Deadline: February 2, 2015
The Open Society Foundation invites applications from across the world for the 2015 Open Society Fellowship, which aims to support individuals pursuing innovative and unconventional approaches to fundamental open society challenges. The fellowship funds work that will enrich public understanding of those challenges and stimulate far-reaching and probing conversations within the Open Society Foundations and in the world.
The Open Society Fellowship supports individuals seeking innovative and unconventional approaches to fundamental open society challenges. The fellowship funds work that will enrich public understanding of those challenges and stimulate far-reaching and probing conversations within the Open Society Foundations and in the world.
A fellowship project might identify a problem that has not previously been recognized, develop new policy ideas to address familiar problems, or offer a new advocacy strategy. Fellows should take advantage of the considerable intellectual and logistical resources of the Open Society Foundations and expect to contribute meaningfully to the Foundations’ thinking in return.
In evaluating each proposal, the selection committee weighs three factors: the applicant, the topic of the project, and the work product.
Fellowship Expectations
At the heart of the fellowship are the Open Society Foundations themselves. Fellows are invited to join the rich and diverse Foundations community, a global network of activists and institutions dedicated to defending civil society and improving the lives of the world’s most vulnerable citizens.
Fellows are expected to take full advantage of the Foundations’ expansive reach and work to bring new people and fresh ideas into the organization’s ambit. The program anticipates that most fellows will spend a portion of their fellowship term at one of the organization’s main offices, in New York, Washington, London, Brussels, or Budapest, or at a regional foundation. While in residence, they are strongly encouraged to organize and participate in conferences and program events and may be asked to run a seminar involving Foundations staff and outside colleagues. Ultimately, fellows should sharpen the organization’s thinking, question its assumptions, and broaden its understanding of pivotal political and social problems.
In order to facilitate these interactions, proficiency in spoken English is required.
Benefits
Full-time fellows will receive a stipend of $80,000 or $100,000, depending on work experience, seniority, and current income. Stipends will be prorated for part-time fellows. The stipend does not necessarily equal the applicant’s current salary. In certain cases, fellows will receive additional financial support to enable them to meet the residency expectation.
In addition to the stipend, fellows will receive a project budget. That budget may include expenses such as travel (including airfare and hotel), visa costs, part-time research assistance, conference fees and health insurance.
Eligibility
- The Open Society Fellowship accepts proposals from anywhere in the world.
- Applicants should possess a deep understanding of their chosen subject and a track record of professional accomplishment. Past and current fellows have included journalists, activists, academics, and practitioners in a variety of fields.
- Successful applicants will be eager to exploit the many resources offered by the Open Society Foundations and be prepared to engage constructively with our global network.
- Ideal fellows are specialists who can see beyond the parochialisms of their field and possess the tenacity to complete a project of exceptional merit.
- Proficiency in spoken English is required.
The fellowship does not fund enrollment for degree or non-degree study at academic institutions, including dissertation research.
NOTE: This is a fellowship for individuals only; proposals from two or more applicants will not be accepted. Interested applicants should first download and review the complete fellowship guidelines here.
For more information and to apply, visit Open Society Fellowship.
