Deadline: March 11, 2026
Applications are open for the ACLS Leading Edge Fellowships 2026. The American Council of Learned Societies is pleased to announce the eighth competition of the Leading Edge Fellowship program, which demonstrates the potential of humanistic knowledge and methods to solve problems, build organizational capacity, and advance justice and equity in society.
Leading Edge Fellowships place recent humanities PhDs with nonprofit organizations advancing justice and equity in their communities. Fellows take on substantive roles that draw on the skills and capacities honed in the course of earning the humanities PhD, including advanced communication, research, project management, and creative problem solving. This initiative is made possible through the generous support of the Mellon Foundation.
Funding
- Stipend: For remote positions, $70,000 in year one, and $72,000 in year two; for in-person positions, $72,000 in year one, and $74,000 in year two. All fellows will have access to health insurance and professional development funding.
- Relocation: Up to $5,000 in relocation funds for fellows who relocate for in-person positions.
Eligibility
- Applicants must have a PhD that will have been formally conferred by their university between September 1, 2021, and August 31, 2026. Applicants scheduled to graduate in Spring or Summer 2026 must be prepared to verify, with confirmation from their university registrar’s office, a PhD conferral date on or before August 31. Applicants who do not have a PhD officially conferred by their university by August 31, 2026, will not be able to take up the fellowship.
- Applicants’ PhDs must be in an eligible field of the humanities or interpretive social sciences.
- Applicants must be authorized to work in the United States for the entire duration of the fellowship term. This includes Indigenous individuals residing in the United States through rights associated with the Jay Treaty of 1794, and those who hold DACA status, Temporary Protected Status, or political asylee or refugee status. Unfortunately, neither ACLS nor the host organization can sponsor fellows for visas or provide advice on visa applications.
Selection Process
First round reviewers will evaluate applications based on:
- Demonstrated ability to connect skills and capacities to the qualifications and responsibilities of the applicant’s selected position(s).
- Demonstrated interest in and commitment to contributing to solutions to problems in society.
- Intellectual and cultural humility and demonstrated capacity to partner, collaborate, listen, and learn from others.
- The capacity of the award to advance the stated goals and values of the Leading Edge Fellowship program.
Application
Applications must be submitted online and must include:
- A completed application form, including a short answer section about applying humanistic doctoral training to careers beyond the academy.
- A cover letter tailored to each selected position description and addressed to the host organization (1-2 pages). Applicants applying for two positions will submit two distinct cover letters.
- A resume (1-2 pages), and a list of three references. Applicants applying for two positions will submit two resumes and lists of references. No reference letters are required at the time of application.
For more information, visit ACLS Fellowships.