Deadline: November 20, 2023
Applications are open for the IRI McCain Fellowship for Freedom (MFF) 2024. The International Republican Institute’s (IRI) McCain Fellowship for Freedom (MFF) will bring together a cohort of young political leaders from around the world for a virtual and in-person program. As part of the program, fellows will visit the United States for an exchange with policy makers, thought leaders, American entrepreneurs and others to gain insights and build networks necessary to fostering resilient democracies rooted in economic freedom.
The MFF will encourage peer-to-peer learning, provide targeted training and cultivate a generation of changemakers who are building more inclusive, transparent, and resilient democracies powered by free markets. The Fellowship honors the spirit and legacy of 25-year IRI Chairman Senator John McCain, a passionate advocate of democracy around the world and former Chairman of the Senate Commerce Committee, who believed that “free markets are not possible without free people.”
Scope of Work
McCain Fellows will be required to actively participate in a several-month program, including, but not limited to, the components outlined below:
- Attend virtual sessions aimed at providing targeted assistance with skills related to policymaking, communication and advocacy.
- Attend an in-person program in the United States to meet with and learn from leaders in the governmental, non-governmental and private sectors. The program will take place in Washington, D.C. and be timed based on the selected cohort’s availability.
- Use the network gained and lessons learned from participating in the program to implement advocacy initiatives in the fellow’s community as a young, political changemaker.
- Engage with other fellows, including from the previous iterations of the MFF program, through virtual networking sessions and platforms.
Eligibility
IRI will select up to eight young leaders who represent different regions, sectors and gender identities based on the following criteria:
- Between the ages of 21 and 40;
- Not a U.S. citizen;
- Proficient in English;
- Possesses robust experience in politics, government and/or private sector, with a preference for individuals with cross-sectoral experience;
- Demonstrates a proven history of and passion for advocating for democratic and free market reform;
- Maintains a position of authority and leadership within their current career and community.
Nomination
All applicants are required to submit a letter of nomination for their participation in the McCain Fellowship for Freedom. The nominator should be someone you know well in a professional context who can speak to your qualifications for the fellowship.
Specific points to highlight in the nomination letter:
- How applicant has promoted democratic resiliency and free market principles within their community;
- How the applicant has demonstrated their leadership capacity and protentional to be a political changemaker within their community; and
- How the applicant is uniquely positioned to be an exceptional McCain Fellow and how will the fellowship benefit their development as a political changemaker.
The nomination letter should be no more than one page and written in English.
For more information, visit IRI McCain Fellowship for Freedom.
