What is the USAID Democracy Fellows Program?

Beginning in September 2012, the Institute of International Education (IIE) assumed management of the USAID’s Democracy Fellows and Grants Program, under a five-year cooperative agreement with USAID’s Center of Excellence on Democracy, Human Rights, and Governance (DRG). Building on IIE’s established ties to U.S. universities at the forefront of research in DRG sub-sectors, the new program goes a step further to engage committed professionals at all levels to advance democracy building, good governance, and human rights promotion around the world. The program offers full-time Democracy Fellowships as salaried IIE positions with benefits, as well as a new option for short-term Fellows, part-time Fellows, and Interns—making it easier for individuals with long-term commitments to other academic and research institutions to contribute to building USAID’s technical leadership in democracy promotion. Over the next year, IIE also will work with USAID to introduce new activities—including an Innovation and Research Grants Program—to promote new research and innovative solutions to democracy, human rights, and governance challenges. The program also works to build and strengthen USAID’s relationships with academic institutions, think tanks, and other research organizations, particularly those that have not been past recipients of USAID’s DRG funding.

Learn more about the Democracy Fellows Program

Currently available Fellowship: 

DCHA/DRG Atrocities Prevention Fellowship (Full-time)