Andrew W. Mellon Fellowship
Forecasted
The Andrew W. Mellon Fellowship at the Smithsonian Institution supports research in conservation by combining Western and Indigenous knowledge to benefit Indigenous communities.
Funder: Smithsonian Institution
Due Dates (Anticipated): February 2027 (Stage 1) | March 2027 (Stage 2)
Funding Amounts: $50,000/year stipend + $5,000/year research/travel + $5,000/year insurance; up to 2 years; relocation travel provided.
Summary: Supports innovative, collaborative conservation work that benefits Indigenous communities, combining Western and Indigenous approaches.
Description
The Andrew W. Mellon Fellowship at the Smithsonian Institution’s National Museum of the American Indian (NMAI) is a two-year, full-time fellowship designed to foster progressive thinking and practice in conservation, collections care, and stewardship, with a strong emphasis on serving Indigenous communities. Fellows are mentored by conservation staff and develop research projects that benefit Native/Indigenous constituencies, integrating both Western and Indigenous knowledge systems. The program emphasizes holistic, collaborative conservation, hands-on experience in collections care, mountmaking, preventive conservation, and project management, with the goal of empowering fellows to advance the field in ways that support Indigenous peoples.
