Smithsonian Institution, Office of Fellowships and Grants

Smithsonian Institution, Office of Fellowships and Grants administers the Smithsonian’s central fellowship and internship infrastructure for research, study, and professional training across the Institution’s museums, research centers, libraries, archives, and zoo. Its work connects students, graduate researchers, postdoctoral scholars, artists, educators, and other specialists with Smithsonian collections, laboratories, field sites, and expert staff. The office manages institution-wide application and review processes and serves as a gateway to opportunities hosted by individual Smithsonian units. Its portfolio spans fellowships, internships, and related funding programs. The office oversees broad Smithsonian opportunities such as the Smithsonian Institution Fellowship Program, which supports graduate students, predoctoral researchers, postdoctoral investigators, and senior scholars, and it also includes programs for specific audiences and disciplines, including artist research appointments and opportunities linked to museum practice, conservation, and science. The office’s scope reaches across the Smithsonian’s Washington, D.C., presence and its wider research network, including units in New York, Virginia, Maryland, Panama, and other field and study locations tied to Smithsonian scholarship. Within the Smithsonian Institution, the Office of Fellowships and Grants plays an institutional role rather than operating as a standalone charity or campus. It helps sustain the Smithsonian’s educational and research mission by bringing external scholars and trainees into direct engagement with collections, archives, scientific resources, and curatorial expertise. The office also provides guidance on eligibility, deadlines, proposal preparation, and award administration, making it a central access point for people seeking advanced study and research opportunities within the Smithsonian system.