Delta Extension Fellowship Grant

Delta Extension Fellowship Grant

Status: ACTIVE
Funder: California Sea Grant
Amount: More than US $130,233
Last Updated: March 19, 2026

Summary

The Delta Extension Fellowship, hosted by California Sea Grant and the Delta Stewardship Council, aims to enhance community resilience and social well-being in the Delta region. Over 24 months, the fellow will support a community outreach campaign for the Delta Residents Survey, analyze research on water management impacts, and organize resilience training for residents. This initiative addresses the Delta's challenges, including climate change and resource vulnerability, fostering informed decision-making and sustainable practices among local communities.

Overview

California Sea Grant California Sea Grant is a statewide program that supports the sustainable use and conservation of coastal and marine resources through science, education, and community engagement. Its mission is to provide integrated research, extension, outreach, and education that help Californians balance diverse interests related to coastal and marine environments while adapting to changing environmental conditions. The program envisions a future where people live in balance with marine and coastal ecosystems, supported by an informed and engaged public making decisions based on sound scientific knowledge, resulting in resilient communities and healthy natural systems. Its funding priorities focus on advancing applied research and innovation, supporting scientists and graduate students through grants and fellowships, and strengthening connections between science and community needs. Key program areas include healthy coastal ecosystems, sustainable fisheries and aquaculture, resilient coastal communities and economies, and environmental literacy and workforce development, all aimed at promoting sustainability, informed decision-making, and long-term environmental and economic resilience. Delta Extension Fellowship Once the largest wetland on the West Coast of the United States, the Sacramento–San Joaquin Delta (Delta) has undergone significant ecological and social transformation. Today, it serves as the hub of California’s water supply, while also providing a home to an array of animal and plant species and more than 600,000 people. The region’s robust science, planning and management efforts support two coequal goals of ensuring statewide water supply reliability and protecting ecosystem health, while maintaining the region’s unique cultural, recreational, natural resource and agricultural values. However, the Delta’s natural resources, local livelihoods and residents are becoming increasingly vulnerable to sea level rise, drought, flooding and heat. To support these efforts, California Sea Grant and the Delta Stewardship Council are partnering to host a 24-month Delta Extension Fellowship (upon Council approval of the funding). The fellow will support the community outreach campaign for the 2027 Delta Residents Survey and provide technical data management and analysis support for the survey results. Secondly, they will assist with the analysis, validation and communication of research about communities that are impacted by Delta water management with a focus on communities that receive Delta water outside of the legal Delta. Third, the fellow will organize a prioritized set of community resilience trainings. The position will be physically based in Davis, CA. The fellow will have the opportunity to work directly with members of California Sea Grant, the Delta Stewardship Council and University of California, Davis. In addition, the fellow will be a member of the California Sea Grant extension team and will be mentored by a California Sea Grant Extension Specialist. Primary objectives for this fellowship are to support research and outreach on social well-being and resilience in communities connected to the Delta region. There are several tasks the Fellow will be responsible for carrying out, with the guidance and assistance of project partners and leadership of the extension specialist mentor. Support the community outreach campaign for the Delta Residents Survey with the Delta Stewardship Council, and provide technical data management and analysis support In advance of the next Delta Residents Survey release, the fellow will help share existing survey results with Delta residents and raise awareness about the upcoming survey. Following the release of the survey, the fellow will continue outreach to encourage participation, then support data analysis, assist with developing the summary report and other result dissemination materials, update the survey website, and contribute to creating a long-term social well-being monitoring plan.Assist with analysis, validation and communication of research about communities impacted by Delta water managementThe fellow will provide support in carrying out analyses that assess risk and vulnerability of communities served by water systems impacted by Delta water management with a focus on communities that receive Delta water outside of the legal Delta. Part of this work will include validation of the findings from these analyses with secondary source material or key informant interviews. Additionally, the fellow will create informational materials that share findings such as research briefs and presentations, and may assist with academic writing, if interested. Lastly, the fellow will attend meetings with relevant information and/or audiences that might be interested in this work such as meetings put on by the California Water Data Consortium.Support the collection and synthesis of baseline information about community resilience training needs and organize a prioritized set of trainings for Delta residentsThe fellow will compile and review relevant documents and databases to understand known environmental hazards and existing training infrastructure for risk management for Delta residents. They will synthesize findings from existing data to identify gaps in community hazard preparedness (e.g., low flood insurance coverage, lack of backup power, limited earthquake preparedness, language access barriers), and create a prioritized list of training topics that best support community resilience and increase adaptive capacity in the Delta. The fellow will also help with organizing and running the training(s) for Delta residents through the Delta Stewardship Council’s Delta Adaptation Team.

Eligibility

You can learn more about this opportunity by visiting the funder's website. Applications may be submitted by graduate students who have recently completed or are nearing completion of a Master’s, Ph.D., or J.D.)  in a field related to environmental science and policy, human dimensions of natural resource management, such as sociology, human ecology, economics, political science, public policy, urban and regional planning, behavioral sciences, or anthropology or other relevant field of study from an accredited U.S. institution of higher education. The Fellow must complete all degree requirements before starting the fellowship.Applicants who completed their degree at an accredited U.S. institution of higher education and were awarded their degree after May 1, 2024 (i.e., the official date the degree was conferred by the university) are also eligible to apply.Applicants must be eligible to receive federal and state funds; it is the responsibility of the applicant to check if they are eligible to receive federal/state funds and (if applicable) obtain the appropriate VISA to maintain an eligible status in the Delta Extension Fellowship.