Andrew Carnegie Fellows Program
Program SummaryÌý
For the next three years, beginning with the 2027 cohort, the Andrew Carnegie Fellows program is broadening the focus beyond domestic perspectives to explicitly ask what the U.S. can learn from the experience of polarization in other countries.Ìý
The foundation is seeking proposals that address the relationship between populism and polarization, how other democracies have resisted or reversed polarization, and the conditions that determine whether polarization dissipates or accelerates into systemic violence. These conditions may include but are not limited to civic culture, social cohesion, access to information and a healthy information environment, economic opportunity, trust in and the effective functioning of public institutions, and the rule of law.
The foundation anticipates that the work of the Andrew Carnegie Fellows Program will explore the many ways political polarization in the United States and abroad manifests itself in society and suggest ways that it may be mitigated. Studies of polarization in other countries should offer lessons that can be applied to the United States. A few of the things we would like to learn from the next cohort of fellows are:
- What has been the relationship between populism and polarization in other countries?
- How have some countries managed to avoid polarization?
- What can we learn from countries that have stepped back from polarization, such as South Africa, Colombia, and Northern Ireland?
- Under what conditions has polarization escalated into political violence?
- Under what conditions has polarization taken root/accelerated/declined in other countries?
Projects based in disciplines across the humanities and social sciences are welcomed.
Each fellow receives a grant of up to $200,000 to support their two-year research project, enabling them to devote significant time and resources to their work.
Deadlines
- CU Internal Deadline: 11:59pm MT October 5, 2026
- Sponsor Application Deadline: 3:00pm MTNovember 13, 2026
Internal Application Requirements (all in PDF format)
- Nomination Type: Tenured / UntenuredÌýÌý
- Prospectus (3 pages maximum, minimum 12-point font size, double-spaced): Prepared by the nominee, the prospectus should describe the project, including a projected work plan and approximate time frame.Ìý
- Dean, Director, Chair Nomination Letter:ÌýFor the purposes of the internal competition, the letter should be from a dean, director or chair and include a brief description of the candidate’s accomplishments and the research proposal’s potential to inform responses to political polarization in the United States. Self-nominations are not allowed.
- Nominee’s CV Summary (1 page maximum): The CV should be in bulleted list form; no narrative.Ìý
- Budget Overview (1 page maximum): A basic budget outlining project costs is sufficient; detailed OCG budgets are not required.
To access the online application, visit:
Eligibility
To be eligible, you must be a U.S. citizen or have permanent U.S. residency status and be nominated. Nominees must have a Ph.D., hold a terminal degree, or be a high-level professional working outside of academia. Nominators include heads of independent research institutes and learned societies, university presidents, leaders of some of the nation’s preeminent think tanks, and directors of academic presses, as well as editors of leading newspapers and magazines.
The following are eligible for consideration for a fellowship: academics, journalists, and public intellectuals.The foundation welcomes candidates holding a terminal degree other than a PhD. The foundation also welcomes candidates with exceptional experience that qualifies them as a senior professional or intellectual.
Self-nominations will not be accepted.
2027 begins a new three-year cycle of the fellowship. If you were a candidate in 2026 or any previous year, you are eligible to apply again — only once — between 2027 and 2029.
Nominations must be approved by the head of an institution designated by the Andrew Carnegie Foundation.Ìý
Limited Submission Guidelines
The university is limited to nominating one tenured scholar and one untenured scholar.Ìý
Award InformationÌý
Award Amount: $200,000
The award may be over a one- or two-year period. During the selected period, you may opt to go on sabbatical for the entirety or for a portion of the fellowship. You may also choose to teach classes part-time and/or to work on the project over the summer.
Review Criteria
Nominations are evaluated based on the following criteria:Ìý
- Originality and promise of the idea
- Quality of the proposal
- Promise to offer solutions to harmful polarization or to enhance social cohesion
- Record of the nominee
- Plans to communicate findings to a broad audience beyond the candidate’s own academic discipline