PROGRAM 
OVERVIEW 
PROGRAM
OVERVIEW

Through interactive training, peer mentorship, and real-world advocacy experience, our fellows become powerful leaders in the movement to end factory farming.

What Makes Our Program Different

Immersive Leadership Training
A tiered learning pathway that blends curriculum with real campaign work—moving beyond traditional workshops to build lasting leadership capacity.
Integrated alumni mentorship
Fellows learn from leaders in the movement to end factory farming and experienced alumni who offer practical guidance, performance coaching, and community connection.
Holistic support system
Financial assistance, peer community, and personalized coaching remove barriers and create an environment where emerging leaders can thrive and contribute meaningfully
A pipeline for systemic change
A training-to-leadership pathway that equips emerging advocates with the critical consciousness, organizing skills, and professional connections needed to build a resilient movement to end factory farming and transform our food system.
Immersive Leadership Training
A tiered learning pathway that blends curriculum with real campaign work—moving beyond traditional workshops to build lasting leadership capacity.
Integrated alumni mentorship
Fellows learn from leaders in the movement to end factory farming and experienced alumni who offer practical guidance, performance coaching, and community connection.
Holistic support system
Financial assistance, peer community, and personalized coaching remove barriers and create an environment where emerging leaders can thrive and contribute meaningfully
A pipeline for systemic change
A training-to-leadership pathway that equips emerging advocates with the critical consciousness, organizing skills, and professional connections needed to build a resilient movement to end factory farming and transform our food system.

Leadership Academy

Fellows explore the impacts of our food system, develop their leadership and advocacy skills, and learn how to challenge industrial animal agriculture in their communities. The Leadership Academy is the first phase of the New Roots Institute Fellowship.

Academic Year Fellowship

Many fellows continue on to apply their training by launching advocacy campaigns that shift norms and systems away from factory farming in their communities and building the skills to become life-long advocates. The Academic Year Fellowship is the second phase of the New Roots Institute Fellowship.

Teaching Fellowship

Select alumni return to the New Roots Institute Fellowship as Teaching Fellows, where they deepen their own leadership and train new fellows, creating a cycle of growth and impact.

Alumni Network

Fellows join a thriving community of 600+ advocates, with continued access to mentorship, community events, and resources that support their professional development.

Leadership Academy

Fellows explore the impacts of our food system, develop their leadership and advocacy skills, and learn how to challenge industrial animal agriculture in their communities. The Leadership Academy is the first phase of the New Roots Institute Fellowship.

Academic Year Fellowship

Many fellows continue on to apply their training by launching advocacy campaigns that shift norms and systems away from factory farming in their communities and building the skills to become life-long advocates. The Academic Year Fellowship is the second phase of the New Roots Institute Fellowship.

Teaching Fellowship

Select alumni return to the New Roots Institute Fellowship as Teaching Fellows, where they deepen their own leadership and train new fellows, creating a cycle of growth and impact.

Alumni Network

Fellows join a thriving community of 600+ advocates, with continued access to mentorship, community events, and resources that support their professional development.

Hear From Alumni

SOPHIE C.
AMERICAN UNIVERSITY, GRADUATED 2024
The Leadership Academy connected me to peers who are just as passionate as I am about creating a more just and sustainable world.

Hearing from guest speakers in the movement made me realize that I, too, can make a difference for the planet, animals, and humans in my future career.

This community equipped me with knowledge and new perspectives. Leaving this experience, I can say that I feel confident embarking on future endeavors with a solid support system behind me.

MARIA P.
UNIVERSITY OF MINNESOTA,
GRADUATED 2025
I always thought before it was difficult to contribute my opinions and thoughts in a larger group vs a smaller one while being afraid to be challenged and judged, but during this program, I felt my answers and other input did matter, which helped me build confidence.

Moving forward, I don’t think I’ll be that person in the back who is anxious to contribute my thoughts. Instead, I’ll think that what I have to say does matter and could be beneficial to someone in the room. Overall, this makes me feel brave and empowered.

MADDYE T.
CHAPMAN UNIVERSITY, GRADUATED 2024
If you are passionate about learning, interested in food sustainability or animal welfare to any degree you should definitely consider joining the Leadership Academy. I’ve learned so much through this opportunity, which expands past knowledge and skills in my toolbox to talk about factory farming and food systems, but also how to approach difficult conversations and how to improve as a leader, listener, and advocate. New Roots Institute is a community of caring and passionate educators who are more than happy to help you learn as you navigate through your own personal journey.
LUCY W.
NEW YORK UNIVERSITY, GRADUATED 2024
Joining this program was critical for my development as an advocate against factory farming, not only because of the knowledge and skills I’ve gained or the wide network to which I’ve been connected, but also because it opened my eyes to the diversity and power of the many paths in this movement.

New Roots Institute connected me with the Greener by Default Coalition at NYU, which became my focus of my campaign for the Academic Year Fellowship. I collaborated with New Roots fellows, alumni, and other invested advocates on my campus to introduce plant-based defaults into on-campus catering and hosted a plant-based food festival that served food from almost 40 brands to over 400 attendees.

SAM S.
LUTHER COLLEGE, GRADUATED 2024
The Leadership Academy launched me into full-time advocacy - I’ve gained invaluable insight into the landscape of the movement to end factory farming and the confidence to chart my own course as an advocate for food systems reform. I have developed my skills as a leader and built a vast network of professional connections with individuals and organizations from around the globe.

Through the Academic Year Fellowship I've had the opportunity to leverage the knowledge, skills, and relationships that I developed during the Leadership Academy to help manage a promising grassroots ballot initiative campaign. New Roots Institute has helped me realize my potential as a leader and an advocate.

SAM S.
LUTHER COLLEGE, GRADUATED 2024
The Leadership Academy launched me into full-time advocacy - I’ve gained invaluable insight into the landscape of the movement to end factory farming and the confidence to chart my own course as an advocate for food systems reform. I have developed my skills as a leader and built a vast network of professional connections with individuals and organizations from around the globe.

Through the Academic Year Fellowship I've had the opportunity to leverage the knowledge, skills, and relationships that I developed during the Leadership Academy to help manage a promising grassroots ballot initiative campaign. New Roots Institute has helped me realize my potential as a leader and an advocate.

Hear From Parents


The New Roots Institute Fellowship has been a transformational experience for my teenage daughter. The New Roots team has modeled professionalism and maintained rigorous standards. She has quickly developed into a true leader and advocate, spearheading campaigns to make tangible change at her school and community.

As she applies to colleges, she does not have to pretend to be anything she is not; New Roots has helped her discover genuine clarity, focus and passion regarding her future. I would absolutely recommend the New Roots Leadership Development Program to anyone who wants to explore animal advocacy in a challenging but supportive environment.

LAURA P., PARENT OF NEW ROOTS INSTITUTE ALUM

The New Roots Leadership Development Program has been a transformational experience for my teenage daughter. The New Roots team has modeled professionalism and maintained rigorous standards. She has quickly developed intoa true leader and advocate, spearheading campaigns to make tangible change at her school and community.

As she applies to colleges, she does not have to pretend to be anything she is not; New Roots has helped her discover genuine clarity, focus and passion regarding her future. I would absolutely recommend the New Roots Leadership Development Program to anyone who wants to explore animal advocacy in a challenging but supportive environment.

LAURA P, PARENT OF NEW ROOTS
INSTITUTE ALUM