2026-2027 Design Fellowship

About Stanford Impact Labs

Stanford Impact Labs (SIL) is a university-wide initiative that supports scholars and their collaborators across the public, private, and social sectors to conduct research that addresses pressing social challenges. Since our founding in 2019, SIL's ambition has been to put social science to work for society by catalyzing actionable research that improves lives.

Stanford Impact Labs Design Fellowship

The Stanford Impact Labs Design Fellowship is a nine-month program for Stanford faculty from across the university who want to put social science to work in service of pressing social challenges. Through a cohort-based experience, fellows explore how their research can move beyond insight toward action. 

A core pillar of SIL’s work is the belief that social science can address social challenges most effectively when researchers engage with stakeholders beyond the university—those affected by the issues at hand, as well as those who may not be directly affected but who have the ability to influence change. 

This fellowship program helps Stanford faculty clarify the practical potential of their work, engage the people and organizations beyond the university who can use it, and build the relationships necessary to shape research that responds to tangible needs.

What the Fellowship Includes

Fellows participate in a nine-month program that includes:

• A cohort of 6–8 faculty from across the university
• Three-hour workshops throughout the academic year centered on discussion and activities applied to each fellow’s project. Workshops are focused on helping fellows identify and refine their understanding of the social challenge, how their research might contribute to advancing solutions, and who they need to engage with to learn more and forge potential partnerships.
• One-on-one support and thought partnership from professional staff in refining project design and connecting with potential non-academic users of fellows’ research insights. 
• $50,000 in seed funding. This funding can be used however fellows determine will best support their work. This could include helping to defray the cost of a research assistant, convening practitioners, or funding travel to engage with potential partners. 

What Fellows Can Expect

During the fellowship year, fellows:

• Develop greater clarity about how their research can contribute to real-world solutions (programs, policies or initiatives).
• Engage with the envisioned users of their research, as well as other stakeholders needed to move beyond research to sustained impact. 
• Explore potential partnerships with nonprofit, public, and other non-academic stakeholders
• Build a community of scholars committed to using research to address complex social challenges.
• Develop a plan for identifying and pursuing the resources needed to move forward as well as a model of the organizational structure and team that will be required. 

Eligibility

The fellowship is designed for Stanford faculty who:

• Are PI-eligible
• Have a specific social challenge they want to address through research
• Bring a track record of social science scholarship relevant to that issue area
• Believe in the role of social science as a tool for addressing social challenges
• Are open-minded, flexible, and humble
• Demonstrate a strong sense of curiosity to engage with, and learn from, non-academic stakeholders

Fellows come from social science disciplines across all seven schools at Stanford and work on a diversity of social challenges: from education and health to workforce development and economic policy. Fellows represent a range of career stages and paths and tend to be in the early explorative stages of developing an impact-focused project. To learn more about the types of projects developed through the fellowship, you can read about the work of prior fellows here and here.

Application Process and Timeline

Written applications are due Tuesday, June 9, 2026. For those advancing, interviews will be conducted in late June with final decisions made the first week of July. 

Applicants must download and submit the written application form.

Your proposal should be submitted as a single PDF (downloaded at the link above) with subject line “Last Name_SILDF Application” to sildesignfellowship@stanford.edu by Tuesday, June 9, 2026. 

Applications will be evaluated by a panel of Stanford Impact Labs staff, Stanford faculty, and fellowship alumni. The candidates who advance in the process will be invited to interview with the panel.

Timeline:

• Tuesday June 9, 2026 – Applications due 
• End June 2026 – Virtual interviews conducted with those advancing
• Early July 2026 – Fellowship cohort selected
• Fall Quarter 2026 – Fellowship begins 

NOTE: Participation in the fellowship is not an application requirement for other SIL funding nor a guarantee of future funding, but the fellowship is designed to position you to apply for SIL funding should you decide to pursue this direction.