Policy
The Martha’s Vineyard Vision Fellowship makes every effort to avoid conflicts of interest in its selection of Fellows and sponsoring organizations. Members of the Vision Fellowship Grants Committee and their immediate family members, as well as directors, officers and employees of the Vision Fellowship, must disclose any possible conflict of interest arising from an affiliation with an individual or organization seeking a fellowship, scholarship or grant through the Martha’s Vineyard Vision Fellowship, or an affiliation with any company or organization with whom the Vision Fellowship is proposing to enter a contractual agreement. If a conflict is identified, the conflicted committee member must recuse from the selection process.