The Policy Outreach Program Fellowship
NOTE: Applications for the 2026-2027 Cohort will open on April 15. Deadline is 5 pm ET May 18.
Sociologists produce rigorous, timely research on some of today’s most pressing issues—including public policy and legislation, climate change, immigration, economic inequality, reproductive rights, and more. Yet too often, a gap remains between those generating this vital knowledge and the policymakers whose decisions depend on it.
The ASA Policy Outreach Program (POP) Fellowship is designed to strengthen the bridge between sociological research and the policymaking world. It fosters meaningful connections between ASA, legislative offices, think tanks, and other policy leaders who shape public policy and public discourse. By bringing these communities closer together, the POP Fellowship helps sociologists better understand policy-facing opportunities—such as employment, funding, and policy residencies—while giving policymakers early access to research that can inform their priorities and decisions in real time.
Each year, a cohort of POP Fellows is selected to receive specialized remote media training and build practical skills to effectively translate research findings for legislators, journalists, and the broader public. Participants learn to craft Rapid Response Reports (policy briefs), compelling elevator pitches, op-eds, and other high-impact communication tools centered on their research and other areas of expertise, which are shared with media outlets and program partners.
The POP Fellowship is fully remote, does not require residency in Washington, DC, and does not involve travel. While the fellowship does not include a stipend, it offers valuable professional development, national visibility, and direct pathways to influence policy conversations with evidence-based sociological insights. An optional in-person experience is available through participation in the COSSA (Consortium of Social Science Associations) Advocacy Day.
Click here to view profiles of 2025-2026 POP Fellows.
Advisory/Oversight
In addition to ASA staff, ASA’s Public Engagement Advisory Committee (PEAC) will play an instrumental role in the POP Fellowship. If partner organizations need names of members who can provide information, media engagement, or relevant research insights, PEAC members can make suggestions to ASA staff. PEAC members also serve in a selection and advisory capacity for POP Fellows by reviewing and recommending applicants, sharing their knowledge and expertise about how to present research to policymakers and legislators in an engaging and accessible way, and giving overall feedback about POP’s success and areas for improvement.
Eligibility
Applicants must have completed a PhD in sociology at the time of application and possess three or more years of post-doctoral experience. Both ASA members and nonmembers can apply to the Policy Outreach Program Fellowship. However, if accepted, fellows will be required to join ASA.
Applicants must be citizens or non-citizen nationals of the United States, have been lawfully admitted to the United States for permanent residence, or be eligible under Deferred Action for Childhood Arrivals (DACA).
Program Partners
POP Fellows are selected based on their commitment to public-facing sociology and the compatibility between their research areas and those of program partners. The exact projects and opportunities that a fellow can have working with each partner organization varies from year to year. Our current program partners are listed below (subject to change).
Before applying, we strongly recommend reviewing our partners’ mission statements to determine how their key initiatives align most with your experience and research.
- Brookings Institution – primary research areas include foreign policy, economic studies, global economy and development, governance studies, and metropolitan policy
- Congressional Black Caucus Foundation – focuses its research on eliminating disparities within the Black community through its Center for Policy Analysis and Research (CPAR). Key research areas include public health, technology equity, economic empowerment, civic engagement, and education.
- Groundwork Collaborative – focuses on reframing economic policy debates through research on corporate profiteering (or “greedflation”), inflation drivers, housing affordability, and fiscal policy. They utilize data analysis to advocate for a progressive economic agenda that curbs corporate power and increases public investment.
- Institute for Women’s Policy Research – primary areas include economic security, such as closing the gender wage gap; workforce development, including job training and apprenticeships; reproductive health and rights; and educational access, particularly for student parents.
- New America – a think and action tank focused on five primary research areas: Education & Work, Democratic Futures, Global Security, Technology & Democracy, and Thriving Families.
- Office of Angela Stroud (State Assembly, WI) -interests vary with the priorities of the 73rd District of Wisconsin, please review their website
- Office of Senator Elizabeth Warren -varies but also policy focus is heavily on economic inequality, consumer protection, and corporate accountability; please review their website
- Senate HELP Committee – The Senate Committee on Health, Education, Labor, and Pensions (HELP) researches and legislates on matters involving public health, workforce development, and education. Key research areas include biomedical research funding via the National Institutes of Health (NIH), food and drug safety, private pension plans, labor standards, and educational standards from early childhood through higher education.
- The Washington Center for Equitable Growth – The Washington Center for Equitable Growth focuses on research investigating how economic inequality impacts growth and stability. Their primary areas include macroeconomic policy, market structure, labor markets, and human capital, with a strong emphasis on evidence-based policies that promote broad-based economic prosperity
ASA is also open to working with new partners. If you know of an organization that might be a good fit, please email Director of Communications and External Affairs Mary Spiro at [email protected].
Application Process
Applications must be submitted online through ASA’s grants submission platform. Begin by creating a profile on the online grant platform. For video instructions on how to create an account, click here. Once your account is set up and you log in, you will be able to see the POP application option available during the application window. Click here to begin your application.
A complete application consists of:
- Completed fellowship application
- Responses to the application questions
- Curriculum Vitae
Application Timeline
- Application opens: mid-April
- Application deadline: Approximately one month after the application period opens.
- Decisions announced: Late June/Early July
Questions?
Don’t hesitate to contact [email protected].