Youth Organizing Fellowship — Fellowship

The Youth Organizing Fellowship is a paid, year-long leadership and advocacy program run by Americans United for Separation of Church and State. Fellows build organizing skills while advancing church-state separation and inclusive religious freedom in their communities.

The 2026–2027 cohort begins with an in-person convening in Washington, DC, then continues through virtual cohort and one-to-one meetings plus local organizing. The 2026 application cycle is closed; the official page says the next round will open in early 2027.

Benefits & funding

A $1,600 stipend, paid in two installments in March and August 2027.
Full coverage of travel, housing, and meals for the August convening in Washington, DC.
Full coverage of travel, housing, and meals for the April 2027 Summit for Religious Freedom in the Washington, DC area and at least one other conference attended on AU’s behalf.
Mentoring, skills training, organizing guides and tools, publishing platforms, staff support, and a cohort Slack channel.

Eligibility

Be age 18–25 when the program starts on August 1, 2026.
Live in the United States, including any of the fifty states, the District of Columbia, or a U.S. territory; no nationality requirement is stated.
No particular degree level is required.
Have advocacy or organizing experience, demonstrated leadership, basic knowledge of church-state separation, and experience collaborating across differences.
Be able to contribute about 5–10 hours per month, work independently in the community, attend the August convening, and join video meetings with reliable internet access.
AU especially encourages people directly affected by white Christian nationalism and people from disproportionately affected communities to apply; this is a preference, not an eligibility gate.

Can you apply?

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Residence required
USA
Age requirement
18–25 yrs

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Application process

1
Monitor the official fellowship page for the next application round, which AU says will open in early 2027.
2
Complete the official online application when the portal reopens.
3
For the 2026 cycle, selected applicants joined group video interviews during the week of June 8, and decisions were announced by July 2; future dates may differ.

Program timeline

Applications closed.
June 1, 2026, 11:59 p.m. PT
Group video interviews with selected applicants.
Week of June 8, 2026
Decisions announced.
By July 2, 2026
Program starts and age eligibility is measured.
August 1, 2026
Virtual one-to-one meeting with the program manager.
Week of August 3, 2026
Travel and in-person convening in Washington, DC.
August 12–16, 2026
Monthly cohort meetings, monthly supervisor meetings, and community organizing.
September 2026–July 2027
Next application round expected to open.
Early 2027
Summit for Religious Freedom in the Washington, DC area.
April 2027
Fellowship activities conclude.
July 2027