The Kapor Foundation works at the intersection of racial equity and technology to reimagine and reconstruct a more inclusive and equitable technology sector by expanding access to K-12 computer science and postsecondary tech pathways; improving tech accountability and worker protections; and increasing investments in tech infrastructure and innovation investments. We aim to impact the national technology landscape and to build inclusive tech ecosystems in key regions in Oakland, CA; Atlanta, GA; and Detroit, MI. We do so by conducting or commissioning research to inform the field on disparities in tech and inform equitable tech policy, making strategic grants to mission-aligned organizations and coalitions, and investing in entrepreneurs and funds. 

About the Kapor Foundation Research Fellowship 

Summary  ● Funding:  ○ To Fellow – $40,000 non-renewable award to fellow  ○ To Fellow’s Primary Advisor/Editor/Supervisor – $1000 mid-term award ● Application Deadline: July 12, 2024 at 11:59 pm PST  ● Award Notification: August 15, 2024  ● Recipients’ Credentials Verification Deadline: August 30, 2024  ● Stipend Disbursement: September 15, 2024  ● Award Term: 1 year (August 2024 – July 2025)  ● Applicants:  ○ Dissertation- or thesis-stage graduate students  ○ Journalists completing a long-form investigative report for print publication ● Reporting Requirement:  ○ Dissertation/Thesis Fellowship – Completed dissertation or thesis and presentation at Kapor Foundation fellowship convening  ○ Investigative Reporting Fellowship – Published long-form print or digital article and presentation at off-the-record Kapor Foundation fellowship convening ● Apply here

The 2024-2025 inaugural Kapor Foundation Research Fellowship is our investment in the next generation of researchers investigating issues related to racial equity in tech and interrogating those who have created and work to maintain the current condition of the tech ecosystem. We will award approximately 15 non-renewable grants of $40,000 to graduate student candidates 

writing dissertations or theses (in the final year of their programs) and journalists producing longform investigative reports on issues related to the Kapor Foundation’s four priority areas: 

• CS Education Equity: Black, Latine, and Native students’ access to rigorous and culturally relevant CS education; the capacity of educators and administrators to implement culturally responsive CS pedagogy and curriculum; advocacy for education policy change. 
• Inclusive Pathways to Tech Jobs: Disparities in postsecondary computing education; alternative inclusive pathways to tech jobs; organizations and initiatives expanding access to tech jobs; new models of upskilling, reskilling, and hiring. 
• Tech Accountability: Racial equity in hiring, retention, and promotion at tech companies; valid and reliable data collection on those metrics; tech workplace conditions and worker protections; regulation/accountability of tech companies’ products and privacy practices; mis/disinformation; other related tech policy. 
• Investing in Entrepreneurs and Investors: Lack of capital deployed to entrepreneurs and fund managers from historically excluded groups; investment in entrepreneurship support organizations; deployment of venture capital to entrepreneurs and funds. 

Biases in algorithmic tools, their underlying datasets, and their utilization have profound implications on the lives of individuals from the most marginalized communities, replicating and exacerbating societal inequality. In addition to the broader interest in advancing the Kapor Foundation’s four priority areas, the Foundation is committing specific funding (approximately 3 fellowships of $40,000 for master’s theses, doctoral dissertations, and investigative reporting) across our priority areas towards research and reporting to understand the development, utilization, and implementation of responsible AI to effectively minimize risk, mitigate harm, and harness this powerful technology in such areas as: 

• Responsible AI: Evaluation of responsible AI and tech ethics integration in K-12 education; postsecondary education and alternative pathways readiness towards an AI-enabled workforce; regulation/accountability of tech companies’ AI products and privacy practices; investment in AI-enabled entrepreneurship. 

The topics identified above do not present an exhaustive list of the Kapor Foundation’s research interests. They are provided as examples to help define those broad areas as you determine your project’s fit for the fellowship grant. We are interested in research that fills knowledge gaps and allows us to move circular conversations about computer science (CS) education and the tech ecosystem forward – toward better defined problems and more strategically targeted solutions. We expect research projects (i.e., doctoral dissertations, master’s theses, long-form journalism articles) to be completed during the fellowship term (August 2024 – July 2025). In recognition of the support provided to fellows, we will award a $1000 stipend to a fellow’s primary advisor (dissertation/thesis fellow) or editor (investigative reporting fellow). 

The Kapor Foundation will fund fellows’ sustained writing and analysis activities for projects focused on national or local populations and trends. For local projects, we will prioritize those investigating tech ecosystem-related issues in our key regions (city or state): Oakland, CA; Atlanta, GA; and Detroit, MI. 

Applicant Eligibility 

Dissertation/Thesis Fellowship 

Stipends are intended to support fellows in their final year of data analysis, writing, and defense. While we anticipate that most applicants will come from the humanities, social sciences, public policy, business, and computer science fields, applicants from all disciplines studying topics related to an equitable tech ecosystem in the Kapor Foundation’s four priority areas are welcome to apply. First generation graduate students (i.e., those whose parents do not have a graduate degree) are encouraged to apply. 

Eligible candidates must meet the following criteria: 

• U.S. citizen, permanent resident, or individual granted deferred action status under DACA 
• Completing first master’s or doctoral degree in any field 
• Enrolled in a research-based master’s or doctoral program at an accredited not-for-profit U.S. institution of higher education 
• ABD (all but dissertation) doctoral students or final year master’s students (working towards thesis completion) 
• Have met all departmental and institutional pre-dissertation requirements or pre-thesis requirements (if any) 
• Expect to complete their thesis or dissertation during the fellowship period (August 2024 – July 2025) 

Investigative Reporting Fellowship 

Investigative reporting stipends support fellows’ sustained analysis and writing as they produce deeply researched and reported journalism. The expected output is a long-form narrative or story series that represents a deeper investigation of issues at the intersection of racial equity and accountability in the tech ecosystem (e.g., whistleblowing, ethics, privacy). Complementary multimedia pieces like video or podcasts to encourage wider dissemination of reporting are welcome. 

Eligible candidates must meet the following criteria: 

• U.S. citizen, permanent resident, or individual granted deferred action status under DACA 
• Working journalist (reporter or editor; on staff or freelance) 
• Have at least 5 consecutive years of full-time professional journalism experience ● Published work in newspapers, magazines, or digital media 
• Produced at least 1 feature-length reported piece and 1 long-form article ● Have at least 1 letter of interest or commitment from an editor at a media outlet willing to publish content developed during the fellowship (i.e., the reporting) 

Fellowship Requirements 

Status Update: Fellows will be required to submit a 1-2 page progress report in December, certified by their advisor’s or editor’s signature, and participate in a status update meeting in February 2025. (At submission of the progress report, the $1000 stipend to the advisor or editor will be released.) 

Kapor Foundation Fellows Convening: All fellows must participate in a KF Fellows Convening in Oakland, California during Summer 2025 (exact date TBD) to present their research and outcomes. Travel and lodging expenses will be paid by the Foundation; other expenses must be covered by the awarded funds. 

Final Reports: At the end of the grant period, dissertation/thesis fellows are expected to submit their complete approved thesis or dissertation and a dissemination plan; investigative reporting fellows are expected to submit final copy to us and the media outlet publishing their long-form reporting. In addition, investigative reporting fellows are encouraged to publish a feature-length piece within 6 months of award; this can either be pitched as a precursor to the final reporting or a piece on a consequential related topic. 

Acknowledgement of Funding: Fellows are responsible for assuring that an acknowledgment of Kapor Foundation support is made in any publication (including web pages) of any material based on or developed under this fellowship. 

Post-Fellowship Evaluation: Fellows must participate in fellowship evaluation activities to inform continuous improvement of the Foundation’s initiatives. Evaluation activities will include a post-fellowship survey and may also include focus groups and individual interviews to collect feedback on fellows’ experiences and suggestions for improvement. 

Application Instructions 

Applications must be completed by July 12 at 11:59 pm PST using the online form linked here. 

All fellows will be providing similar information, although information headings or titles differ across dissertation/thesis fellows and investigative fellows’ application sections. All applicants must submit a personal bio, CV or resume, research project summary, and writing samples. At the time of award, dissertation/thesis fellows must submit the signature cover sheet of their dissertation/thesis proposal or another form of verification to certify that it is approved by their dissertation/thesis committee or advisor(s); additional information may be requested of their advisor. At the time of application, investigative reporting fellows must submit a letter of interest or commitment from a media outlet to publish their proposed reporting. 

Document Formatting: 

• File Format: PDF 

• File Naming Convention: LastName, FirstName_KF Fellowship [Document Requested]_MM.DD.YYYY. 

○ Example: Smith, John_KF Fellowship Research Abstract_07.12.2024 ● Margins: 1” all around 

• Spacing: Single-spaced 
• Font: Arial, no smaller than 11 point 
• Page Limits: Vary across requested documents. Figures or citations are allowed and do not count towards page limits. References do not count toward page limits. 

Dissertation/Thesis Fellowship Application Components 

• Contact and demographic information; academic institution, department, and discipline; expected date of graduation 
• Dissertation/Thesis advisor’s contact information 
• Bio (250 words max) 
• Curriculum Vitae (CV) or resume 
• Current transcript (unofficial transcripts acceptable) 
• 2 writing samples 
• Title of the Study (100 characters max) 
• Title Abstract (40 characters max) 
• Dissertation/Thesis Research Question 
• Abstract (250 words max) 
• Dissertation/Thesis Proposal Executive Summary (3-5 pages) 

○ Problem Statement 

○ Significance 

○ Research Plan and Methodology 

○ Implications (Note: Kapor Foundation will be most interested in practical implications, although theoretical implications are welcome.) 

○ References (optional) 

• Dissemination Plan (e.g., potential conference presentations and scholarly journals) (1 page) 

Reminder: Clear, concise, plain writing is often the most compelling and accessible. Do not bury the impact and significance of proposed research in jargon or convoluted writing. 

Investigative Reporting Fellowship Application Components 

• Contact and demographic information; byline name, if different from legal name; current title and employer 
• Editor’s contact information 
• Bio (250 words max) 
• CV or resume 
• Five published work samples from print or digital publications (3 of which must be in written format; 1 of which must be feature-length and 1 of which must be long-form) ● Project headline or blurb (100 characters max) 

• Project Description (i.e., what do you want to investigate; why does the topic or issue matter and to whom; have you or others done significant previous reporting on the topic; and how is your story unique or what does it add to existing work) (2-5 pages) 
• Reporting Plan (e.g., location of reporting, sources, timeline, travel; if data analysis is a major focus of your research and reporting activity, include data sources and methodology; where do you hope to publish and anticipated date for doing so; do you intend to adapt the reporting to other mediums like podcasts or videos) (2-3 pages) 
• Letter of interest or commitment from an editor at a media outlet to publish your reporting ● What percentage of the project budget would this fellowship award represent? 

Selection Process 

The Kapor Foundation research team, in partnership with Foundation focal area leaders, will review completed applications and select dissertation/thesis and investigative reporting fellows based on: 

1. how compelling, significant, and impactful the proposed research is, and
2. alignment to the Foundation’s focal area priorities. 

Fellows will be notified of their awards by August 15, 2024; at that time, additional information will be solicited to facilitate verification of credentials and collect information necessary to disperse stipends. We anticipate fellows receiving the first half of the award funds by September 15, 2024. The second half of the award will be sent after the progress meeting in January 2025. Please note that the Kapor Foundation research team does not have the capacity to provide individual feedback on rejected applications. 

If you have questions, please contact us at research@kaporcenter.org.