2026 NRDC Climate Storytelling Fellowship
The Black List is thrilled to announce that it has partnered with NRDC’s (Natural Resources Defense Council) Rewrite the Future program, The Redford Center, The CAA Foundation, and NBCUniversal to launch the fifth annual NRDC Climate Storytelling Fellowship.
The Fellowship will grant $20,000 each to three writers (or writing teams) to support revision of a screenplay or pilot that engages with climate change in a compelling way through events, actions, character, emotions, plot, and/or setting.
In addition, NRDC will connect each fellowship recipient with the following professionals for feedback and guidance on their scripts:
A credited professional screenwriter with an interest in climate storytelling
A climate story consultant from NRDC’s Rewrite the Future program to advise on effective approaches to climate storytelling that are entertaining and impactful
As applicable, one or more NRDC experts to advise on climate issues highlighted in the script.
After receiving these consultations, Fellows have six (6) months to complete a revision of their script. Revised scripts may be reviewed for development by prominent studios, agencies and/or production companies including Creative Artists Agency (CAA), Hyperobject Industries, Yellow Dot Studios, NBCUniversal, Participant, United Talent Agency (UTA) and WME among others. Writers will retain all rights to their work.
At the end of the Fellowship, each recipient will provide NRDC with a short reflection of how the fellowship has advanced their work and/or career in addition to a revised version of their script including an overview of the changes they made during the revision process.
Each fellowship recipient retains complete ownership of their work.
Timeline
Submissions close on November 28, 2025. Writers selected for the short list will be invited to submit a one-page personal statement and professional resume during the selection period (December-April). From there, a shortlist will be determined. Writers who make the shortlist may be asked to conduct a short interview, and three fellowship recipients will be selected no later than April 30, 2026.
More about the timeline and selection process in the tiles below!
Fee Waivers
NRDC Climate Storytelling Fellowship Fee Waivers - All qualifying scripts submitted by the 11/28/2025 program deadline will receive one free evaluation and one free month of hosting.