Funding

Partial / Stipend

Fellowship•USA · Washington · Hybrid

New America Fellows Program

New America

Application Deadline

Closed · February 2, 2026

Reopens ~Feb 2027

Official Page

The New America Fellows Program is the flagship fellowship of New America, a public policy institute headquartered in Washington, DC. It backs journalists, scholars, filmmakers and public policy analysts whose work shapes public conversation, and each fellow delivers one nonfiction reporting project: a book, film, podcast, longform article or multimedia project, most often a book. The fellowship year runs annually from September to May of the following year and is non-residential, so fellows stay in their own city and may keep a full-time job.

Classes are small, typically 10 to 15 fellows; for the Class of 2026 the program received nearly 400 applications and selected 10. New America has supported hundreds of fellows over more than 25 years, and the fellowships hosted by its individual policy programs are separate from this one. The Class of 2027 round closed on 2 February 2026, and the next cycle has not yet opened.

Benefits & funding

  • An unrestricted stipend between US$15,000 and US$30,000, typically paid in three installments. The exact mix of stipend levels changes each year with the cohort and the funding secured.
  • Fellows choose how to spend the money: travel, research assistance, multimedia production, or supplementing their income.
  • A three-day in-person opening gathering in Washington, DC.
  • Monthly virtual gatherings from November to April, each running 60 to 120 minutes, plus a closing gathering in May held either online or in person.
  • Publishing opportunities with New America’s media partners, in its monthly newsletter The Thread, and features in the program newsletter The Fifth Draft.
  • Skill-building sessions and introductions to agents, editors and publishers, plus access to experts across New America’s policy programs.
  • Help organising a project launch during or after the fellowship year.
  • Teams of two or more may apply together, at the same funding level as an individual award.

Eligibility

  • Open to journalists, scholars, filmmakers, public policy analysts and others working in narrative nonfiction forms.
  • No nationality requirement. New America accepts applications from non-U.S. citizens and from people based abroad for all or part of the year.
  • No residency requirement. Fellows are not asked to move to Washington, DC; the program is non-residential and fellows may keep other professional commitments, including a full-time job.
  • The proposed project must be a nonfiction reporting project: a book, film, podcast, longform article or multimedia project.
  • Projects at any stage are accepted. A book proposal, a publishing contract or an agent is not required. For film, the program has in recent years mainly supported projects already in production or carrying an established impact campaign.
  • Applicants who were not selected in an earlier year may apply again, and are asked to describe progress if they resubmit a similar project.
  • Two reference letters are required, written in English by people who have worked closely with the applicant. Family, friends and spouses are not accepted as referees.
  • Fellows must attend all three days of the opening gathering, and are asked to attend at least 75 percent of program events.
  • No degree, age or minimum years of experience is required.

Can you apply?

Open to all applicants

No nationality, residency, education, or experience limits are listed.

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Application process

  1. 1
    Download and read the Fellows Program instructions to apply before starting.
  2. 2
    Register on New America’s SurveyMonkey Apply portal and complete the online application form.
  3. 3
    Write a Statement of Interest pitching the project idea. Budget and stipend use do not need to be addressed.
  4. 4
    Upload up to three work samples within a 40-page limit. Written and audio-visual samples may be combined, but three is the total.
  5. 5
    Enter the names and email addresses of two referees, who upload their letters directly to the portal by the reference deadline three days after the application deadline.
  6. 6
    Phase one: program staff and expert readers review every application from February to April and narrow the pool to 40 to 50 finalists.
  7. 7
    Phase two: all candidates hear the status of their application in late April, and finalists schedule an interview before the Selection Committee reviews the applications.
  8. 8
    Phase three: final selections are made in early July, and the class is announced publicly when the fellowship begins in September.

Program timeline

  1. 2 February 2026

    Application deadline for the Class of 2027, 11:59 p.m. EST

  2. Reference letter deadline, 11:59 p.m. EST

    5 February 2026

  3. Staff and expert readers review applications and select 40 to 50 finalists

    February to April 2026

  4. All candidates are notified; finalists schedule interviews and the Selection Committee reviews

    Late April 2026

  5. Final selections made and finalists contacted

    Early July 2026

  6. The fellowship year begins and the class is announced publicly

    September 2026

  7. Monthly virtual gatherings

    November 2026 to April 2027

  8. Closing gathering and the end of the fellowship year

    May 2027

The monthly round-up

New fellowships, scholarships and programs, once a month. No account needed.