The Kapor Foundation Research Fellowship 2026 supports investigative journalists and tech policy researchers conducting research, analysis or evaluation related to the Foundation’s priority areas, with an emphasis on responsible AI and technology ethics.
The fellowship provides $35,000 to each fellow, with the Foundation planning to award up to 15 grants. Applications are accepted on a rolling basis, with awards issued on a rolling basis.
Fellowship Focus Areas
Research proposals should address one or more of the Kapor Foundation’s three priority areas:
CS/AI Education
Innovation
Governance
The Foundation has a particular interest in research related to responsible AI and tech ethics.
Who Can Apply?
The fellowship has two main tracks.
Investigative Reporting Fellowship
Eligible applicants include freelance and staff journalists, including reporters and editors, in the United States, with at least five years of in-depth reporting experience conducting investigative, data or watchdog journalism for print, digital or broadcast publication.
Tech Policy Research Fellowship
This track is for researchers staffed at research or policy institutes registered as U.S. 501(c)(3) organizations and conducting CS/AI education or technology-policy research, analysis or evaluation.
Geographic Focus
The fellowship can support research focused on national trends and/or local populations and trends in:
Oakland, California
Atlanta, Georgia
Detroit, Michigan
What Does the Fellowship Support?
The Foundation is interested in research that fills knowledge gaps and advances solutions in areas including:
Access and equity in CS and AI education
AI and the future of work
Responsible AI education
Responsible technology innovation
AI investment and its social impacts
Technology regulation and accountability
Algorithmic bias
Privacy and surveillance
Children’s safety and AI
Worker protections and AI adoption
Community impacts of data-center development
Fellowship Requirements
Fellows are expected to produce published research or investigative reporting.
For investigative reporting fellows, the expected output is a published long-form print or digital article. Applicants must also provide a letter of commitment from an established media outlet agreeing to assign an editor and publish the reporting.
Tech policy research fellows are expected to produce published articles and reports, with briefs potentially serving as supporting material.
Application Deadline
Applications are accepted on a rolling basis.
The Foundation states that awards are issued on a rolling basis after the initial award cycle.
How to Apply
Applicants must submit the online application and provide materials including:
Personal bio
CV or resume
Two published work samples
Project title
Project summary
Project proposal
Research question
Problem statement
Research methodology
Project timeline
Dissemination plan
Investigative reporting applicants additionally need a commitment letter from an established media outlet.
Official Application
Kapor Foundation Research Fellowship – Official Page
Important Eligibility Note
This fellowship is not a global opportunity. The investigative journalism track requires journalists to be in the United States, while the tech-policy research track requires researchers to be housed at eligible U.S. 501(c)(3) research or policy institutes.
Disclaimer: NGOportal only disseminates information about funding opportunities, grants and fellowships. We do not provide or guarantee funding, selection or partnership. Applicants should verify eligibility, requirements and application procedures directly with the Kapor Foundation before applying.
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