Democracy Fellows Program
A downloadable flyer for the initiative describing how experienced democracy professionals can support U.S. organizations through flexible fellowship placements.
Initiative
Democracy Fellows
International democracy experience, applied to the challenges facing the United States.
The Challenge
Democracy organizations need experienced capacity at a difficult moment
Organizations working to strengthen democracy and defend human rights face an uncertain political environment, growing demands, and limited resources. Many need additional capacity but cannot easily recruit professionals with deep experience addressing democratic decline, political crises, and threats to civic participation.
At the same time, experienced democracy professionals who have spent their careers supporting civic and democratic processes around the world are looking for ways to apply that knowledge in the United States. Democracy fellowships connect that expertise with organizations that can put it to work.
What We Do
The Democracy Fellows Initiative creates flexible opportunities for experienced democracy professionals to support nonprofits, funders, public institutions, and think tanks working to strengthen democracy and defend human rights in the United States. Fellowships help host organizations add capacity while giving fellows opportunities to apply their international expertise domestically and build new professional relationships.
Fellowships may be full-time or part-time, paid or unpaid, and may last from one month to one year. Placements can be based in the Washington, DC area or conducted remotely. Organizations may approach DRG with an existing position description or contact us to discuss where a fellow could be most useful.
Who We Are
Democracy Fellows are mission-driven professionals from the DRG community with extensive international experience promoting civic participation, democratic institutions, and human rights. Many have more than 15 years of experience and have worked across elections, civic education, scenario planning, digital security, political crisis management, coalition building, legislative reform, anti-corruption, and rule-of-law programming.
Fellows also bring practical organizational skills, including strategic planning, research, legal and policy analysis, communications, monitoring and evaluation, government and donor relations, grant and proposal development, data management, training, and coaching.
Related Reading and Tools
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Add experienced democracy capacity to your organization
If you have a position description—or would like to discuss a potential fellowship first—contact us to schedule a conversation about your organization’s needs.