Resilience Corps Fellow

About the FellowshipDo you want to springboard your career in beautiful and exciting Portland, Maine? The Greater Portland Council of Governments (GPCOG) Resilience Corps Fellowship is a unique opportunity to launch your career in public service while helping Maine communities tackle complex local challenges. Fellows serve with municipalities, regional planning organizations, nonprofits, and other community partners. Projects may focus on community and economic resilience, planning, infrastructure, sustainability, emergency preparedness, natural resources, and public engagement. The work is varied, complex, interesting, and deeply important to the state of Maine. We are recruiting Fellows for our 2027 Service Term – beginning on January 18th, 2027! Resilience Corps Fellows provide added capacity for important community projects that local organizations may not otherwise have the staff time or resources to advance. Through a full-time year of AmeriCorps service, Fellows gain substantial hands-on experience, build personal and professional networks, and receive training, mentorship, and professional development to support their future careers. While Fellows are placed in different roles at GPCOG and with external host sites, they serve as part of a cohort that learns from and with one another. Fellows participate in regular cohort meetings, professional development and training, community service days, and opportunities to connect with other AmeriCorps members across Maine. The Fellowship ExperienceFellows gain high-level ‘on the job’ experience, build their personal and professional networks, and receive training, mentorship, and professional development in their desired field of future work. Fellows begin the service term with a comprehensive orientation and training period. Throughout the year, the cohort comes together regularly for professional development, peer learning, statewide conferences, and hands-on community service. Fellowship training is designed to build practical workplace skills and exposure to careers in local government, regional planning, nonprofits, and related fields. Term of FellowshipThe 2027 Resilience Corps Fellowship is full-time, 40 hours per week. The upcoming Fellowship term begins on January 18, 2027 and ends December 17, 2027, with approximately two weeks of expected time off built in. Who Should ApplyResilience Corps can be a strong fit for recent college graduates, career changers, people with community-based or volunteer experience, and those interested in building a career in public service, planning, community development, sustainability, communications, data and GIS, economic development, or related fields. Fellows do not need to begin service as subject-matter experts, though some prior experience or academic knowledge is preferred. Strong candidates are curious, dependable, collaborative, willing to learn, comfortable taking initiative, and motivated to serve Maine communities. Because projects and community needs can evolve over the service term, Fellows should also be flexible and ready to take on new challenges. Example Resilience Corps Member Placements Please note, our positions and host sites change each year. Candidates apply to be considered for the program, and not to specific host sites, but will learn about the available individual positions during the interview process and will ultimately be offered a specific role if selected. All Fellows are asked to be flexible, team-players - as needs and projects may evolve over the service term. Past and potential projects illustrate the range of work Fellows may support: Community Science Fellow, supporting the Gulf of Maine Research Institute, building public understanding about the direct and indirect impacts sea level rise, as well as more frequent and intense coastal storms and precipitation events via community educational events and the management of a citizen science data portal as well as supporting a team with vulnerability assessments for Maine communities. Sustainability Fellow, supporting the City of South Portland, in their education and outreach efforts around their Climate Action Plan, One Climate Future. This fellow also gains communications and journalism experience by writing columns in local publications such as the South Portland NOW. This fellow will also manage community and volunteer-driven programs such as the Resilient Yards training program and the Energy Navigator Program. Energy Navigator Fellow, supporting the Southern Maine Planning and Development Commission, will receive training to become an expert on home electrification and weatherization projects and incentives and then help implement a new program that will support energy upgrades for low- and moderate- income homes in Southern Maine by serving as a direct resource for community members on energy efficiency. Chebeague Resilience Fellow, supporting the Town of Chebeague Island’s Chebeague Climate Action Team (CCAT), a small group within a small community, engaged in numerous climate and resilience issues on this island of roughly 400 year-round residents. In coordination with town staff and community volunteers, the fellow will develop a wildfire protection plan in coordination with the Town of Long Island, incorporate resilience into a comprehensive plan update, and support project management of other committee initiatives. Active Transportation Fellow, supporting the Bicycle Coalition of Maine, on community engagement, outreach, and bikeability mapping for communities in the Greater Portland region. They strengthen grassroots advocacy through the Community Spokes network by assisting with curriculum delivery, organizing at least one training session, and developing updated outreach materials to expand participation in the program. Potential Service ActivitiesDepending on their placement, Fellows may:Conduct research on best practices, community needs, available data, programs, and emerging approaches.Collect, organize, and analyze data and create maps, storyboards, dashboards, or other visualizations that make complex information useful and accessible.Design and support public and community engagement, including outreach, meetings, events, surveys, educational materials, and other opportunities for residents to inform local projects.Build relationships with community partners and help engage populations that have historically had fewer opportunities or resources to participate in local planning and decision-making.Recruit, coordinate, and support community volunteers and help strengthen volunteer-led initiatives.Develop public-facing communications such as newsletters, social media content, blogs, websites, presentations, reports, and educational materials.Support project planning, coordination, implementation, and follow-through across municipal, nonprofit, and regional initiatives.Collect and track project and community engagement data to measure progress and demonstrate impact.Develop and strengthen partnerships among municipalities, community organizations, residents, and other stakeholders. What You’ll Take AwayThe Resilience Corps Fellowship is both a national service program and an intensive professional development experience. Fellows build practical skills in project management, public communication and facilitation, community engagement, research and data analysis, cross-sector collaboration, problem-solving and teamwork, facilitation and public speaking, GIS, volunteer management, and professional workplace practices. Just as importantly, Fellows gain experience working on real community priorities, gain exposure to a wide range of public-service careers, participate in mentorship and networking opportunities, and a walk away with a clearer understanding of the type of work they may want to pursue next. Our hope is that the Fellowship serves as a springboard to your future career. BenefitsFellows receive a living stipend paid every two weeks, totaling $28,000 for the year.Health Benefits including medical, dental, and vision insurance if not already covered. Fellows may qualify for postponement, or forbearance, of the repayment of their loans during service. Members may also qualify to have the interest accrued on student loans during service paid for by the National Service Trust.Fellows are eligible to receive the Segal AmeriCorps Education Award at the end of successful completion of service in the amount of $7,395 (this total could change for the 2027 service year).An unlimited Dirigo TouchPass for participating Greater Portland-area bus transit services.Childcare assistance, if eligible.Dedicated and intentional professional and career development, customized trainings, mentorship, and networking opportunities. To ApplyTo apply, and for more information, please visit the position on myAmeriCorps: https://my.americorps.gov/mp/listing/viewListing.do?fromSearch=true&id=130640 You can learn more about the program and former Fellows at: https://www.maineresiliency.org/. About GPCOGThe Greater Portland Council of Governments is a regional planning agency providing direct support to 30 member municipalities and collaborative regional projects in Southern Maine, stretching from Casco Bay to western Cumberland County. Since 1969, GPCOG has been an instrument of and for communities, helping cities and towns help one another. We – meaning GPCOG’s member municipalities and GPCOG’s staff – work together to help municipalities. As a region, we collaborate and forge solutions that address our transportation, economic development, and natural resource challenges. Our work grows jobs, supports healthy, sustainable, and complete neighborhoods with diverse housing options, builds efficient and clean transportation, and protects the places and resources that make the region so special.