Deadline: 31-Jan-23
The Open Society Foundations is seeking applications for its Leadership in Government Fellowships Program to support former senior-level government staff in the United States who have recently left public service and have played a significant role in advancing social change from within government in the United States at the city, county, tribal, state, and federal levels.
They are interested in public sector leaders that have a deep interest in using this fellowship opportunity to reflect on their time in government and to undertake a project that advances policy ideas and inserts their unique perspectives about making change from within government into the public dialogue.
Open Society-U.S. will award individual grants to former senior-level government officials and staff who have played a significant role in advancing social change.
Funding Information
- Fellows will receive a stipend in a general range of $110,000 to $150,000 depending on percentage of time committed to the project. Projects are either 12 or 18 months in duration.
The Topic of the Project
- Open Society—U.S. supports efforts to advance equality, fairness, and justice, with a focus on the most marginalized communities and the most significant threats to open society in the United States. Open Society—U.S. is committed to building a vibrant, inclusive, and more just society in the United States. They combine grantmaking, advocacy, fellowships and field office work to create a single entity dedicated to promoting full participation in the nation’s civic, political, and economic life—particularly for communities that are historically marginalized—and to ensure that the core institutions of civil society are effective, equitable, and accountable to the public.
- Their work is guided by the power of local voices: through their urban laboratory of change, the Open Society Institute–Baltimore; their work in helping to rebuild Puerto Rico; and their ongoing efforts in a number of primarily South and Southwestern cities and states.
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. Their 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.
- 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 their 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 their 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. Accommodations 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.