- Deadline
- July 24, 2025
Open Society-U.S. will award individual grants to former senior-level government officials and staff who have played a significant role in advancing social change.
The Leadership in Government Fellowship program supports outstanding individuals who have played a significant role in advancing social change from within government in the United States and its territories at the city, county, tribal, state, and federal levels. The fellowships will allow recent government leaders to reflect on their public service, expand their network and knowledge, and insert their unique perspectives and expertise into the public dialogue.
Fellows will receive a stipend in a general range of $115,000 to $160,000 depending on percentage of time committed to the project. Projects are either 12 or 18 months in duration.
For information on the previous Leadership in Government Fellow cohorts, please visit the Past Fellows tab on this page.
Eligibility Criteria
The Leadership in Government Fellowship program seeks fellowship applicants who have served in senior-level, full-time government positions in the United States and its territories. The ideal candidates are public servants who have recently completed their time in government (within the last two years) or will have completed their term prior to the beginning of their fellowship and have served in the chief executive role or senior management of their agency or office. Ideally, applicants see themselves serving as change agents within government in the future or are looking to apply their public service experience to an advocacy career. People of all political parties or ideologies are encouraged to apply, especially those who expand ideas and approaches to social change.
Successful applicants will demonstrate the following qualities: a keen interest in reflecting on their government service; a passion for solving problems and implementing policy; a desire to advance ideas beyond their former jurisdictions; and a desire to inject their work into the public dialogue.
Applicants who are uncertain whether their government experience or proposed project fits within the parameters of the fellowships guidelines may submit an email inquiry before proceeding with the full application. The email should provide a brief (no more than 200 words) description of the proposed project, as well as some background information on the applicant, and should be sent to: LIGfellowship@amalgamatedfoundation.org
Guidelines
Applications are due on July 24 at 11:59 p.m. (EDT) and must be submitted online via the Leadership in Government Portal.
The online system will begin accepting applications on June 12.
For technical assistance and support using the Portal, email: LIGfellowship@amalgamatedfoundation.org
Applicants will have to provide basic contact information and answer questions about their government experience. Applicants will also submit a proposal of eight questions along with their resume. Once registered with the system, applicants can save their progress before submitting a final application.
Download Files
Download the complete guidelines and application instructions.
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Carlos Menchaca
2023Carlos Menchaca will gather and share stories of migrant families crossing the southern U.S. border to seek asylum, with the aim of educating the public and inspiring humane immigration policies. -
Jennifer Kates
2023Jennifer Kates will develop accessible models for nonprofit and movement organizations to effectively use the power of local government to improve material conditions and build power for marginalized communities. -
Mike Bonin
2023Mike Bonin will advance housing justice, economic justice, and public safety by building capacity and infrastructure to implement progressive solutions in partnership with elected officials and community-based organizations. -
Miya Saika Chen
2023Miya Saika Chen will build the capacity of community organizations to develop a pipeline of legislative staff and civil servants to work towards policy and budgetary solutions that address the root causes of poverty. -
Montina Cole
2023Montina Cole will create a community advocacy toolkit to ensure that Black histories are included in federal environmental justice reviews. -
Ivonne Roman
2022Ivonne Roman will work to integrate evidence-based research on policing into policies and practices to help diversifying the American police workforce and improve outcomes for police departments and the communities they serve. -
Josh Wallack
2022Josh Wallack will work in partnership with states and cities to develop resources to help implement and expand effective, equitable early care and education programs. -
Laura Wood
2022Laura Wood will promote voter participation and civic engagement while combating disinformation about elections and democracy by working with cities and community-based organizations to catalyze local action. -
Michelle Maziar
2022Michelle Maziar will educate organizations, journalists, advocates, and civil society actors on available COVID-19 pandemic resources to help those excluded from local pandemic responses receive the benefits they deserve. -
Raquel Castañeda-López
2022Raquel Castañeda-López will create a holistic coaching program, the Restorative Democracy Project, to support and build the capacity of women of color in office and those transitioning out. -
Stephanie Gidigbi Jenkins
2022Stephanie Gidigbi Jenkins will advance community-centered projects, racial equity practices, and climate resilience principles to promote economic opportunity for all through the Infrastructure Investment and Jobs Act. -
Cindy Polo
2021Cindy Polo will work on mass communications plans designed to educate Latino voters on policy and the role of government. -
Kristine Reeves
2021Kristine Reeves will develop a public policy process model and toolkit for addressing the perpetuation of systemic oppression and exclusion through the promotion of intercultural sensitivity coaching, training, and policy evaluation. -
Laurel Paget Seekins
2021Laurel Paget Seekins will build collaborative tools for advocates and government change-makers to use to promote equitable transit services, whose necessity has been made clear by the COVID-19 pandemic. -
Lorelei Salas
2021Lorelei Salas will promote livable and sustainable working conditions and consumer participation by giving worker-centers, unions, and policymakers the tools they need to ensure people come before profits. -
Michael Tubbs
2021Michael Tubbs will work with community-based organizations and governments to launch innovative programs and policy experiments—including basic income pilots with mayors across the state to address poverty and economic mobility. -
Nic Santos
2021Nic Santos will create a burial protection guidebook and an accompanying workshop series to empower the movement for adequate and equal protection of cultural and environmental resources in Guam. -
Ameya Pawar
2020Ameya Pawar will work to advise and amplify existing public banking campaigns, and to catalyze new ones around the country. -
Diane E. Thompson
2020Diane E. Thompson will work to advance regulatory advocacy and public accountability at the Consumer Financial Protection Bureau, in an effort to foster economic advancement and strengthen democratic practices. -
Ingrid M. Vila-Biaggi
2020Ingrid M. Vila-Biaggi will explore policies and solutions to ensure that community empowerment and participation influence the policies used to transition Puerto Rico’s energy sector to sustainable and equitable sources. -
Joshua Breitbart
2020Joshua Breitbart will develop strategies for local and state governments to help connect all of their residents with internet service. -
Julia Figueira-McDonough
2020Julia Figueira-McDonough will work to create good jobs for caregivers to the elderly, design a workforce development program, and push to include both elders and their caregivers in the public conversation on caregiving. -
Marissa Jackson Sow
2020Marissa Jackson Sow will document, amplify, and mobilize black women human rights activists in the United States. -
Walter Katz
2020Walter Katz will work to improve processes for police misconduct complaints and identify emerging customer satisfaction tools and practices to make it easier for members of the public to lodge misconduct complaints. -
Frances Colón
2019Frances Colón will work to catalyze policy change to counter the effects of climate gentrification on vulnerable communities of South Florida.
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Brett Rosenberg
2024Brett Rosenberg will use narrative and humor writing to increase awareness of and drive participation in foreign and national security policy. -
Emily Tulli
2024Emily Tulli will help build the capacity of organizations that aim to support immigrant workers enforce their rights under labor and employment laws without fear of retaliation. -
Eric Shaw
2024Eric Shaw will create a framework for the establishment of offices of philanthropic partnership in city governments to align and accelerate city and philanthropic investments in affordable housing, park equity, food access, and local entrepreneurship. -
Helen Gym
2024Helen Gym will develop models for narrative storytelling, while building the capacity of leaders and grassroots voices within the nation’s public school systems to elevate public education as an engine of democracy-building. -
Jahi Wise
2024Jahi Wise will identify interventions that can accelerate the mobilization of private and public capital into climate and clean technology projects, particularly in underserved and overlooked communities. -
Tariq Habash
2024Tariq Habash will develop guidelines for higher education institutions to protect academic independence and integrity, and to foster a more inclusive democracy.