Mexico Fellowship Institute Policy Studies

IPS is a progressive organization dedicated to building a more equitable, ecologically sustainable, and peaceful society. In partnership with dynamic social movements, we turn transformative policy ideas into action.

Dates of Fellowship:
June 1, 2026 – May 31, 2027 in Washington, D.C.;
July 1 – December 31, 2027 in New Mexico

The New Mexico Fellowship is an 18‑month, paid, public policy fellowship, with the first year at the Institute for Policy Studies (IPS) in our Washington, D.C. office, and the final six months at a non‑profit organization in New Mexico. This fellowship program seeks to help mentor a new generation of progressive leaders in and from New Mexico. In the past, this fellowship has recruited diverse candidates who are now serving New Mexico in multiple ways: leading nonprofits, practicing law, working with elected officials, and shaping progressive legislation.

The New Mexico Fellowship provides the opportunity for college graduates and/or young scholar‑activists residing in New Mexico to come to IPS to be trained in public scholarship, a term we define as the connection between grassroots activism and policy research. Through the fellowship, participants sharpen their knowledge of the progressive landscape and policy world, and develop their capacities to think, write, research, and connect with social movements.

After learning about the operations of a thriving non‑profit in Washington, D.C., fellows will return to New Mexico for a six‑month paid placement at a social‑change organization. The Fellow will work with our advisory board, which includes former Fellows, to find a placement that aligns with their skills and interests. Past fellows have been placed with groundbreaking institutions such as the Center for Civic Policy, College Horizons, the New Mexico Center for Law and Poverty, New Mexico Voices for Children, and the Rio Grande Chapter of the Sierra Club.

Each fellow receives hands‑on experience by working closely with 1‑2 IPS projects under individualized mentorship from IPS public scholars. We believe that each scholar‑activist brings a unique skillset to the table. Accordingly, upon acceptance, we tailor the fellowship to participant’s personal interests by typically pairing them with IPS projects for two six‑month segments, where they will become an essential part of that project’s staff.

Fellows also have the opportunity to learn effective fundraising and communication strategies by working with the development and communications teams in addition to their personalized projects.

Fellows can expect to work on at least two IPS projects in 2026 & 2027, including potentially:

• Global Economy Program:
  The Global Economy Program provides research, communications, and networking support to dynamic economic justice movements to speed the transition to an equitable and sustainable economy and reverse extreme levels of economic and racial inequality and excessive corporate and Wall Street power.
• Project on Trade and Mining:
  The Project on Trade and Mining works with grassroots activists to advance alternative international trade and investment policies, including supporting campaigns in Latin America against global mining corporations’ attempts to steamroll local resistance to harmful extractive projects.
• Climate Policy Program:
  The Climate Policy Program supports the transition from a financially extractive, fossil‑fueled economy to a just, regenerative economy. We provide long‑term vision and bold ideas in domestic and international policy spaces, using research, writing and strategic conversations to redefine what is politically possible.
• National Priorities Project:
  The National Priorities Project works to ensure our federal resources prioritize peace, shared prosperity, and economic prosperity by shedding light on the militarization of the federal budget and critical opportunities for reinvestment.

Candidates are selected from two streams of applicants residing in New Mexico:

• Recent college graduates (BA or MA) who would benefit from mentoring and work at IPS
• Members of activist groups where IPS and the group feel it would benefit the…