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ACLS Announces the 2026 Leading Edge Fellowship Winners

In an engaging announcement, the American Council of Learned Societies (ACLS) unveiled its 2026 Leading Edge Fellows. This prestigious program, supported by a grant from the Mellon Foundation, empowers outstanding early-career PhDs in the humanities and social sciences to engage with mission-driven nonprofit organizations. Celebrating a century of grantmaking, ACLS continues to propel impactful research and advocacy in tradition with its legacy.

A Closer Look at the Fellowships

In the upcoming fall of 2026, a diverse cohort of 14 fellows will commence their two-year journey, infusing their academic prowess into various nonprofit endeavors. The selected fellows come from 13 distinguished universities, representing an impressive range of disciplines within the humanities and social sciences.

Desiree Barron-Callaci, the Senior Program Officer for US Programs at ACLS, expressed her enthusiasm: "ACLS is excited to support and share the work of these new Leading Edge Fellows." The diverse placements will see fellows working on pressing issues, including promoting equitable access to higher education in urban centers like New York and Washington D.C, assessing curricula for youth education programs in Oakland, and evaluating family support initiatives in Jackson, Mississippi.

Anthropologists will contribute to vital organizations that advocate for accountability in international development, voting rights in Georgia, and improve broadband access in underserved rural areas. In addition, historians, geographers, and scholars of American studies will work on initiatives that address misconceptions about immigrants and advance equitable economic policies.

Impact and Training

The 2026 host organizations are eager to integrate these awardees into their teams, creating opportunities for them to leverage their advanced scholarship in practical, real-world applications. Anar Parikh, Policy Manager at Asian Americans Advancing Justice-Atlanta, noted how the analytical skills honed during PhD programs can enhance public policy efforts, stating, "The strong analytical reading and writing skills, research experience, and project management skills a PhD brings will add significant capacity for our work."

Fellows can receive generous funding: up to $72,000 in their first year and up to $74,000 in their second. In addition to salary, each fellow will have access to health insurance, a budget of up to $3,000 for professional development activities, and platforms for networking, mentorship, and career enhancement, all facilitated by ACLS.

ACLS: A Legacy of Scholarship Support

The American Council of Learned Societies, established a century ago, serves as a nonprofit federation representing 86 scholarly organizations and is a cornerstone of American scholarship in the fields of humanities and social sciences. Upholding the belief that knowledge should be a public good, ACLS strives to promote a diverse range of voices and ideas in academia and beyond.

The Andrew W. Mellon Foundation, the largest supporter of the arts and humanities in the United States, similarly envisions fostering communities enriched by cultural engagement and critical thought. Its mission aligns well with the goals of ACLS, as it works to cultivate environments where imaginative ideas can flourish.

Conclusion

As we look forward to the arrival of the 2026 Leading Edge Fellows, the potential for their combined efforts in nonprofit spaces promises to make a significant impact on justice and equity initiatives. Keep an eye on the developments from these fellows as they bring their academic backgrounds into play, championing causes that illuminate and serve some of society's most pressing needs. ACLS continues to pave the way for scholarly engagement in community-driven contexts, ensuring that the importance of humanities resonates with societal advancement.