Apply for Bill Emerson National Hunger Fellowship 2026-2027

Fellowship Structure

Orientation and Training

• Fellows start with orientation and area coaching in Washington, D.C.
• Training periods introduce fellows to:
  • The Hunger Center’s Leadership Capabilities mannequin
  • Core abilities in analysis, advocacy, and neighborhood engagement
  • Strategies for connecting native service to nationwide methods change

Field Placement

• The first 5 months are spent with community-based organizations throughout the United States.
• Fellows contribute to:
  • Research and analysis initiatives
  • Community organizing and advocacy campaigns
  • Outreach and public training initiatives
• Placements expose fellows to numerous approaches to combating starvation on the native and state ranges.

Policy Placement

• In mid-February, fellows return to Washington, D.C. for a second placement.
• Fellows work with:
  • National organizations
  • Government companies
• Focus areas embrace:
  • Anti-hunger and anti-poverty coverage improvement
  • Legislative advocacy
  • Program analysis and methods change

Skills and Professional Development

Throughout the fellowship, Emerson Fellows take part in:

• In-person trainings and retreats
• Professional improvement periods
• Peer studying and cohort-building actions

Key abilities honed throughout this system embrace:

• Policy evaluation and advocacy
• Community organizing and coalition constructing
• Strategic communication and public training
• Research and analysis methodologies

Addressing Root Causes of Hunger

The fellowship emphasizes that starvation can’t be eradicated with out tackling its underlying situations. Fellows work to handle:

• Economic inequality
• Barriers to meals entry
• Systemic poverty
• Policy gaps in diet and social security nets

By combining frontline service with coverage advocacy, fellows be taught to steadiness speedy wants with long-term structural options.

Application Timeline

• Applications Open: Thursday, December 4, 2025
• Deadline to Apply: Thursday, January 30, 2026, at 12:00 PM EST
• Program Duration: 11 months (2026–2027 class)

Applicants are inspired to:

• Review the program overview for choice standards, advantages, and expectations.
• Prepare application supplies prematurely, as the shape doesn’t save progress.
• Draft responses in a separate doc earlier than submission.

Benefits of the Fellowship

Emerson Fellows obtain:

• Professional coaching and mentorship
• Hands-on expertise in each neighborhood and coverage settings
• Networking alternatives with leaders within the anti-hunger motion
• A robust alumni community dedicated to social justice and systemic change

Why Apply?

The Emerson Fellowship is good for people who:

• Are obsessed with ending starvation and poverty
• Want to attach native service with nationwide coverage
• Seek to develop management abilities in advocacy, analysis, and organizing
• Value being part of a cohort of changemakers

The Bill Emerson National Hunger Fellowship provides greater than skilled improvement, it gives a pathway to rework ardour into impression. By combining community-based service with coverage advocacy, fellows be taught to handle starvation at its root causes whereas constructing a profession devoted to justice and fairness.

If you might be prepared to hitch a community of leaders dedicated to reaching Zero Hunger within the United States, achieve abilities, construct connections, and make a long-lasting difference, that is your likelihood. Learn more and Apply.