The Samuel Fellows in Belonging program supports people to undertake an 8-month applied research project related to belonging and social connectedness to support the work of a partner organization. Fellows develop their research skills, deepen their practice, and contribute to knowledge that can help communities and institutions strengthen belonging.

If selected, you receive a fellowship grant (an educational award) made up of two parts:

1. a living support stipend to help cover living costs during the fellowship (for example rent, food, utilities, childcare), and
2. a project expenses budget to cover reasonable costs required to deliver the research (travel, transcription, accessibility supports, participant honoraria, dissemination costs).

The partner will agree with you the scope of your project, milestones and a budget plan. The Belonging Forum will confirm these for grant administration purposes.

No. The Fellowship is not employment, and fellows are not employees or contractors of the Belonging Forum. There is no salary, and the Fellowship does not provide employment benefits. Instead, the Fellowship is structured around learning, research milestones, and a final output.

Not necessarily. Some fellows are students, but many are not. What makes our Fellowship unique is that we work with deeply diverse, intergenerational cohorts, some of whom may have lived experience rather than formal academic experience.

If you are selected, we will share the total value and payment schedule before you accept. The grant is typically paid in four instalments linked to simple, agreed milestones: for example, at the start of Fellowship once deliverables and a milestone plan have been agreed, two mid-point check-ins, submission of final output and fulfilment of deliverables. This helps ensure the grant supports the intended educational purpose and that you’re supported throughout the process.

Examples of expenses include, but are not limited to:

• living expenses during the fellowship period;
• travel required for the research;
• modest project costs (materials, transcription, venue hire for community conversations, accessibility supports);
• honoraria for participants, where appropriate and ethical (see the Belonging Forum’s honoraria policy).

Since the bursary allows you to determine your own budget for research expenses, you will not have to submit receipts; spending on research activities will be at your discretion. However, you will work with your partner organization to create a project budget and submit that in the first few weeks for project administrative purposes. 

Possibly. Fellowship grants can have tax implications depending on where you live and your personal circumstances.

• You are responsible for understanding and declaring any tax due on income in your jurisdiction.
• We strongly encourage all Fellows to seek independent tax advice (including Canadian fellows).
• The Belonging Forum cannot provide individual tax advice.

Eligibility varies by partner and project, but we are often looking for people who have:

• a passion for building a more inclusive and connected world;
• curiosity about research, and interest in applying a social-connectedness lens to policy, community issues, and complex social issues;
• excitement about and/or experience with the project’s theme (through research, practice, or lived experience);
• strong English language and writing skills;
• the capacity to undertake an applied research project and complete an agreed upon output;
• the ability to project manage work independently, and work closely with the partner organisation;
• experience with, or willingness to learn, qualitative research methods;
• a commitment to sharing learning in a way that supports belonging in the real world

We welcome applicants from a wide range of disciplines and backgrounds.

Most Fellowship opportunities are shared publicly through our website and other relevant communication channels, such as newsletters and social media. In some cases, we run partner-led or targeted/closed calls. If a call is targeted, we ensure the eligibility and selection criteria are shared with all potential candidates in that pool.

All Fellowships are delivered with a partner organisation that helps shape the project focus and provides a practical environment for learning and research.

Partners may help with outreach and interviews and may recommend candidates, but the Belonging Forum makes the final award decision (as required for a Canada-headquartered charity administering educational awards).

• an onboarding conversation to confirm scope, milestones, and support needs;
• participation in periodic check-ins with BF staff and engagement with cohort-wide calls;
• participation in orientation and research workshops throughout the program;
• steady progress towards defined research output;
• a mid-project deliverable, such as a short public-facing blog post or reflective piece related to the research theme;
• a final deliverable (often a report, briefing, essay, or equivalent public-facing output).

The Fellowship program is budgeted for 8 months. Fellows are expected to deliver their final output within the 8-month timeframe.

Partner organizations will provide:

• Guidance and support on project and research subject area
• Mentorship and professional development

Belonging Forum will provide:

• Administrative and professional development (in the form of capacity building sessions/workshops)
• Mentorship from Managers, Fellowship alumni and Belonging Lab researchers
• Guidance from Program Manager
• Regular check-ins and group calls with other members of the Fellowship cohort

We aim to create a Fellowship experience that feels steady, relational, and builds belonging.

Yes, we share our Fellows’ work on our website and social media and are always looking for ways to disseminate work more accessibly and creatively. Regardless of the type of output, all Fellows’ work will be published on the Belonging Forum’s website and shared on social media channels. Partners will also share this work to broaden reach.

Fellows will also be expected to devise a dissemination plan: a blueprint of how they will share their work to generate the most impact.

As part of the research process, we will discuss ethical expectations, safeguarding considerations, and accessibility needs, as well as providing consent forms, ethical research guidelines, and data ethics guidelines.

Selection criteria are set out in each call. We typically assess:

• individual fit with the project’s issue area/theme and purpose in terms of lived experience and curiosity;
• capacity to carry out proposed project;
• evidence that you can complete the work within the timeframe;
• equity and equal opportunity, and;
• the potential contribution of the output to building belonging.

Shortlisted candidates will be invited to interview.

If the project or issue area speaks to you, please apply. We value lived experience and practice-based insight alongside academic and professional expertise.

If you have questions, please contact us at scfellowship@belongingforum.org.