To help us identify the "best fit" for your farm or organization, and also to provide greater placement detail for our steward candidates, please review the three Programs offered by MESA before submitting your MESA application:
7.5 months average duration, with an option to extend up to 12 months total. On-the-farm training begins ~April 1 and runs through mid-November.
*The $975 monthly fee is for CTP hosts providing both room and board. An additional $100-$250 per month (depending on estimated average grocery costs) will be added to the monthly for hosts that prefer to have their steward buy some or all of their own food. An additional $25 - $100 monthly will be added, depending on location, for placements that require additional domestic travel costs for MESA stewards and coordinators to/from San Francisco.
Up to 12 months duration, the NLP can begin anytime to accommodate the seasonal needs of hosts.
Most NLP hosts are required to provide Workers Compensation insurance for NLP stewards, and withhold taxes on earnings (*MESA stewards are exempt from Social Security and Medicare (FICA) taxes). Stewards pay for their own travel and medical insurance, plus a $550 MESA placement fee and $275 monthly U.S. J-1 visa Sponsorship/admin. fee. Daily meals are negotiable.
The PNP is by MESA invitation only.
Slightly different versions of the application are required, depending on your Program choice. Please click on one of the links below to proceed to the appropriate version of the Host Application form:
Once you have completed Step 1, please email MESA at mesa [at] mesaprogram [dot] org (email MESA). We will verify your references and we'll also send you a non-publicized URL to review current steward applications.
Once you identify a steward candidate(s) you'd like to host, email MESA at mesa [at] mesaprogram [dot] org Tell us how many stewards you'd like to host, plus the names of your 1st, 2nd, and 3rd choice stewards. We will then create and email you a personalized URL to submit your online Training Plan.
Note: Your Training Plan must be submitted before MESA can notify any steward of your hosting offer.
Once MESA a) verifies your references/approves your host application b) receives your Training Plan and c) confirms your Steward(s), we will mail you the Host Agreement Contract to sign and return to MESA. Note: MESA invoices first-time hosts $500/steward as a Program deposit.
If you would like to review or sign/send MESA the Host Agreement in advance, you may Download it now.
Lauren and Leah were recently on the radio show 'An Organic Conversation!' Listen to the podcast about how MESA cultivates a sustainable future via cultural exchange.
Former MESA Steward Philip Munyasia is applying what he learned at Ecology Action in California to start OTEPIC, his Home Country Project, in Kenya!