Bill Emerson National Hunger Fellowship

The Congressional Hunger Center is recruiting for the 30th class of Bill Emerson National Hunger Fellows! The Emerson Program is a fellowship designed to train, inspire, and sustain a network of leaders committed to ending hunger and poverty in the United States. The program’s unique two-placement structure bridges community-based efforts with national public policy to develop Hunger Fellows as effective anti-hunger/anti-poverty leaders. 

Each year 18-22 applicants are selected to participate in this year-long fellowship. For the first half of the fellowship, fellows are placed with community-based organizations located across the United States involved in fighting hunger and poverty at the local, state, and regional level. During the second half of the fellowship, fellows work with organizations that combat hunger and poverty on the national level.  

During their time in the program Emerson Fellows explore the root causes of hunger and poverty, and learn how to apply a racial equity lens to their work. Throughout their fellowship journey fellows develop a strong learning community for reflection, resource sharing, and skill building that supports their field and policy work as well as their leadership development. 

The Congressional Hunger Center establishes fellow stipends based on location, taking into consideration the cost of living at fellows’ field and policy placements. (One resource the Hunger Center considers when determining fellow stipend amounts is the MIT Living Wage calculator.) As an Emerson Fellow, you can expect to receive a stipend of no less than $48,000. Fellows serve as independent contractors, which means they must secure and finance their own health insurance, and are responsible for saving for and paying their own taxes, as no taxes are withheld from their stipends. 

The online application will open on the Hunger Center website on December 1, 2022. The deadline to apply is midnight EST Friday, January 13, 2023. Before applying, be sure to read the Emerson Program application guide at this link, which provides important information on the fellowship, application timeline, and more.  

Applications are encouraged from candidates reflecting diverse educational, racial, cultural, and professional backgrounds. We strongly encourage those with lived expertise with federal food and nutrition programs to apply.