Andrew Carnegie Fellows - Carnegie Corporation of New York

Please read about the Andrew Carnegie Fellows Program and guidelines for the Class of 2024. When ready to apply, the nominee may begin the process by creating an account at this link.

APPLICATION DEADLINE

November 15, 2023; 5:00 PM ET.

DESCRIPTION

Established in 2015, the Andrew Carnegie Fellows Program provides philanthropic support to extraordinary scholars and writers for high-caliber research in the humanities and social sciences. In 2023, Carnegie Corporation of New York announced a second phase of the program and a new focus on political polarization in the United States.

Fellowships of $200,000 are awarded annually to 30 scholars, authors, journalists, and public intellectuals. The funding is for a period of one or two years with the anticipated result of a book or major study.

Eligibility

The Andrew Carnegie Fellows Program is open only to citizens or permanent residents of the United States whose names have been forwarded by a nominator designated by Carnegie Corporation of New York. Nominators include heads of independent research institutes and societies, university presidents, leaders of some of the nation’s preeminent think tanks, directors of major university presses, as well as editors of leading newspapers and magazines. Individuals may not apply for the fellows program via self-nomination.

The Andrew Carnegie Fellows Program prohibits a fellowship winner from accepting a fellowship of equal caliber or at a comparable level of funding as the Carnegie fellowship, especially awards that have specific time requirements. However, smaller grants and project support are acceptable on a case-by-case basis.

Budget

Criteria

Nominations are evaluated by the jury based on the following criteria:

Originality and promise of the idea
Quality of the proposal
Potential impact on the field
Record of the nominee
Plans to communicate findings to a broad audience

Topic

The Corporation anticipates that the work of the Andrew Carnegie Fellows Program will explore the ways political polarization in the United States manifests itself in society and provide possible solutions to the problem. Studies of polarization in other countries will be considered providing they offer lessons that can be applied to the United States.

Timeline for 2024 Fellows Program

August 15 and September 13, 2023	Calls for nominations
November 15, 2023	Deadline for nominees to submit application materials online — no later than 5:00 pm ET
November 2023–April 2024	Nominations reviewed. All nominees notified of results in late April
Early May 2024	Public announcement of 2024 class of fellows

FREQUENTLY ASKED QUESTIONS

Am I eligible for the Andrew Carnegie Fellows Program?

To be eligible, you must be a U.S. citizen or have permanent U.S. residency status. You must also be nominated by one of a designated group of individuals, who include leaders of universities, think tanks, and publishers.

How many scholars may each nominator put forward for consideration?

Each nominator may put forward a maximum of two scholars. University presidents may nominate one junior and one senior scholar. Regardless of title, a junior scholar is defined as someone who received a Ph.D. within the last ten years (2013–2023 for the 2024 fellowship program). Nominators outside academe — e.g., the head of a think tank, publication, or newspaper — may nominate up to two people.

May nominators nominate individuals without a Ph.D.? Are nominees who hold degrees traditionally regarded as terminal in their fields (e.g., J.D., M.D., or M.F.A.) eligible?

We welcome candidates holding a terminal degree other than a Ph.D. We also welcome candidates with exceptional experience that qualifies them as a senior professional or intellectual.

May my university charge overhead or other administrative costs for the fellowship?

No indirect/overhead costs will be allowed or paid to the university. Fellows shall receive the entire grant for support of the research project.

May we submit a nomination that involves researchers from multiple institutions or universities?

Yes, however, one nominee will need to be the lead applicant and receive and administer the fellowship. Other contributors may be brought in as partners or consultants.

When must the fellowship begin? Is it possible to defer the start for a year?

The fellowship must begin on the first of the month between June and September of 2024. It is not possible to defer the start of the fellowship. It must begin no later than September 1, 2024.

What is the duration of a fellowship?

Recipients have the choice of a 12-month or 24-month fellowship.

Is the fellowship subject to income taxes?

Yes. The fellow may choose to receive the funding in one of two ways:

As an individual: If you choose to receive the fellowship as an individual, you will receive a 1099 form from Carnegie Corporation of New York at the end of the tax year.
Through the nominating institution: If you choose to have your institution receive the fellowship funds as a “payor,” your institution will assume all tax reporting responsibilities.

Can Carnegie Corporation of New York provide advice about taxes?

No, the Corporation cannot provide tax advice. The fellow will need to consult a financial adviser. A fellow may allocate a portion of the fellowship to cover the cost of tax consultation.

Will the university continue to provide benefits during the period of the fellowship?

In nominating a scholar for this fellowship, a university is indicating its continuing support for that scholar and the administration’s intention to provide in-kind support such as full retirement and health benefits when the scholar takes time off to work on research and writing.

Am I required to discontinue teaching for the duration of the fellowship?

You may choose to receive the award over a one- or two-year period. During the selected period, you may opt to go on sabbatical for the entire fellowship or a portion of it. You may also choose to teach classes part-time and/or to work on the project over the summer. On the application, please specify the time you will allot to working on the project. This will allow our jurors to determine whether it is feasible for you to accomplish your goals.

When and how will nominees be informed of the results of the competition?

Winners will be notified by email shortly after the jury makes its final selections in April 2024. If your nomination is unsuccessful, you will receive an email notification in late April 2024.

Does Carnegie Corporation of New York provide feedback on nominations that are not selected?

Due to the large number of nominations that we receive, unfortunately, we are not able to respond to requests for feedback.

If I had been nominated for the Andrew Carnegie Fellows Program in the past, may I be nominated again?

Yes, you may be nominated for the fellows program multiple times. However, we strongly recommend that applicants make substantive changes to their applications. Proposals identical to those that were not selected in the past are less likely to be successful.

What is the required formatting for the prospectus?

A prospectus must be three- to five-pages, double spaced, with a minimum 12-point font size. The jury members will be reading dozens of applications, and a clean, easy-to-read format would be appreciated.

How should I format my one-page CV?

Your one-page CV should be in the form of a bulleted list, just like your longer full CV. Please do not submit as a narrative. See example.

How long should the nomination letter be?

There is no set limit, however, we recommend one to two pages. A letter that goes beyond generalizations to describe the scholar's past work and the strength of the proposal is of greatest value.

If I am selected, will I be able to revise my budget?

Yes, the purpose of the budget is to give the jurors an understanding of how you would use the fellowship funds. However, we understand that between the application deadline and the announcement of the winners, circumstances may change. Therefore, you will have an opportunity to make necessary revisions to the budget if you are selected as fellowship recipient.