Mentorship Program

The 2026 - 2027 Mentorship Program process

• Mentor applications will open first. The deadline to apply to be a Mentor is August 31. 
• Mentee applications will open in September. The number of participating Mentors will determine how many Mentees we'd be able to accept into the program.
• Similar to last year, each accepted mentee will then have the opportunity to review mentor applications and select their top picks.
• The Mentorship Subcommittee at NAFTZ will review those preferences and finalize the pairings.
• Once paired, NAFTZ will introduce each mentor and mentee. The program will then officially begin with a group kickoff meeting in early December.

• This is a six month program and commitment
• A minimum of one virtual meeting or phone call once a month between mentor and mentee is required.
• Participants who miss three scheduled meetings without providing advance notice to their mentor or mentee may be removed from the program.
• A desire to support and promote the role of the U.S. FTZ professional through a sincere dedication of time, interest, and enthusiasm.
• Both parties must be respectful of confidentiality and schedules.
• The Mentor Program is intended solely as an educational effort that is general in nature. It is not intended to provide detailed guidance on the U.S. FTZ program.  The National Association of Foreign-Trade Zones does not take responsibility or endorse the individual views of any Mentor.