Community-Based  Researcher Fellowship

About the Community-Based Researcher Fellowship

The Center CIRCL Community-Based Researcher Fellow is a community-based researcher, independent scholar, artist, or educator who lives in New York City. This fellowship is a role for someone who is otherwise unaffiliated with NYU. Community researchers and/or community scientists (with or without higher education credentials); community genealogists, archivists, curators, educators and organizers; artists and arts-based practitioners are eligible to apply.  Applicant must be based in New York City or surrounding areas. This role is for someone who is not a full-time student in high school or university. There will be one fellow selected. The Community Researcher will receive a $20,000 stipend in year one, and $10,000 stipend in year two.

This is a competitive Fellowship Program and we will receive more applications from eligible candidates than we can appoint. Applicants will not receive feedback or a rationale from the committee if they are not selected. 

Part 1: Project Overview

Within the application portal, you will be asked to provide the following: 

• Title of project

• Project key words

• Provide a 3-4 sentence project abstract

Part 2: Applicant Questionnaire

Within the application portal, you will be asked to complete the following applicant questionnaire: 

1. In the first year of the project, Fellows meet regularly to form a community of support as Fellows work on independent projects. In year two, Fellows bring those projects to the public, either through workshops, performances, installations, walking tours, readings, or other events. What will be the public-facing aspect to share the work of your project in year two?

2. This is a community-based fellowship. How does your broader work engage with a particular community or communities in the region, especially Indigenous communities? How long have you been engaged in this work? 

3. This fellowship is both for Indigenous scholars, and for non-Indigenous scholars who are working in ethical relation to Indigenous communities. Tell us about your connections to Indigenous communities.

4. A goal of this fellowship is to create an intellectual collective of scholars, artists, writers, and researchers engaging in projects related to the biennial theme. What might you bring to such a collective? What might benefit you in being part of such a collective? 

5. This is a two-year fellowship. During year one (September 2025-August 2026), Fellows will meet once a week at the Center CIRCL offices in lower Manhattan. During year two (September 2026-August 2027), Fellows will be working on their public-facing elements of their projects, and will meet once a quarter in addition to encouraged attendance for other Fellows’ installations, readings, performances, and other public events. Are you able to make this commitment? Is there anything coming up in the next two academic years that might mean time away or an interruption to your participation in the Fellowship? (This would not automatically exclude your eligibility to be a Fellow, but we would like to know at the outset.)

6. This fellowship will be a regular activity of Center CIRCL; a new cohort will be selected based on a new biennial theme every two years. Is this the right time for you to do this fellowship? Tell us why you feel this is the right time in your career to do this fellowship. 

7. An opportunity in the fellowship is to work with other Fellows to organize a special issue of American Indian Quarterly, and to contribute an article for publication. What about this specific component of the fellowship would help you to move your work forward?

Part 3: Project Proposal

Within the application portal, you will be asked to provide a project proposal (3-4 double-spaced pages) that is connected the biennial theme, This City is So Indigenous. Your Proposal plan should answer the following questions:

a) What will be your fellowship project and how is it meaningfully connected to the biennial theme: “This City is So Indigenous” ?

b) How will you spend your time? Provide a timeline for the two years, which includes being present for weekly meetings during year 1, and quarterly meetings in year 2. 

c) How might you share your fellowship project in the public in year 2? This might represent a stretch or departure from the typical ways you have engaged in knowledge mobilization in the past, or an extension of your best practices.

Part 4: Recent Work Samples

Within the application portal, you will be asked to provide (2) recent work samples that give us a sense of who you are as a researcher, scientist, artist, educator, or organizer.

Part 5: Résumé / CV

Within the application portal, you will be asked to upload your Résumé/ CV. 

Part 6: Collaborator Reference

Within the application portal, you will be asked to provide a collaborator reference including the name and contact information of a collaborator who can speak to your community work as a researcher, scientist, artist, educator, or organizer and their experience working with you.

Click Below to Download a PDF copy of the Community-Based Researcher Application 

Please note PDF is for your reference only, applications are only accepted through the application portal above.