Clinton Presidential Research Fellowship

About the Research Fellowship
The Clinton Foundation and the Clinton Presidential Library are offering research fellowships for graduate students and early-career academics from all disciplines of the humanities and social sciences. The Clinton Presidential Research Fellowship supports graduate students as they endeavor to better understand the accomplishments and record of President Clinton’s administration so they can learn lessons from presidential history that can be used to shape our shared future.

Research fellowships are offered per calendar year, ranging from $1,250 – $5,000 USD.

Applications for the 2026 cycle are now closed.

The applications for the 2026 cycle are closed.

Submit your information, and we’ll reach out to you when applications open.

Eligibility

  • Must be a current graduate student based at a U.S. institution. OR
  • Have a PhD officially conferred from a U.S. institution within the past eight years.

Application Materials

  • Completed application form with a fiscal sponsor identified and verified. The fiscal sponsor will receive and manage the administration of funds and can be any 501(c)(3) organization (for example, a college or university).
  • A curriculum vitae including academic experience and list of publications.
  • Project proposal with a focus on how the Clinton presidential archives would be central to the completion of the project, the overarching objective, and potential use of the project (maximum of 300 words).
  • Outlined budget plan for the award.
  • Two letters of recommendation from academic advisors or professional colleagues (maximum of one page each).
  • The completed Fiscal Sponsor Confirmation Form (available to download within the application form). Please note that Fiscal Sponsors may not use any portion of the funds for overhead or indirect costs.

If you have any questions, please email researchfellowship@clintonfoundation.org.

We encourage participation from individuals with disabilities. If you have a disability and need a reasonable accommodation in completing the application, please email us at the address above.

Meet the Fellows

To date, the fellowship has supported scholars researching a broad range of topics including, among others, the lasting effects of aid from Plan Colombia, the history of U.S. science policy and the role of scientists in public policymaking, and how the U.S. government has used international technology cooperation to advance national security.

 

Lady Dorothy Avila Elli (2025)

University of Arizona
Lady’s master’s thesis examines stigmatization in infectious disease research, focusing specifically on tuberculosis in Southeast Asia.

Xonzy Luz Gaddis (2025)

Xonzy’s research outlines the effects of aid from Plan Colombia, investigating how diplomacy influenced its development and implementation and how subsequent U.S. administrations continued to shape Plan Colombia’s trajectory.

Susannah Jacob (2025)

Yale University
Susannah’s dissertation researches the history of the Democratic Party and its intersection with the evolving technology industry since 1980, focusing on the regulation of the commercial internet.

Mark Thomas-Patterson (2025)

University of North Carolina, Chapel Hill
Mark’s dissertation explores why and how the U.S. government used international technology cooperation to advance national security from 1989-2000.

Melissa Thompson (2025)

West Virginia University
Melissa’s dissertation explores the U.S. Government’s domestic programs and policies affecting American fathers with special attention to underprivileged families and single father households.

Kenny Evans (2024)

Rice University
Kenny’s research focuses on the history of U.S. science policy and the role of scientists in public policymaking.

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