Since 1979, the National Academies have been giving Ford Foundation Fellowships. They help people who are excellent in academics and want to teach and research in colleges or universities. They also show promise for the future and are ready to use diversity to enhance education for all students.
Starting a Ford Foundation Dissertation is an adventure that will enhance your academic record and help you in completing your degree with their grant. It can revolutionise your professional life as well. However, like many other students, if you don’t know how to do it well, you can get dissertation writing services from experts.
Here, we’ll explore everything about the Ford Foundation Dissertation Fellowship 2024. We will also discuss its importance, qualifying requirements, fellowship application procedure, and advice on how to write your Ford Foundation Dissertations excellently.
What is Ford Foundation Dissertation Fellowship?
The Ford Fellowship is officially known as the Ford Foundation Fellowship Program. According to Brandies University, the Ford Dissertation Fellowship gives a year of help to graduate students finishing their PhD or ScD dissertations. It’s meant to support the last year of writing and defending the dissertation.
This fellowship is for students who have done really well in their studies, want to teach and do research in colleges or universities, look promising for the future, and are ready to use diversity to make education better for everyone.
There are three types of Ford Fellowships:
- Ford Foundation Dissertation Fellowships
- Ford Foundation Postdoctoral Fellowships
- Ford Foundation Senior Fellowships
Who Is Eligible for Ford Foundation Predoctoral Fellowship?
According to the American Psychological Association, students doing a PhD or are interested in getting admission to a PhD or ScD often look for predoctoral fellowships. However, they are mostly unaware of the eligibility criteria. So, to ease your burden, we are going to discuss who is eligible for the Ford Foundation predoctoral fellowship.
So, if you are:
- In your senior year of undergrad,
- Finished your undergrad studies,
- Completed some grad studies, or
- Already in a PhD or ScD program and can use a three-year fellowship,
You are eligible! Just make sure to provide the required verification if you’re in a grad program seeking Ford Foundation support.
How to Write Ford Foundation Dissertation?
Writing a dissertation for Ford Foundation Fellowship requires careful planning and in-depth analysis. Here is a step-by-step guide for PhD dissertation writers to perform this task well:
1. Understand the Fellowship Requirements
Learn about the particular requirements for the dissertation that the Ford Foundation has provided. You have to understand and fulfil all the requirements if you really want to get their fellowship.
2. Select the Subject of Your Research
They also ask about your topic of research or dissertation. So, you must select a good dissertation topic according to your interests and subject. Don’t make hurry for this step, as your whole work will depend on it. Spend some quality time and carefully choose a topic that can also benefit your field and the Ford Foundation.
3. Write a Compelling Proposal
Before writing a dissertation, you have to create a strong research proposal to highlight the main ideas of your dissertation. In this proposal, you should clearly state your aim of study, discuss the dissertation research topic, and describe your research methodology shortly.
In short, this proposal writing will be a roadmap to your dissertation writing. You should also explain how your efforts support the goals of the Ford Foundation.
4. Show Off Your Academic Skill
So, in this step, you have an opportunity to highlight your academic accomplishments to get the Ford Foundation Dissertation Fellowships. Here, you should highlight your commitment to teaching and research. Also, discuss any exceptional academic skills and relevant experiences that make you stand out from others.
5. Explain Community Engagement
Mostly, the award-giving committee looks for candidates who have a great role in community making. So, if you have done anything for your people or community, explain it and add it to your application. It will make your application shine bright among all. Discuss any active participation and volunteer work that you have done. Discussing all of this will leave a good impression.
6. Describe Your Suggested Plan
Describe the general structure of your dissertation into introduction, literature study, methods, results discussion, and conclusion. You should also describe your research and analysis techniques in the methodology section. After that, discuss all the outcomes in the results chapter.
7. Link Your Research to Professional Objectives
In this section, you should explain how finishing the dissertation to get a Ford Foundation Dissertation Fellowship will advance your long-term professional objectives. Give examples of how your research will affect your profession and how it will fit into your larger career aspirations.
8. Request for Feedback
Getting honest feedback sometimes does the magic to improve your work. So, you should always consult your supervisors, advisors, fellows, or anyone else for guidance. They often give you amazing suggestions that help you to polish your work. Furthermore, try to make your proposal and dissertation meaningful and organised right according to the guidelines.
9. Follow the Formatting Guidelines
You must follow the dissertation formatting instructions provided by the Ford Foundation. Mainly, you should focus on the document format, font size, and spacing so that everything is correct. After checking and making it the best, save it to the PDF file for submission.
10. Submit a Complete Application
Examine your application carefully before submitting it. Verify that your application is complete and that all necessary files have been uploaded. You usually cannot edit your submission after the deadline.
You can improve your chances of writing a compelling and competitive Ford Fellowship Dissertation application by adhering to these guidelines. However, if you are still confused about performing this task, you can also buy dissertation online.
Who Won the Ford Foundation Fellowship 2023?
As for the 2023 Ford Foundation Senior Fellowship, the award winners are Okezi T. Otovo and Darren J. Ranco. They have secured these fellowships through the competitive process administered by the Fellowships Office.
According to the National Academies Award list, 127 excellent scholars received Predoctoral, Postdoctoral, and Ford Foundation Dissertation fellowships in 2023. They got it from the Ford Foundation, “administered by the National Academies of Sciences Engineering and Medicine”. Out of these, 87 people succeeded in the Predoctoral Competition, 26 in the Dissertation Competition, and 14 in the Postdoctoral Competition.
A few of these awardees student’s names, along with their university and the field of discipline, are mentioned here:
| Applicant Name | Institution Name | Field of Study |
| Abdul-Fattah, Hakimah | University of Pennsylvania | Anthropology |
| Alvarez-Hernandez, Krystal | Northwestern University | Psychology |
| Banks, Antoinette R. | University of California, Davis | Interdisciplinary Education |
| Bates, Madison Elizabeth | Vanderbilt University | Bioengineering and Biomedical Engineering |
| Duverglas, Laurent | University of South Carolina | Ecology |
| Evans, Bryn Ashley | Stanford University | Art History |
| Nwankwo, Ezinne | University of California, Berkeley | Computer Science |
| Parres-Gold, Jacob | California Institute of Technology | Biochemistry |
| Ornelas, E. | University of Minnesota-Twin Cities | Gender Studies |
| Pabón, María Eugenia | Yale University | Comparative Literature |
| Reid, LaMarise Chardé | Col of William & Mary | Archaeology |
| Salazar, Maritza Elizabeth | University of Southern California | Education Research |
| Buch, Amanda Marie | Weill Cornell Medical Col | Neurosciences |
| Cruz Nichols, Vanessa | Purdue University | Political Science |
| Gaiters, Seth Emmanuel | Duke University | Religious Studies |
| Jernigan, Kasey Aliene | Oklahoma State University | Anthropology |
| Jilani, Safia Z. | University of Minnesota-Twin Cities | Chemistry |
Ford Foundation Dissertation Fellowships Application Process
Wondering how to apply for the Ford Foundation Fellowship? Well, to apply for the Ford Foundation Dissertation Fellowship, make sure your application includes the following details.
It’s crucial to double-check everything you upload to save yourself from disqualification. Once you submit your application and the deadline passes, you won’t be able to make any changes.
1. Profile Information Section
Applicants need to provide details for the following:
- Contact and Demographic Information: This info won’t be shared with the reviewers.
- Education History: Here, you should add your name, location details, admission dates, degree receiving date or currently pursuing, and research field for all institutions. Also, mention the years along with other details.
- Employment History: Feel free to list any employment starting from your undergraduate studies. It mostly includes internships, unpaid work, outreach efforts, or volunteer activities.
- Honours & Awards: Highlight any recognitions you’ve received.
Ensure your application is thorough and accurate before the deadline, as it is crucial to get a Ford Foundation Dissertation Fellowship!
2. Application Section – Eligibility Page
Eligibility Checklist
Before starting the application, make sure you can confirm the following:
- No previous fellowship awards
- Clear future career goals
- Enrollment in a PhD or Sc.D. program with an expected completion date.
Group Membership
Let us know if you identify with any of the listed groups. Don’t worry—reviewers won’t see this info; we collect it for statistics only. Being part of these groups isn’t a requirement for eligibility.
3. Application Main Page
Proposed Plan
Share the details about:
- Dissertation Title
- Proposed Institution
- Department
- Adviser/Mentor
Field of Study
Here, you can pick a primary or secondary field(s) of study, like whatever you want. This helps us match your application to the right review panel(s).
Keywords
Tell them about your research using 3-5 keywords, entering them one at a time.
Essays Page
Applicants, when uploading files, should follow the instructions below for content and formatting. Citations that you will add will also be included in the total page count. For this purpose, you should employ a standard citation format that fits your area of study.
1. Personal Statement
Try to keep it within two pages, in 12-point font, double-spaced.
- Describe your background, work experience, and dedication to the Ford Foundation Dissertation Fellowships’ goals.
- Share your past and ongoing community service involvement.
- Highlight anything in your background that reflects your unique personal or professional perspectives and experiences.
2. Prior Research and Scholarly Statement
- It should consist of only one document, a maximum of three pages, and in 12-point font size.
- Include a concise summary of past research and a list of publications.
- List publications and presentations from the last five years.
3. Abstract of Dissertation
Keep it to a maximum of one page, in 12-point font, double-spaced. Upload an abstract of your doctoral dissertation, but it shouldn’t be the proposed research abstract.
4. Proposed Plan
In a document with a maximum of three pages, in 12-point font, and double-spaced, applicants need to outline what they plan to do if they receive the fellowship:
- Explain the overall structure of the dissertation.
- Summarise the remaining research needed, covering data sources, collection methods, technical methods, analytics, etc.
- Create a timeline to write your dissertation, discussing potential challenges.
- Specify when you expect to defend the dissertation.
- Describe how your dissertation work will boost your career and how it contributes to this field.
Feel free to ask your dissertation advisor or a professor for feedback on substance, clarity, and organisation before submitting. You can also get Ford Foundation dissertation help online from professional dissertation writers.
5. Annotated Bibliography
There’s no strict page limit; just stick to the ten key sources, 12-point font, and single-spaced entries.
Application Submission
When it comes to Application Submission, applicants should review the entered information and uploaded documents on the Data Review page. On the Validate & Submit page, they must ensure application completeness, understand the non-modifiable status post-deadline, and officially submit the application.
A confirmation email follows a successful submission, and the Applications page timestamps the submission date and time. Transcript and verification form uploads become accessible after the application submission.
What is the Acceptance Rate for Ford Fellowships?
Students often wonder about how hard it is to get a fellowship. The competition for the Ford Foundation Dissertation Fellowship is quite tough. Only around 4 to 5% of those who apply for the Ford Foundation Fellowship are actually selected as fellows, as stated on the National Academies website.
What are the Margins for Ford Fellowship?
When it comes to the Ford Fellowship, pay attention to document formatting. Double-space your text, use a standard 12-point font, and set margins at 1″ for the top and bottom and 0.5″ for the left and right sides. Save all your documents as .pdf files before uploading.
Make sure not to go over the maximum page limits for each document, and be mindful not to exceed the 4 MB file size limit. Keeping within these guidelines is essential for a successful application.
How Much Money Does the Ford Foundation Have?
The Ford Foundation stands as one of the biggest private foundations in the United States, boasting an endowment of $16 billion. They leverage their substantial financial resources to support their grantees in making a significant impact. Annually, the Ford Foundation awards around 1,400 grants to organisations globally, all dedicated to serving the public good.
Conclusion
In this blog, we have clearly discussed everything from the application procedure and requirements to the Ford Foundation Dissertation writing process. It’s a heaven place for the students looking to get a Ford Foundation Fellowship as they can get answers to all of their queries here.
We understand that the dissertation writing process is a difficult as well as challenging task, but don’t worry. You can get assistance from professional writers by getting dissertation writing services. You can also buy Ford Foundation Dissertation online from a credible source.
Buzztum Editor 
Syed Qasim