Aspen is a place for leaders to lift their sights above the possessions which possess them. To confront their own nature as human beings, to regain control over their own humanity by becoming more self-aware, more self-correcting, and hence more self-fulfilling.

Walter P. Paepcke, Aspen Institute Co-Founder

Aspen Institute Launches Applications for Fellowship Focused on Power of Religion for Positive Social Change 

10 rising leaders to be selected by Aspen Institute Religion & Society Program as the inaugural cohort of Aspen Religion Fellows 

Washington, DC, April 2, 2026 – The Aspen Institute’s Religion & Society Program (RSP) invites applications for the first cohort of Aspen Religion Fellows. This 18-month fellowship is designed to develop leaders who understand the rich diversity of religion in American life and who can bring to bear the power of pluralism in the spaces where they live and work. The fellowship builds upon RSP’s legacy of helping Americans harness the power of religion as a source of social trust and a catalyst for positive social change in both local communities and in our national life.

Applications may be submitted online and the application window will be open until May 1, 2026 at 11:59 PM EDT.

The fellowship seeks 10 exceptional rising leaders, ages 25 to 40, across five areas: Climate, Clerical Leadership, Media, Nonprofit Leadership, and Social Trust. The cohort will convene in person three times—Oct. 4-7, 2026, in Washington, DC; March 14-17, 2027, in Chicago, and June 27 – July 1, 2027, in Aspen, CO for the 2027 Aspen Ideas Festival. Each fellow will receive $15,000 to create and implement a pluralism project in the context of their work, and candidates will ideally demonstrate strong capacity to work across differences and be energized by opportunities to listen, learn, and cooperate respectfully with those from other traditions.

“Religion is always in the room,” said Josh Good, Director of the Religion & Society Program, “and yet we don’t see widespread efforts to view religious traditions as a source of strength.” Ellen Garfinkle, Program Associate with RSP, will coordinate the fellowship, and “she’s really the ideal person to support these rising leaders. Religious identity can sometimes be stereotyped or overlooked in public life, but for tens of millions of Americans spiritual faith remains their deepest commitment. This fellowship will bring opportunities to harness those values in ways that build social trust.”

As America commemorates the 250th anniversary of the signing of the Declaration of Independence, this Aspen Religion Fellowship seeks to capitalize on a unique moment by engaging with our religious diversity—including both positive and negative expressions. The Institute has for 75 years cultivated values-driven leaders, and Religion Fellows will join a wide network of leaders who have wrestled with the question of what it means to lead with vision, build trust, and advance the common good.

A multi-year grant of $1.5 million from the Templeton Religion Trust (TRT) is the launch gift for the program. “Pluralism calls us to go beyond just tolerance and engage deeper in real relationships and honest understanding,” said Kimon Sargeant, TRT Vice President for Strategy and Programs. “This fellowship will do just that: develop leaders across vocations who can help us move from mere coexistence to building a world that honors curiosity, mutual respect, and the encouragement of faith. Just as Sir John Templeton called us higher, we hope these fellows will also help pave the way forward.”

Alongside RSP staff, seven distinguished advisors will select the fellows and support the cohort during their fellowship:

  • Rev. Frederick A. Davie, Senior Executive Vice President, Union Theological Seminary
  • Dr. Elaine Howard Ecklund, Herbert S, Autrey Chair in Social Sciences, Rice University
  • Dr. Katharine Hayhoe, Horn Distinguished Professor and Endowed Chair in Public Policy and Public Law, Texas Tech University
  • Miranda Kennedy, Executive Producer, Vox Today
  • Imam Mohamed Magid, Executive Imam, All Dulles Area Muslim Society
  • Will Saletan, The Bulwark
  • Rabbi David Saperstein, Director Emeritus, Religious Action Center of Reform Judaism

For more information on the Aspen Religion Fellowship and to submit applications visit: https://www.aspeninstitute.org/programs/religion-society-program/aspen-religion-fellows-2/

About the Religion & Society Program 

The Religion & Society Program (RSP) was created at the Aspen Institute in 2011 to convene, catalyze, and research important challenges and opportunities at the convergence of religion, culture, and justice. The program supports journalists, clerics, philanthropists, and rising leaders in better understanding religious diversity and the power of religion’s role in the world. For more information, visit https://www.aspeninstitute.org/programs/religion-society-program/. 

About the Aspen Institute

The Aspen Institute is a global nonprofit organization whose purpose is to ignite human potential to build understanding and create new possibilities for a better world. Founded in 1949, the Institute drives change through dialogue, leadership, and action to help solve society’s greatest challenges. It is headquartered in Washington, DC and has a campus in Aspen, Colorado, as well as an international network of partners. For more information, visit aspeninstitute.org.