Real Food Chicago Organizing Fellow

Job Description

Colleges and universities spend millions of dollars on food every year, and students have the power to influence where that money goes. Through this fellowship, you’ll work to shift campus food purchasing toward systems that are more just, sustainable, and accountable, while building the skills to organize for change.

• Lead a campus-wide campaign for a Real Food Commitment
• Recruit, train, and coordinate a student organizing team
• Build a coalition of student orgs, faculty, staff, and community allies
• Conduct outreach (classroom presentations, tabling, events)
• Plan and host events such as teach-ins, panels, and campaign actions
• Met with campus stakeholders (Dining, Sustainability, Administration)
• Use powermapping and strategy tools to guide campaign direction
• Develop messaging, storytelling, and social media content
• Maintain active communication with RFC staff and student community

Background

Real Food Challenge (RFC) - Over the past decade, Real Food Challenge has developed a robust theory of change aimed at revolutionizing university procurement practices. By harnessing the collective power of student activism, providing technical guidance to decision-makers, and advocating for real food standards nationally, our movement seeks to redirect university spending toward local, ethical, and sustainable sources, particularly uplifting BIPOC producers.

What You’ll Do

• Lead a campus-wide campaign for a Real Food Commitment
• Recruit, train, and coordinate a student organizing team
• Build a coalition of student orgs, faculty, staff, and community allies
• Conduct outreach (classroom presentations, tabling, events)
• Plan and host events such as teach-ins, panels, and campaign actions
• Met with campus stakeholders (Dining, Sustainability, Administration)
• Use powermapping and strategy tools to guide campaign direction
• Develop messaging, storytelling, and social media content
• Maintain active communication with RFC staff and student community

What You’ll Gain

• Campaign and community organizing experience
• Coalition-building and partnership development skills
• Public speaking and facilitation practice
• Experience engaging institutions and advocating for change
• Leadership development
• Connection to wider food justice and organizing opportunities

Preferred Qualifications

• Passion for food justice, sustainability, or social change/activism
• Willingness to engage peers, build relationships, and speak publicly
• Availability for weekly meetings and regular outreach
• Familiarity with Google Workspace (Docs, Sheets, Drive)

Required Qualifications

• Experience with student organizing, advocacy, or leadership
• Experience with event planning or outreach
• Experience participating in coalition work

Position Details

• Job Type: Fellowship (part-time)
• Hours: 10 hours per week
• Duration: July 2026 – June 2027
• Location: Hybrid (on-campus organizing + remote support)
• Compensation: $2,000 (4 installments throughout fellowship)
• Job Role Groups: Community organizing; leadership; event planning
• Skills: Community Organizing, Public Speaking, Leadership, Strategy, Communication, Critical Thinking
• Majors (Any accepted): Environmental Studies, Political Science, Sociology, Food Systems / Agriculture, Public Policy, Ecology, Community Studies
• School Years: Freshman – Graduate
• GPA Requirement: None

Application Process

Submit application through our RFC form. Applications reviewed on a rolling basis. Selected applicants will be invited to interview.