The National Endowment for Democracy (NED) is accepting applications for the 2027–2028 Reagan-Fascell Democracy Fellows Program. Democracy activists, journalists, civil society leaders and scholars spend five months in residence in Washington, D.C. working on a project about democracy in their country or region. Fellows get a monthly stipend, health insurance and return flights.
The programme is intended mainly for practitioners from developing and aspiring democracies and from non-democratic countries, so African democracy advocates are a strong fit. The deadline is 5 January 2027, and recommendation letters are due by 12 January 2027.
At a Glance
| Host | National Endowment for Democracy (International Forum for Democratic Studies) |
| Location | Washington, D.C., USA (in residence) |
| Duration | 5 months |
| Tracks | Practitioner and Scholarly |
| Funding | Monthly stipend, basic health insurance, return travel, office |
| Deadline | 5 January 2027. Letters due by 12 January 2027. |
Benefits
- A monthly stipend calculated to cover a short-term furnished apartment plus food, local transport and other living costs
- Basic health insurance
- Return travel to Washington, D.C. at the start and end of the fellowship
- A fully equipped office and a limited budget for professional travel within the US
- Research, writing and editorial support from programme staff
- Seminars, roundtables and field trips, plus a place in NED’s global network of democracy advocates
Note: NED doesn’t publish the stipend amount. Fellows who bring family pay for their family’s travel and stay.
Eligibility
All applicants
- Proficient in English.
- A project on the political, social, economic, legal or cultural aspects of democratic development.
- Available to work in residence in Washington, D.C. for the full five months, with no other fellowship or job at the same time.
- Former Reagan-Fascell fellows can’t apply again.
- You can’t have taken part in a J-1 research scholar programme in the 24 months before the fellowship.
Practitioner track
- Substantial practical experience promoting democracy or human rights, usually mid-career.
- No degree requirement and no age limit.
- Examples: human rights advocates, civil society leaders, journalists, lawyers, parliamentarians and labour activists.
Scholarly track
- A PhD (or equivalent) at the time of application.
- A record of publications and a detailed research outline.
How to Apply
- Create an account on NED’s online fellowship portal (link below).
- Submit your applicant information, a project proposal for your chosen track, your CV and biography, and arrange letters of recommendation. Everything must be in English.
- Apply by 5 January 2027. Your recommenders must submit by 12 January 2027.
- If selected, you’ll need a J-1 exchange visitor visa. J-1 rules usually require fellows to return home for two years before applying for certain US visas.
Official NED Reagan-Fascell application page
Tips
- Write in your own voice. NED warns that relying too much on AI can mask your story and introduce errors.
- Think beyond your country. NED wants projects with lessons that apply to other regions too.
- Plan a concrete output, such as a report, toolkit, podcast or video. Fellows must produce one.
