Looking for fellowships is one thing, and finding a rich one is another. The Ford Foundation Fellowship program is vibrant.
This program is for you if you are an academically excellent U.S. student. However, it would help if you committed to pluralism and a strong interest in teaching and research.
The Ford Foundation Fellowship Program provides study funds to pre-doctoral, dissertation, and postdoctoral level students.
The National Academy of Sciences, Engineering, and Medicine offers the Fpre-doctoral or Foundation Fellowship Program. The program seeks to increase faculty diversity at US colleges and universities.
Although this fellowship may be ideal for your type of study, it is available to citizens, nationals, and permanent residents of the United States. Meanwhile, individuals with deferred action status under the Deferred Action for Childhood Arrivals (DACA) program may also apply.
In this post, we will share every piece of information concerning the Ford Foundation Fellowship program. You will be able to make your application decision following the application deadlines.
Table of contents
About Ford Foundation
The Ford Foundation is an American private foundation. Edsel Ford and Henry Ford founded it in 1936. However, Edsel Ford initially funded the foundation with a $25,000 gift in the year of its formation. The foundation’s mission is to advance human welfare. Of course, the founders of the Ford Foundation are the Ford Motor Company.
After the owners’ death, the Ford Foundation owned 90% of the non-voting shares of the Ford Motor Company in 1947. However, the Ford family retained the voting shares. Meanwhile, between 1955 and 1974, the foundation sold its Ford Motor Company holdings and now plays no role in the automobile company.
After its establishment in 1936, Ford Foundation shifted its focus from Michigan philanthropic support to economic improvements, education, freedom and democracy, human behavior, and world peace.
However, since the middle of the 20th century, many of the Ford Foundation’s programs have focused on increased minority group representation in education, science, and policy-making.
Now, the Ford Foundation is one of the primary foundations offering grants that support and maintain diversity in higher education.
It gives fellowships for pre-doctoral, dissertation, and post-doctoral students to increase diverse representation among Native Americans, African Americans, Latinos/Latinas, and other under-represented Asian and Latino sub-groups throughout the U.S. academic labor market.
The Ford Foundation is presently inviting qualified students for its 2023 Fellowship Program. The program will award approximately 70 pre-doctoral, 36 dissertation, and 24 postdoctoral fellowship students.
General Eligibility
While Ford fellowship hopes to achieve its educational mission of ethnic and racial diversity, you’ll have to be a U. S citizen to be eligible for this scholarship.
You may as well be a U.S. national, a U.S. permanent resident (holder of a Permanent Resident Card), or a DACA individual to be eligible. Additionally, political asylees and refugees, regardless of race, national origin, religion, gender, age, disability, or sexual orientation, are eligible.
Also, you must be an individual with superior academic achievement. Your grade point average, class rank, honors, or other designations should attest to this.
Finally, it would help if you committed to a career in teaching and research at the college or university level.
Your Ford Foundation Fellowship’s success depends on meeting these eligibility requirements and providing satisfactory documentation to support your eligibility.
Note, however, that the fellowship awards are for study in research-based Ph.D. or Sc.D. programs. Practice-oriented degree programs are not eligible for support.
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Meanwhile, each fellowship category – Predoctoral, Dissertation, and Postdoctoral – has its distinctive eligibility and application requirements. You will do well to follow their needs and apply accordingly.
Ford Foundation Predoctoral Fellowship
The National Academies of Sciences, Engineering, and Medicine administers the Ford Foundation Predoctoral Fellowship to qualified applicants. However, the Predoctoral fellowships will be awarded in a national competition, and there will be up to 70 Ford Pre-doctoral fellowships.
The fellowship provides an annual stipend of $24,000 to individuals engaged in graduate study leading to a Doctor of Philosophy (Ph.D.) or Doctor of Science (Sc.D.) degree for three years.
These selected individuals will also get an invitation to attend the Conference of Ford Fellows and access to Ford Fellow Regional Liaisons.
This Regional Liaison is a network of former Ford Fellows who have volunteered to mentor and support current Fellows. Furthermore, successful fellowship applicants will also get access to other networking resources.
In addition to the general eligibility requirements, you must enroll in or plan to enroll in an eligible research-based dissertation program. This program must lead to a Ph.D. or Sc.D. degree and be taken at a nonprofit U.S. institution of higher education.
Also, you must not have earned a doctoral degree at any time and in any field. You must also maintain personal engagement with under-represented communities in the academy. Furthermore, you will likely use this diversity of human experience as an educational resource in teaching and scholarship.
Additionally, you stand a better chance of winning the Ford Foundation Pre-doctoral fellowship if you are a member of the Alaska Natives (Aleut, Eskimo, or other Indigenous People of Alaska).
Membership in Black/African Americans, Mexican Americans/Chicanas/Chicanos, and Native American Indians. Native Pacific Islanders (Hawaiian/Polynesian/Micronesian) and Puerto Ricans will also better your chances of selection.
Find out more about the Ford Foundation pre-doctoral fellowship here:
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How to Apply
Upon confirmation that you are eligible for the Ford Foundation Pre-doctoral Fellowship, you’ll have to proceed to apply for the fellowship.
The Predoctoral fellowship requires you to prepare and upload essay documents that are yours and original. You’ll also need to get feedback from advisers, mentors, and colleagues.
Additionally, you’ll submit letters of recommendation by the Supplementary Materials deadline and confirm that all the required minimum supplementary materials are complete.
However, the main application involves submitting your Proposed Plan of Study. You’ll have to state your Dissertation Title or Proposed Title for Research Project, Proposed Institution, Department, and Adviser/Mentor.
The essay should also state your previous research and scholarly productivity. You may also include a list of publications and presentations (maximum three pages, 12-point font, double-spaced; publications/presentations must be single-spaced).
You should also state your proposed graduate study and research plan and your long-range career goals (maximum two pages, 12-point font, double-spaced).
Finally, the essay should have some listed references – names and contact information. Provide a minimum of three and a maximum of five individuals who will upload a letter of recommendation on your behalf (four letters are highly recommended).
The main application will also require you to submit your Baccalaureate degree transcript(s) showing all your completed undergraduate coursework and GPA.
You will also submit Graduate school transcript(s) completed or in progress as of fall 2023, as well as your GPA.
Note, however, that two to five reviewers will review each application. Not all reviewers will have specific technical expertise. Therefore, you should write your applications in a way to provide informative detail without jargon and highly specialized content.
For full information on how to apply for this fellowship, click the link below:
Fellowship Deadline
Ford Foundation predoctoral fellowship Applications open in early September. The Predoctoral application deadline is mid-December at 5:00 PM EST. Supplementary Materials receipt deadline is early January at 5:00 PM EST.
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Ford Foundation Dissertation Fellowship
The Ford Foundation dissertation fellowships provide one year of support to eligible individuals. These individuals must be working to complete a dissertation leading to a Doctor of Philosophy (Ph.D.) or Doctor of Science (Sc.D.) degree, however. Also, the Ford Foundation Dissertation Fellowship supports the final year of writing and defense of the dissertation.
The competition awards will be available to individuals who, in the judgment of the review panels, have demonstrated superior academic achievement. These individuals must also show commitment to a career in teaching and research at the college or university level.
However, you can only take the Ford Foundation Dissertation fellowships at a fully accredited, nonprofit U.S. institution of higher education. The fellowship is for the purpose of studying a research-based Ph.D. or Sc.D. programs such as chemistry, communications, and computer science.
Meanwhile, your research program must be of a duration of 9-12 months at your selected U.S. institution during the 2023-2024 academic year.
Also, you must have completed all departmental and institutional requirements for your dissertation degree, except for the writing and defence of the dissertation, by December. Additionally, you must not have earned a doctoral degree at any time, in any field.
Furthermore, the Ford Foundation dissertation fellowship offers $25,000 to selected individuals. You’ll also get an invitation to attend the Conference of Ford Fellows as well as access to Ford Fellow Regional Liaisons.
Meanwhile, you can begin your Fellow on June 1 (for 12 months) or September 1 (for 9 or 12 months) of the year in which you receive the award. The Ford Foundation Dissertation fellowships may not be deferred or delayed.
Find out more facts on the ford foundation dissertation fellowship here:
How to Apply
Before you apply for the ford foundation dissertation fellowship, check that you meet the eligibility requirements.
Once you meet this, proceed to prepare and upload the required application documents.
The dissertation fellowship requires you to provide your profile and contact information, write and submit an essay, a plan of study, and references.
Your Proposed Plan of Study should include the Dissertation Title or Proposed Title for Research Project, Proposed Institution, Department, and Adviser/Mentor.
The Essays, however, demands a Personal Statement (maximum of two pages, 12-point font, double-spaced). This statement must describe your background and experience and commitment to the goals of the fellowship.
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The Essay will also include a Statement of Previous Research and Scholarly Productivity, including a list of publications and presentations.
You will also add an Abstract of Dissertation and a Proposed Plan for Completion of Dissertation and timeline describing the applicant’s long-range career goals.
The formatting should be a maximum of three pages, 12-point font, double-spaced for each section.
Your essay will end with the references of individuals who will upload a letter of recommendation on your behalf. You can list a maximum of five (5) references.
Finally, you will have to submit Baccalaureate and Graduate transcript(s) as well as GPA during your application. Meanwhile, if your institution does not calculate a GPA or you prefer not to enter it, there is no problem.
You can find full information on applying for the Ford Foundation Dissertation Fellowship here:
Fellowship Deadline
The deadline for submitting your Ford Foundation dissertation fellowship is December at 5:00 PM Eastern Standard Time (EST).
Also, ensure to submit your supplementary materials by January at 5:00 PM Eastern Standard Time (EST).
Also, ensure to take note of the time zone, especially if you’re in a country with a different time zone.
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Ford Foundation Postdoctoral Fellowship
The Ford Foundation postdoctoral fellowships provide one year of support to postdoctoral students after they attain the Doctor of Philosophy (Ph.D.) or Doctor of Science (Sc.D.) degree.
However, these postdoctoral students must commit to a teaching and research career at the college or university level.
Additionally, to be eligible for this program, you must have completed all the requirements for a Ph.D. or Sc.D. degree.
You must also have been successful in your dissertation defense. Completing these requirements should not be earlier than December 10, 2012.
The Ford Foundation postdoctoral fellowships awards allow you to study research-based programs like economics, education, and engineering.
You may need to designate a U.S. institution to act as a liaison between the National Academies and the foreign institution if you propose to affiliate with a foreign institution. This will make the disbursement of your fellowship funds easy to handle.
Meanwhile, Ford Foundation awards postdoctoral fellowships for full-time research at appropriate nonprofit institutions of higher education or research.
These institutions usually are in the United States and include universities, museums, libraries, government, or national laboratories.
The Ford Foundation Fellowship provides you with a $45,000 award, which may be disbursed through the employing institution to continue health insurance or other benefits.
You will also get an invitation to attend the Conference of Ford Fellows and access to Ford Fellow Regional Liaisons.
For full facts on the Ford Foundation postdoctoral fellowship, visit the link below:
How to Apply
The Ford Foundation postdoctoral fellowship begins June 1 (for 12 months) or September 1 (for 9 or 12 months) of the year you receive the award.
However, you must check that you meet the fellowship’s eligibility requirements before applying.
If you are eligible, then the application process for the Ford Foundation postdoctoral fellowship requires you to provide your profile and contact information, a proposed plan of study, an essay, references, and university transcripts.
Your Proposed Plan of Study should include the Proposed Title for Research Project, Proposed Institution, Department, and Adviser/Mentor.
The Essays, however, demand a Personal Statement (maximum of two pages, 12-point font, double-spaced). This statement must describe your background, experience, and commitment to the fellowship’s goals.
The Essay will also include a Statement of Previous Research and Scholarly Productivity, including publications and presentations. You will also add an Abstract of the Dissertation, a Proposed Plan for Completion of the Dissertation, and a timeline describing the applicant’s long-range career goals. The formatting should be a maximum of three pages, in 12-point font, and double-spaced for each section.
You will also provide a Host Commitment Letter. This is a letter that documents the commitment of the proposed host mentor/host institution. Thus, the proposed mentor should write a letter. This could be an administrator or department chairperson.
Your essay will end with references to individuals who will upload a letter of recommendation on your behalf. You can list a maximum of five (5) references.
Finally, you’ll submit a Ph.D. or Sc.D. transcript showing all the courses you took, the date of award, as well as GPA.
You can find full information on applying for the Ford Foundation Postdoctoral Fellowship here:
Fellowship Deadline
The deadline for submitting your Ford Foundation postdoctoral fellowship is December 10 yearly, at 5:00 PM Eastern Standard Time (EST).
Also, submit your supplementary materials by January 7, 2023, at 5:00 PM Eastern Standard Time (EST).
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Do take note of the time zone, especially if you’re in a country with a different time zone.
Frequently Asked Questions
The Ford Foundation is an American private foundation with the mission of advancing human welfare. It was created in 1936 by Edsel Ford and Henry Ford, it was originally funded by a US$25,000 gift from Edsel Ford. The Ford Foundation makes grants through its headquarters and ten international field offices.
The Ford Foundation was, for much of its history, the largest foundation in the United States, though it has been passed in recent years. As of December 2014, it possessed assets of $12.5 billion.
The Ford Foundation Fellowship gives you a $45,000 award, which may be disbursed through the employing institution. However, if necessary, for continuing health insurance or other benefits.
Edsel Ford who is the son of the company founder (Henry Ford) created the Ford Foundation in 1936 at the age of 43 to “receive and administer funds for scientific, educational and charitable purposes, all for the public welfare.” He is also the President of the Ford Motor Company.
Conclusion
The Ford Foundation Fellowship program is available for U.S citizens at predoctoral, dissertation, and postdoctoral levels. The fellowship is available for research-related programs only.
Also, it would help if you committed to teaching at the college or university level. The fellowship value is $ 24,000 for predoctoral fellows, $ 25,000 for dissertation fellows, and $ 45,000 for postdoctoral fellows. However, the award is given through competition, and the application is rigorous.
The program will award 70 predoctoral, 36 dissertations, and 24 postdoctoral fellowships in 2023. You just could be one of the successful fellows!
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