The Food Leaders Fellowship is run by Food & Society at the Aspen Institute and has taken a new cohort each year since its 2022 launch. It gathers emerging leaders working toward a fair, sustainable and healthy food system.
Over 18 months, fellows attend three required in-person seminars, opening on the Institute’s Aspen, Colorado campus, plus virtual gatherings, and build an action plan from their own work. Fifth-cohort applications closed on December 5, 2025.
Benefits & funding
- An 18-month program: three in-person seminars plus virtual sessions, site visits, guest-led discussions and peer mentorship.
- An action plan for change, built on the fellow’s current work.
- Seminar, travel and accommodation costs have been covered for past cohorts; the current aspenfood.org pages do not restate this, so confirm it in the next call.
Eligibility
- Must be based in the United States, Mexico or Canada.
- Changemakers, entrepreneurs and innovators in the food system who have shown early success.
- Must attend all three in-person seminars on the cohort’s required dates.
- No degree, age or nationality requirement is stated.
Can you apply?
Here's who can apply
Decoded from the official rules. A free account checks them against your passport, degree and age in seconds.
Residence required
USA · Mexico · Canada
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Application process
- 1Join the program newsletter; the next cohort’s call is announced there.
- 2When the call opens, apply through the online fellowship portal by its deadline (last cycle: December 5, 2025, 11:59 pm PT).
- 3Send questions or accommodation requests to the program contact named on the application page.
Program timeline
Fifth-cohort deadline (closed)
December 5, 2025
Opening seminar, Aspen, Colorado
August 9–14, 2026
Second seminar
May 5–8, 2027
Closing seminar
February 2–5, 2028