Ford Foundation Postdoctoral Fellowships

Overview

The Ford Foundation Fellowships are designed to increase the diversity of the nation's college and university faculties by increasing their ethnic and racial diversity, maximize the educational benefits of diversity, and increase the number of professors who can and will use diversity as a resource for enriching the education of all students. Ford achieves these goals through a series of fellowships that span multiple stages of an academic career as well as mentorship, professional development, and an expansive network of alumni who enable peer support and community building.

Ford Foundation Postdoctoral Fellowships provide one year of support for individuals engaged in postdoctoral study after the attainment of the Doctor of Philosophy (Ph.D.) or Doctor of Science (Sc.D.) degree. Postdoctoral Fellowships are awarded for full-time research at appropriate nonprofit institutions of higher education or research, normally in the United States, including universities, museums, libraries, government or national laboratories, privately sponsored nonprofit institutes, government chartered nonprofit research organizations, and centers for advanced study.

Applicants are responsible for making all arrangements for affiliation with the proposed host institution prior to submitting an application and should designate a faculty member or other scholar who will serve as the host mentor at the proposed host institution. Applicants are encouraged to choose a host institution other than their current institution; applicants who propose to remain at their current institution for the fellowship should clearly describe in their application the rationale and benefits for doing so.

All applicants must:

• Confirm holding a previous Ford Foundation Fellowship;
• Regardless of race, national origin, religion, gender, age, disability, or sexual orientation, confirm being one of the following:
  • U.S. citizen or U.S. national
  • U.S. permanent resident (holder of a Permanent Resident Card)
  • Individual granted deferred action status under the Deferred Action for Childhood Arrivals Program,1 Indigenous individual exercising rights associated with the Jay Treaty of 1794, individual granted Temporary Protected Status, asylee, or refugee
• Demonstrate an intent to pursue a career that includes teaching and research at a U.S. institution of higher education; 
• Have completed all departmental and institutional requirements for their degree, including successful defense of the dissertation, no earlier than December 12, 2016 and no later than December 12, 2023 in a research-based field from a U.S. institution of higher education

• All postdoctoral applicants must request a host commitment letter in addition to the minimum number of required letters of recommendation.
• One-year stipend: $50,000 -  Fellowship funds may be disbursed through the employing institution if necessary for continuation of health insurance or other benefits. No dependency allowance is available. 
• Notification of 2024 awards: March 2024
• Expected fellowship tenure start date: June 1, 2024 (for 12 months) or September 1, 2024 (for 9 or 12 months)