Family Facts: Social Science Research on Family, Society & Religion

Apply Now! The Domestic Policy Studies Department
at The Heritage Foundation is pleased to announce a fellowship open to Ph.D. candidates pursuing degrees in the social sciences. Fellows have the opportunity to work closely with social policy experts and to be involved in building familyfacts.org, an online catalogue of social science findings on the family, religious practice, and other social dynamics.

The Fellowship is designed to help doctoral students expand their research and learn how social science can inform social policymaking. The fellowship will enable doctoral candidates to review the academic literature in an area of interest and to present their review in forms useful to policymakers through the familyfacts.org web site. Fellowship positions are available both in Washington, D.C. and to students on their own campuses. Those fellows chosen for the Washington, D.C.- based semester (three per year) will meet public policy practitioners in their fields, providing an introduction to career opportunities in public policy-oriented research and a chance to interact with leading researchers.

The program is open to students pursuing a Ph.D. in the social sciences, including those studying sociology, psychology, economics, statistics, and related fields. Applicants should have quantitative skills to analyze research on behavioral outcomes in education, health, and welfare as they relate to various family structures and levels of religious practice.

Participants will be mentored by senior research analysts at The Heritage Foundation during the program and receive follow-up communication after the program for assistance in establishing public policy careers, if they so choose.

» Click Here for more information regarding your suitability for a fellowship

Option 1: The Washington, D.C. Fellowship


• Three fellowships awarded each year (spring, summer, fall).
• Approximately three months long, with a stipend of $2,000 per month.
• Fellow must reside in the Washington, D.C. area for the duration of the Fellowship.
• Project will include conducting a literature review on an area associated with family structure or religious practice, as well as the production of a synthesis paper based on findings from the leading academic literature on the topic. Guidance will be provided by the familyfacts.org staff.
• Fellow will meet with individuals who have shaped social policy, including congressional staff, leaders in state and federal government, and senior civil servants.

Option 2: The Campus Fellowship

• Up to ten fellowships awarded each year.
• Approximately six months long with a stipend of $6,000.
• Fellow will conduct his or her work from university or home, traveling occasionally to Washington, D.C. to meet with Heritage researchers (travel expenses will be covered).
• Project will include a literature review on an outcome area associated with family structure or religious practice, as well as the production of a synthesis paper based on findings from the leading academic literature on the topic. Fellow will have regular contact with and oversight from the familyfacts.org staff as well as a Fellowship Coordinator.