Castanea Fellowship is an environmentalist organization that was previously fiscally sponsored by the Windward Fund, a nonprofit group managed by consulting firm Arabella Advisors. It was reported that the Windward Fund had grossed over $12 million in 2017 and grossed over $15 million in 2016. ¹² As of 2024, the group is listed as being fiscally sponsored by the conservationist group Earth Island Institute. ³

Funding

Castanea was previously fiscally sponsored by the Windward Fund, a nonprofit group managed by consulting firm Arabella Advisors. ⁴ As of 2024, the group is listed as being fiscally sponsored by the conservationist group Earth Island Institute. ³

Castanea also lists a number of left-leaning organizations as funding partners. The groups include the 11th Hour Project, Warsh Mott Legacy, McKnight Foundation, W.K. Kellogg Foundation, and Jessie Smith Noyes Foundation. ⁵

Mission

Castanea provides two-year fellowships to environmental activists, training them on strategies. Race and sex are important components of its fellowship considerations; Castanaea targets at least 50 percent of each year’s fellows to be non-white and female. ⁶

Castanea’s fellowship includes meetings every four months across the country which provide different leadership lessons and skills. Its 2019 fellows had their first retreat in June 2019 and intend to focus on finance, policy, and organization in November 2019. Other meetings will focus on similar topics. ⁶

The fellowships are based upon the relaunched W.K. Kellogg Foundation fellowships. Kellogg fellowships focus on the environmental and include racial-based goals. ⁶⁷

Committees and Leadership

Krysten Aguilar is the executive director of the Castanea Fellowship, serving in the position since 2021. Prior to working at the Fellowship, Aguilar worked in several positions at the La Semilla Food Center between 2012 and 2021 including its policy coordinator and the co-executive director. ^{8 9}

1. ProPublica, Windward Fund 2017 990, Accessed October 4, 2019. https://projects.propublica.org/nonprofits/organizations/473522162/201823169349303862/IRS990
2. Windward Fund, Project Directory, Accessed October 4, 2019. https://www.windwardfund.org/project-directory/
3. “Home.” Castanea Fellowship, Accessed September 26, 2024. https://www.castaneafellowship.org/
4. Castanea Fellowship, FAQs, Accessed October 4, 2019. https://www.castaneafellowship.org/faqs/
5. Castanea Fellowship, Funders, Accessed October 4, 2019. https://www.castaneafellowship.org/about/#funders
6. Community Food Funders, Castanea Fellowship, December 4, 2018. Accessed October 4, 2019. https://communityfoodfunders.org/wp/wp-content/uploads/2018/12/Castanea-Fellowship-12.4.18.pdf
7. W.K. Kellogg Foundation, “WKKF launches new fellowship program making a reentry into leadership development,” November 22, 2013. Accessed October 4, 2019. https://www.wkkf.org/news-and-media/article/2013/11/wkkf-launches-new-fellowship-program-making-a-reentry-into-leadership-development
8. “Krysten Aguilar.” Castanea Fellowship, Accessed September 26, 2024. https://www.castaneafellowship.org/about/krysten-aguilar/
9. “Krysten Aguilar.” LinkedIn, Accessed September 26, 2024. https://www.linkedin.com/in/krysten-aguilar-78451a30