Mozilla Foundation Fellowship Program 2027 in USA (Up to $125,000 Grant)
Summary
Applications are officially open for the Mozilla Foundation Fellowship Program 2027. This prestigious international fellowship offers up to $125,000 in grant funding over a 12-month remote period for technologists, builders, creative advocates, and researchers worldwide. Designed to support individuals creating technology that empowers communities and serves the public good, the program focuses heavily on emerging technological domains such as physical artificial intelligence, neurotechnology, biotechnology, and sovereign public infrastructure.
Scholarship Description
Administered by the U.S.-based Mozilla Foundation, the Fellowship Program has supported over 200 fellows across 37 countries since 2011. The 2027 cycle offers a flexible, remote arrangement where fellows choose between collaborating with an established civil society partner or leading a self-directed project.
The program provides direct financial awards comprising personal stipends and dedicated project budgets, giving innovators the resources needed to build open-source tools, conduct vital technology audits, and champion public-interest technology projects without commercial or corporate constraints.
Designation
Applicants can apply under two primary project designations:
- Embedded Fellow: Mid-career builders and emerging innovators paired with a designated civil society host organization to solve specific technical or advocacy challenges.
- Independent Fellow: Seasoned technological leaders managing self-directed projects within the fellowship’s core focus areas.
- Creative Advocacy Fellow: A specialized Independent Fellowship reserved for creative campaigners utilizing art, media, or advocacy to address critical digital technology issues.
Mozilla Foundation Fellowship Program Overview
| Program Name | Mozilla Foundation Fellowship Program 2027 |
|---|---|
| Host Organization | Mozilla Foundation (USA) |
| Award Funding | Up to $125,000 (Embedded: $100,000 total | Independent: $125,000 total) |
| Program Duration | 12 Months (Remote) |
| Eligible Nationalities | All Nationalities (Global) |
| Application Deadline | December 17, 2026 |
Financial Benefits Breakdown
| Fellowship Track | Total Award | Personal Stipend | Project Budget |
|---|---|---|---|
| Embedded Track | US$100,000 | US$75,000 | US$25,000 |
| Independent Track | US$125,000 | US$100,000 | US$25,000 |
Research Areas and Core Themes
Proposals must focus on technical innovation or creative advocacy within one of the following research themes:
- Physical AI, Neurotechnology, and Biotechnology: Emerging technologies that directly affect human body autonomy, hardware, and physical systems.
- Hard Infrastructure: Compute, energy, quantum computing, and foundational web infrastructure.
- Raising p(bloom): Expanding the equitable benefits of AI and removing structural barriers to public participation.
- AI Business Models: Sustainable, alternative web business models built for an agentic AI ecosystem.
- Audit Infrastructure & Shared Security: Building public toolkits for tech audits and cybersecurity designed for small civil society organizations.
- Sovereign AI & Public Infrastructure: Publicly maintained artificial intelligence architectures and digital common assets.
- Wildcard Track: Novel technical or campaign work that advances Mozilla’s broader core mission outside the explicit focus areas.
Location
This is a global, remote fellowship hosted virtually by the United States-based Mozilla Foundation. Fellows can work from their home countries provided they can legally receive grant payments in USD and accommodate their host organization’s working hours if applying for an embedded role.
Partner host organizations for the embedded track include:
- BASAibu (Indonesia)
- Fundación Kamanau (Chile)
- LAS Art Foundation (Germany)
- Quantum Village (United States)
- Slum & Rural Health Initiative (Nigeria)
Eligibility Criteria & Qualifications
- Nationality: Open to international candidates of all nationalities who can legally receive U.S. dollar-denominated grant funding into a valid bank account.
- Academic Background: Demonstrated talent, practical capability, and technical vision are valued above formal academic degrees or GPA requirements.
- Legal Requirement: Applicants must be legally eligible to execute a grant agreement with a U.S. entity.
- Time Commitment: Full-time exclusivity is not required, but fellows must allocate dedicated project execution time plus 5 to 10 hours per month for cohort activities and events.
- Language: Applications must be completed in English (translation tools are allowed for preparation).
- Restrictions: Funding cannot be used for commercial profit, political campaigning, or formal lobbying.
Required Documents
- Completed online application form (Letter of Intent stage)
- Curriculum Vitae (CV) or Professional Resume
- Valid Passport or Official Identification
- Letter of Motivation / Statement of Intent
- Project proposal and milestone breakdown
- Academic transcripts or degree certificates (if available/applicable)
How to Apply
Interested candidates can complete their application online by following these steps:
- Select your preferred track (Embedded or Independent) and review the corresponding focus area or host organization requirements.
- Prepare your initial proposal, keeping your project description within 200 words, one-liner within 30 words, and project milestones within 150 words.
- Disclose any use of AI tools used for brainstorming, drafting, or translation assistance.
- Submit your Letter of Intent (LOI) through the official Mozilla application portal before the deadline. Save your unique resume URL provided during submission to access your draft if needed.
Last Date to Apply
The final deadline to submit applications for the Mozilla Foundation Fellowship Program 2027 is December 17, 2026.