Mellon Emerging Faculty Leaders Award

About this program

Mellon Emerging Faculty Leaders Award, funded by The Mellon Foundation in partnership with C&S, provides a $20,000 stipend ($12,000 for summer research and $8,000 for academic-year research assistance) to support early-career humanities and social science faculty whose scholarship deepens understanding of democracy, society, or education in the Americas and who demonstrate leadership in building campus communities. The award highlights junior faculty who balance research, teaching, and service and offers national visibility and mentoring support. Eligible applicants are tenure‑track assistant professors—typically in their fourth or fifth year—who have passed their institution’s third‑year/midpoint review by January 31, 2026, are not scheduled to submit a tenure dossier or be considered for tenure during the award year, and are U.S. citizens or permanent residents as of December 1, 2025.