Most fellowships hand you a certificate at the end and call it a day. The NGFP Fellowship does something different. It hands emerging changemakers a full year of mentorship, community, and funding to actually build something that shapes how the world thinks about its own future. If you’re someone who’s just starting to explore the futures and foresight field , or already knee-deep in a pioneering project that needs the right support to grow , this fellowship deserves a proper read-through.
Let’s get into exactly what it is, who it’s built for, and how the whole journey unfolds.
First, What Even Is “Foresight”?:
Before diving into the fellowship itself, it helps to understand the field it sits in. Foresight isn’t fortune-telling. It’s a structured way of engaging with uncertainty by exploring different possible futures, including the ones we’d actually want to see happen. Rather than trying to predict a single outcome, foresight practitioners study the current and future operating environment so that communities and organisations can spot emerging risks and opportunities early , building resilience, adaptability, and a genuine competitive edge along the way.
A foresight practitioner, in the simplest sense, is anyone who applies this kind of long-term thinking to their work, examining how deeper drivers of change might shape tomorrow so that today’s decisions are made with better insight.
Snapshot of the Fellowship:
- Fellowship Name: NGFP Fellowship (Next Generation Foresight Practitioners)
- Focus Area: Futures and foresight practice for social and environmental good
- Duration: One full year, structured as a journey rather than a single event
- Application Deadline: 26 June 2026, by 23:59 GMT+1
- Cohort Size: 25 fellowship spaces available per year
- Eligibility Age Range: 18 to 35 years old, or over 35 with less than one year of experience in the sector
- Nationality: Open globally, with particular encouragement for applicants based in Asia, Africa, the Middle East and North Africa, the Caribbean, Central and South America, the Pacific Islands, and the Balkans
- Application Fee: Not mentioned, meaning there’s no cost attached to applying
- Regional Reserved Spots: One seat reserved for a Balkans-based fellow, and two seats reserved for MENA-based fellows through a partnership with the Dubai Future Foundation
What Fellows Actually Walk Away With:
It’s worth being specific here, because the value of this fellowship goes far beyond a nice line on a resume.
- A USD 1,000 kick-starter fund handed to you at the start, giving your project real financial momentum from day one
- Direct access to a global platform connecting you with like-minded people working on similar future-focused challenges
- A dedicated project partner, typically an experienced foresight practitioner, who works alongside you throughout your journey
- Structured training through an introductory foresight capability-building course, so you’re not left guessing how to apply the discipline
- Regular bi-weekly emails packed with news, opportunities, and information on grants that can help push your changemaking project further
- A place within regional or thematic hubs, connecting you to others working in your part of the world or on similar issues
- Invitations to relevant futures and foresight events and collaborative projects throughout the year
- A genuine shot at winning a USD 10,000 grand prize at the end of the fellowship for meaningful progress and contribution to the wider foresight community
- Long-term entry into the NGFP Sensing Network, a global community of over 900 practitioners, giving you continued access to opportunities well beyond the fellowship year itself
Put simply, this isn’t a one-off grant. It’s an entire support system wrapped around one year of your growth as a foresight practitioner.
Who This Fellowship Is Actually Looking For:
The NGFP team isn’t looking for polished experts. They’re looking for people at the start of something meaningful. You’re a strong fit if you are:
- Between 18 and 35 years old and just beginning your journey into futures and foresight, or over 35 with less than a year of hands-on experience in the field
- Genuinely interested in growing your foresight knowledge and expanding your professional network
- Committed to building community and contributing to a collaborative network, not just working in isolation
- Already developing a bold, systems-level project idea aimed at lasting change, one that foresight thinking could meaningfully strengthen, scale, or deepen
- A long-term thinker who’s comfortable imagining impact at least a decade into the future
- Based anywhere in the world, though applicants from Asia, Africa, MENA, the Caribbean, Central and South America, the Pacific Islands, and the Balkans are especially encouraged to apply
There’s also a clear passion behind certain global issues. NGFP is especially enthusiastic about applicants working within what they call Foresight Transformation Missions ; essentially, the world’s most complex, interconnected challenges.
The Foresight Transformation Missions:
If your project connects to any of these themes, it’s worth highlighting clearly in your application, since these are the specific mission areas NGFP is actively rallying practitioners around:
- Climate & Just Transitions
- Democracy & Sustainable Development
- Emerging Technologies
- Futures Methods From Around the World & Indigenous Futures
- Health
- Intergenerational Fairness
- Nuclear Security & Peacebuilding
- Rural Futures
These aren’t rigid categories you need to fit perfectly into. They’re a signal of where NGFP sees the field heading, and where fresh thinking is needed most urgently.
How Competitive Is It, Really?:
Only 25 spaces open up each year, which makes this a genuinely competitive process. That said, NGFP doesn’t just close the door on everyone else. Strong applicants who don’t secure one of the 25 fellowship spots are invited to join the NGFP Sensing Network instead , a much larger global community of 900-plus practitioners, 188 of whom are current or former fellows. Being part of that network still opens doors to ongoing opportunities, even without a formal fellowship placement.
Reserved Regional Fellowships:
NGFP sets aside a small number of guaranteed spots each year for specific regions, recognising the added barriers some applicants face in accessing global opportunities like this.
- One space is reserved specifically for a fellow from the Balkans, held in memory of the organisation’s late colleague, Sophie Middlemiss
- Two spaces are reserved for fellows from the Middle East and North Africa, delivered in partnership with the Dubai Future Foundation
If you’re based in either of these regions, it’s worth exploring these dedicated pathways alongside the general fellowship application, since they may offer additional context or support specific to your region.
The Fellowship Timeline From Start to Finish:
Knowing the full timeline helps you plan ahead rather than scrambling close to a deadline.
- 20 April 2026: Applications officially open
- 26 June 2026: Applications close at 23:59 GMT+1
- July to September 2026: Judging and selection process takes place
- October 2026: Successful fellows are formally announced
- December 2026: A SOIF community event brings the wider network together
- January 2027: NGFP Fellows orientation begins, officially kicking off the fellowship journey
This is a full year of build-up before the fellowship even begins, so early preparation genuinely pays off.
What the Year Actually Looks Like Once You’re In:
The fellowship isn’t structured as a single training block or workshop. It’s described as a full journey , one built around project support, collaboration, and continuous learning within a community of peers. You start with that initial USD 1,000 kick-starter fund, move through structured foresight training, connect with your project partner and thematic or regional hub, and build toward the end-of-year opportunity to compete for the USD 10,000 grand prize based on your progress and contribution to the broader foresight space.
Steps to Apply:
Ready to put your name forward? Here’s how the process works from start to finish:
- Review the eligibility requirements carefully, especially the age range and experience level criteria
- Reflect on your project idea and how foresight thinking could strengthen, scale, or deepen its impact
- Consider whether your work connects to one of the Foresight Transformation Missions, and be ready to articulate that clearly
- Join one of the upcoming Q&A sessions if you have questions before applying, or review recordings of past sessions
- Prepare and submit your application before 23:59 GMT+1 on 26 June 2026
- If you’re based in the Balkans or the MENA region, look into whether the reserved regional fellowship pathways apply specifically to you
- Reach out to fellowship@nextgenforesight.org directly if anything about the process or eligibility isn’t clear
Because spaces are limited to 25 per cohort, giving yourself enough time to prepare a thoughtful, well-articulated application matters far more than rushing something in close to the deadline.
Why This Fellowship Stands Apart From Typical Programs:
A lot of early-career opportunities offer either funding or mentorship or networking , rarely all three stitched together into one coherent year. NGFP’s structure means you’re not just handed money and left to figure out the rest. You get an experienced project partner, a genuine training foundation in the discipline itself, a community of global peers tackling similarly ambitious problems, and a long-term network that continues supporting you well after the formal fellowship year wraps up. For someone genuinely new to foresight but serious about using it for real-world impact, that combination is hard to find elsewhere.
Frequently Asked Questions?:
Is the NGFP Fellowship fully funded?
Fellows receive a USD 1,000 kick-starter fund at the beginning of the fellowship, along with ongoing access to training, mentorship, and networking opportunities throughout the year. It functions as project support rather than a traditional tuition-based scholarship.
Who is eligible to apply for the NGFP Fellowship?
Applicants aged 18 to 35 who are early in their futures and foresight journey can apply, along with those over 35 who have less than one year of experience in the field.
Is there an application fee?
No application fee is mentioned, meaning applying doesn’t cost anything.
Can applicants from any country apply?
Yes. The fellowship is open globally, though NGFP places particular emphasis on encouraging applicants from Asia, Africa, MENA, the Caribbean, Central and South America, the Pacific Islands, and the Balkans.
How many fellows are selected each year?
Only 25 spaces are available in each annual cohort, making it a genuinely competitive process.
What happens if I’m not selected as a fellow?
Strong applicants are invited to join the NGFP Sensing Network, a global community of more than 900 practitioners that continues to offer opportunities beyond the formal fellowship.
What is the USD 10,000 prize for?
It’s awarded at the end of the fellowship year to a fellow who has made significant progress and contribution to the NGFP community and the wider foresight space.
When does the fellowship actually begin?
Selected fellows go through an orientation in January 2027, with the fellowship year building up through a selection process from July to September 2026 and an official announcement in October 2026.
Are there any regional-specific fellowship spots?
Yes. One space is reserved each year for a fellow from the Balkans, and two spaces are reserved for fellows from the Middle East and North Africa in partnership with the Dubai Future Foundation.
Before You Hit Submit:
If you’re serious about applying, don’t wait until the days before 26 June 2026 to start preparing. Spend real time thinking through how your project connects to long-term, systems-level change, and be honest about which Foresight Transformation Mission it aligns with, if any. The strongest applications tend to come from people who’ve clearly thought past their immediate idea and into where it could lead over the next decade , which is really the whole point of foresight in the first place.
