Open Society Foundations’ Leadership in Government Fellowships Program – US

The Leadership in Government Fellowships support outstanding individuals who have played a significant role in advancing social change from within government in the United States and its territories at the city, county, tribal, state and federal levels. The Fellowships will allow recent government leaders to reflect on their public service, expand their network and knowledge, and insert their unique perspectives and expertise into the public dialogue. For the purposes of this solicitation of proposals, they refer to the selected individual grantees as fellows. Fellows will undertake a project of their choosing that will help them promote a richer and more nuanced understanding of the opportunities for making and implementing change from inside of government and, in turn, give them the chance to promote specific policy ideas beyond their former jurisdictions. The Leadership in Government Fellowships will consider proposals for projects that align with the overall goal of building a multi-racial, pro-democracy alliance with enough political, economic, and cultural power to advance an open society at home and abroad.

Through the Leadership in Government Fellowships the Open Society Foundations aim to provide a network of leaders with the resources to effectively address injustice and inequality, and the space to imagine a more just and equitable future.

The Topic of the Project

• The issues they work on have included the following:
  • ending mass incarceration, making police departments more accountable to the communities they serve, challenging the death penalty, and replacing youth justice policies that stigmatize and suppress with policies that safeguard the rights of children and young people;
  • promoting drug policies that ensure access to treatment and address drug use—and the health, mental health, and social needs it creates—within the context of communities rather than the criminal justice system;
  • promoting fairness and equality for all people in the United States by removing barriers to full participation in economic, social, and civic life for all;
  • seeking to reduce the racial wealth gap and change the national racial narrative;
  • strengthening the capacity of community and legal organizations that work to promote the rights of immigrants, safeguarding them against unjust attack, and promoting their full participation in American life;
  • supporting high-quality journalism to help hold powerful institutions accountable, protecting the public interest on matters of media and information policy, reducing various forms of corruption and the undue influence of money in politics, empowering communities to combat multiple forms of voter suppression, and advancing reforms safeguarding the independence of state and federal courts;
  • promoting the rule of law, defending civil liberties and human rights; and
  • promoting economic opportunity for all, reducing income equality, establishing fairness in the workplace, and advancing fair housing and lending policies.

Funding Information

• Fellows will receive a stipend in a general range of $110,000 – $150,000 depending on percentage of time committed to the project. Fellowship stipend amounts are non-negotiable.
• These grant amounts are all-inclusive—that is, they are intended to cover a fellow’s living expenses, project-related expenses, travel, conference fees, health insurance, etc. They do not provide additional funds beyond the fellowship award (they do, however, cover any costs associated with attending fellowship-related conferences, gatherings, or meetings organized by the fellowships program).
• The fellowship does not fund enrollment for degree or non-degree study at academic institutions, including dissertation research.
• Grants to fellows are considered public information and the fellow’s name and project description will be included in OSF’s tax returns, as per IRS regulations.

Fellowship Term

• The Leadership in Government Fellowships will consider applicants from all parts of the United States and its territories. Fellowship terms can be one year or 18 months. The expectation is that fellows will spend sixty to eighty percent of their time (based on a 40-hour work week) over the course of the fellowship devoted to their project. The Leadership in Government Fellowships will inform applicants of their selection as prospective fellows in early-May 2024 and award grants, contingent on OSF compliance review, for fellowships to start in early-June 2024. Work must begin by the end of June 2024, with a possibility to start the fellowship as early as May 15. Fellows cannot have full-time employment and cannot run for public office during the term of the fellowship.

Eligibility Criteria

• The Leadership in Government Fellowships seek fellowship applicants who have served in senior-level, full-time government positions in the United States and its territories. The ideal candidates are public servants who have recently completed their time in government (or within the last two years) or will have completed their term prior to the beginning of their fellowship and have served in the chief executive role or senior management of their agency or office. They have had applicants and fellows with the following titles: Deputy Mayor, Commissioner, Chief of Staff, City Manager, Counsel, Senior Policy Advisor, Legislative Director, and Assistant Undersecretary.
• Ideally, applicants see themselves serving as change agents within government in the future or are looking to apply their public service experience to an advocacy career. People of all political parties or ideologies are encouraged to apply, especially those who can challenge the thinking and approach to social change. Successful applicants will demonstrate the following qualities: a keen interest in reflecting on their government service; a passion for solving problems and implementing policy; a desire to advance ideas beyond their former jurisdictions; and a desire to inject their work into the public dialogue. Applicants should also have an interest in engaging constructively with the grantee network, and in furthering Open Society—U.S.’s strategic goal of building and supporting a multi-racial democracy.
• The fellowship program only accepts individual applications. Joint applications will not be considered. Fellows should have served in a full-time capacity in their government role. Those serving in a solely volunteer positions, a consultant to government, or government contractor are ineligible for the fellowship. Applicants must use the current application template provided. Accomodations will be made for people with disabilities. Additional materials submitted besides the requested application materials will not be considered.

For more information, visit Open Society Foundations.