Call for Applications: 2026 CNAY Fellowships

Posted on

CNAY is excited to announce that applications for the 2026 CNAY Fellowship cohorts are now open! We are accepting applications for Brave Heart, Remembering Our Sisters and the California Native Youth Collective through January 14.

The Center for Native American Youth (CNAY) Fellowship is a program for aspiring Native youth leaders (18-24) looking to make an impact in their communities. CNAY provides tailored sovereignty, leadership and advocacy trainings, unique opportunities for education and knowledge sharing, and micro-grant support to complete a community action project of Fellows’ choosing. 

CNAY supports youth-led change through a culturally-grounded, sovereignty-minded curriculum, intergenerational learning space and promotion of policy change at the tribal, local, state and national level. Fellows work alongside community members, like-minded organizations and peers to grow as individuals and in their cohorts – confident in their abilities, grounded in their culture, and rooted in Indigenous ways of knowing and being.

While all 2026 Fellows will engage in a shared, core curriculum – inclusive of trainings pertaining to sovereignty and governance, financial literacy, media and more – the bulk of their fellowship will be divided into three distinct cohorts, each focused on a different issue area:

  • Brave Heart: providing pathways for Native youth leaders to enhance their skills as protectors of our lands, waterways and sacred sites, and stewards for food sovereignty.
  • Remembering Our Sisters: illuminating opportunities for female & femme identifying youth passionate about advocating and raising awareness for the MMIP epidemic.
  • California Native Youth Collective: creating a policy advocacy network and cross-sector platform for Native youth in California.

Please note that selected applicants will be placed into only one cohort for the 2026 fellowship. To be considered, you must respond to two short answer questions and submit a video response for the cohort you are applying for. Applicants must submit their 2026 CNAY Fellowship Application no later than January 14, 2026 at 11:59pm ET. Late submissions will not be considered.

APPLY NOW!

Submission Eligibility

All Cohorts:

  • Self-identify as Native or Indigenous;
  • Are between the ages of 18 and 24 years old on March 1, 2026; and
  • Currently reside in the United States. 

Brave Heart: Currently reside in Alaska, (Northern) California, Idaho, Oregon or Washington

Remembering Our Sisters: Female or femme-identifying

California Native Youth Collective: Currently reside in California

Expectations

In addition to completing projects, Fellows are expected to commit time to various related activities, including:

  • In-Person Kickoff Convening (late March, 2026): Fellows from all three cohorts will come together in California to build community and kick off the program in a good way. CNAY will pay for all lodging, travel and food costs associated with the event. Attendance is mandatory.
  • Monthly Zoom Sessions: All selected Fellows are requested to attend monthly 60-minute Zoom meetings where they will network with one another, learn from leaders and activists in their field(s) and receive support for their projects.
  • Project Presentations: Fellows from all three cohorts will present their final projects before the end of the year.

After an extensive review process, selected CNAY Fellows will be notified by early February 2026. The Fellowship period runs from March 1, 2026 through December 31, 2026.

Questions? Please check out our Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs) or contact cnayinfo@aspeninstitute.org. We also have a printable flyer available to share in your community.