The American Council of Learned Societies (ACLS) has launched the ACLS Leading Edge Fellowship program.

The Leading Edge Fellowship program aims to demonstrate the potential of humanistic knowledge and methods to solve problems, build capacity, and advance social justice and equity. The fellowships support recent PhDs in the humanities and interpretive social sciences as they work with social justice organizations to advance justice and equity in communities across the United States.

ACLS welcomes applications from recent PhDs in the humanities and related social sciences to take on full-time positions at one of twenty-one social justice organizations, including Educational Video Center (New York, NY), Full Spectrum Features (Chicago, IL), and United Way of Massachusetts Bay (Boston, MA). The full roster of partnering organizations and projects is available here.

ACLS's host partners provide professional development opportunities and employee benefits to fellows and draw on fellows’ scholarly perspectives and broad sets of skills. Fellows receive a stipend of $70,000 for the first year, $72,000 in the second, and have access to funds and opportunities for professional development through ACLS and their alumni network. This initiative is made possible through the support of the Mellon Foundation.

The deadline for applications is Wednesday, March 13 by 9:00pm EDT. Applications will be accepted only through the ACLS online application system. Applicants should not contact any of the organizations directly but visit https://www.acls.org/LeadingEdge for complete position descriptions, eligibility criteria, and other helpful information.

Applicants can register for webinars on February 13^th or March 8^th, where program staff will answer questions about the selection process and how to prepare a successful application. Questions about the program may be addressed to [email protected].

In 2024, the program will place up to 21 PhDs in two-year fellowship positions with the following organizations:
• College Access: Research & Action (New York, NY)
• Center for Law and Social Policy (Washington, DC)
• City Bureau (Chicago, IL)
• Educational Video Center (New York, NY)
• Full Spectrum Features (Remote)
• GLMA: Health Professionals Advancing LGBTQ+ Equality (Remote)
• Hand in Hand: The Domestic Employers Network (Philadelphia, PA or New York, NY)
• Justice Action Center (Remote)
• Lenox Hill Neighborhood House (New York, NY)
• Los Angeles Poverty Department (Los Angeles, CA)
• Majdal: Arab Community Center of San Diego (San Diego, CA)
• New Jersey Institute for Social Justice (Newark, NY)
• Participatory Budgeting Project (Remote)
• People Powered (Remote)
• PHI (Remote)
• The Milwaukee Turners (Milwaukee, WI)
• UFW Foundation (Remote)
• United Neighborhood Houses (New York, NY)
• United Way of Massachusetts Bay (Boston, MA)
• Western North Carolina Community Health Services (Asheville, NC)
• Zora's House (Columbus, OH)