Next Generation Foresight Practitioners (NGFP) Fellowship 2027 – Funding, Benefits & How to Apply
Are you a young professional passionate about shaping the future and solving global challenges? The NGFP Fellowship 2027 (Next Generation Foresight Practitioners Fellowship) is now open for applications. This global opportunity supports emerging changemakers using futures thinking and foresight to drive social and environmental impact.
With funding, mentorship, global networking, and the chance to win up to $10,000, this is a powerful opportunity to build your career in foresight and innovation.
Key Details (At a Glance)
- Programme: NGFP Fellowship 2027
- Provider: Next Generation Foresight Practitioners (NGFP)
- Duration: 1 year
- Funding: $1,000 starter grant + $10,000 final prize opportunity
- Eligibility: Ages 18–35 (or older with <1 year foresight experience)
- Location: Global
- Deadline: 26 June 2026 (23:59 GMT+1)
Are you a young professional passionate about shaping the future and solving global challenges? The NGFP Fellowship 2027 (Next Generation Foresight Practitioners Fellowship) is now open for applications. This global opportunity supports emerging changemakers using futures thinking and foresight to drive social and environmental impact.
With funding, mentorship, global networking, and the chance to win up to $10,000, this is a powerful opportunity to build your career in foresight and innovation.
If you’re interested in becoming an NGFP Fellow, please submit your application by 23:59 GMT+1 on 26 June 2026. Got questions? Join an upcoming Q&A session or watch recordings of past sessions here, or send an email to fellowship@nextgenforesight.org
Every year we invite a diverse group of visionary young professionals who have just begun to explore the futures and foresight field to apply to our NGFP Fellowship journey. We welcome applications from individuals and teams aged 18-35 who are beginning to explore the futures and foresight field and those over 35 with less than one year of experience in the sector.
Foresight is a systematic way of engaging with uncertainty by exploring alternative futures, including aspirational ones. As a discipline, it has the potential to shape the future. It is not about predicting the future, but understanding your current and future operating environment. Insights gained from foresight equip communities and organisations to recognise and respond to emerging threats and opportunities by developing enhanced competitiveness, resilience and agility.
A foresight practitioner is anyone who takes a futures approach to their work to explore and understand the impacts of longer-term factors and drivers of change on the future, to understand better how different futures might evolve, and to generate insights for decisions made today.
We are interested in emerging practitioners who are using futures and foresight in collaborative ways for social and environmental good.
The NGFP Fellowship begins with a one-year journey of project support, collaboration and learning in community. It’s book-ended with a small kick-starter fund USD 1,000 in the beginning and a chance to win a grand prize of USD 10,000 at the end for significant progress and contribution to the NGFP community and wider emerging foresight space.
What the Fellowship offers
- A USD 1,000 kick-started fund to support your project
- A platform to connect with like-minded people from around the world
- A project partner (usually an expert foresight practitioner)
- Foresight capability building via our introductory training course
- Bi-weekly news & opportunity emails, including information about grants to develop your changemaking projects
- Opportunity to be part of regional or thematic hubs
- Opportunity to participate in relevant futures and foresight events and projects
- Opportunity to run for a USD 10,000 prize at the end of the fellowship year
We invite you to apply if you are
- Young professionals (18-35 years old) at the beginning of your futures and foresight journey, and those who are older with under one year experience in futures and foresight.
- Looking to expand your futures & foresight knowledge and network.
- Committed to community and network building.
- Working on a brave, pioneering, futures-focused project idea for lasting change at the systems level in your communities or globally, and can be enhanced, scaled, impact deepened by using foresight.
- Collaborative life-long learners with a long-term vision for impact (at least 10 years ahead).
- From anywhere in the world, especially those anchored in Asia and Africa – including Middle East and North Africa (MENA), the Caribbean, Central and South America, the Pacific Islands and the Balkans.
We are particularly enthusiastic about applications from those working on the world’s most complex issues, or what we call Foresight Transformation Missions. They are: Climate & Just Transitions, Democracy & Sustainable Development, Emerging Technologies, Futures Methods From Around the World & Indigenous Futures, Health, Intergenerational Fairness, Nuclear Security & Peacebuilding, and Rural Futures.
While we receive many brilliant applications, the fellowship is competitive and we only have 25 spaces in each annual cohort. However, we invite all top applicants to become part of the NGFP Sensing Network – a global network of 900+ practitioners, of which 188 are fellows. See the opportunities you can access as an NGFP network member.
Regional Fellowships
Each year, we reserve one space for a fellow from the Balkans in memory of our late colleague Sophie Middlemiss, and two spaces for fellows from the Middle East and North Africa, in partnership with the Dubai Future Foundation. Click the buttons below to find out more about each regional fellowships.
Timeline
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20 April 2026Applications open
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26 June 2026Applications close
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July – September 2026Judging and selection process
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October 2026Fellows announced
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December 2026SOIF community event
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January 2027NGFP Fellows orientation
Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs)
About the NGFP Fellowship
- Is the NGFP Fellowship the same as the NGFP Awards?
NGFP has transitioned from what was initially an awards programme to a fellowship and dynamic network. The change was made to better reflect the comprehensive experience that NGFP fellows go on throughout the programme. This means, after being selected, our fellows not only receive a small grant to be able to dedicate more time to their projects, but also embark on a year-long journey of learning and exchange. With the fellowship, they gain invaluable skills, build relationships, and develop and strengthen their foresight projects to generate meaningful transformation in their communities.
- Can groups, co-founders or pairs apply?
Applicants can only make one entry to the Fellowship, either as an individual or as part of a team of up to five individuals with a lead applicant. All team members are considered fellows and will be part of our network, and be invited to participate in most activities. However, there will be only one kick-starter grant and project partner allocated per group, which the lead applicant will be responsible for managing.
- Who can apply?
Anyone between 18 and 35 years old, as well as those who are older, but have less than one year experience using foresight. We strive to have a truly global cohort each year, and we particularly encourage applications from those living in Asia and Africa – including the Middle East and North Africa, the Caribbean, Latin America, Pacific Islands, and the Balkans. We also encourage applications from those working on the world’s most complex issues, or what we call Foresight Transformation Missions. Every year, we ensure spaces for two fellows under 25 years old. In 2025, we will reserve one spot within our cohort to a fellow from the Balkans in honour of our late colleague Sophie Middlemiss, who passed away in 2021 and was passionate about the region. And for the second year, we’re also reserving space in the fellowship for two emerging practitioners from the MENA region, in partnership with Dubai Future Foundation. Visit this page to see the profiles of fellows from previous years.
- How many fellowships are available?
We have 25 fellowships this year.
- What does a successful application look like?
You must have a project or idea with a clear theory of change of how you will use futures and foresight methods to create better alternative futures. You should be able to demonstrate how you will engage your community in your project and explain how insights of the future will help you create positive change in your local, regional, or global community today. We are very interested in knowing why being part of the NGFP Network is important for you and the development of your project. We want to see a long-term vision for impact (at least 10 years ahead), and enthusiasm for network and community building. And if you are completely new to foresight, we would like to hear more about what has motivated you to start your project.
- Can my application focus on any area or sector?
Yes, we welcome applications from any area of expertise or sector, as long as they use futures and foresight approaches to address relevant issues and create positive transformation. However, we believe that certain global issues require urgent attention and close collaboration across sectors and generations to be properly addressed. These are our Foresight Transformation Missions and we will prioritise applications working on one of these seven themes: Climate & Just Transitions, Democracy & Sustainable Development, Emerging Technologies, Futures Methods from Around the World & Indigenous Futures, Intergenerational Fairness, Nuclear Security, and Peacebuilding. In future years, it is possible that some of these Foresight Transformation Missions will remain a priority, others might be deprioritized, and new ones can be added, depending on the signals we are identifying and the choices of our members.
- Who will judge my application?
Our judges are a diverse and international group of foresight experts, activists, innovators and ambassadors. They are invited to join the judging panel due to their deep commitment to our values and their desire to support the next generation to become an active participant in shaping the future. Judges are responsible for assessing the Fellowship applications, evaluating projects and selecting those who will participate in our fellowship journey. Many of our judges are so passionate about NGFP that they end up becoming project partners to our fellows. See judges’ profiles from previous years.
- What funding is available?
At the beginning of the Fellowship journey, each individual or team receives a USD 1,000 kick-started fund to develop and accelerate their project. By the end of their one-year journey, they have the chance to run for a USD 10,000 prize.
- Who are the project partners?
Project partners can be members from the Judges network or experienced members from the NGFP network. They are matched according to your and their needs, focus and request.
- I am not a foresight practitioner, can I still apply for the NGFP Fellowship?
Yes, you can still apply. We understand that the term futures and foresight may not be familiar to everyone, yet many are unknowingly applying futures thinking to their work. There is no need for everyone to be knowledgeable about these terms or to use futures methods in the same way. We value plurality and if your project in any way relates to the future, you may be eligible to become a fellow. Please see our definitions of futures and foresight and the projects our Fellows work on to understand if your work can be qualified for our Fellowship.
- What if I am younger than 18 years old?
If you are between 12-17 years old but would like to get involved, you can apply for the NGFP Young Voices Award, a partnership with Teach the Future.
- What if I’m older than 35 years old?
We ask for applicants to be between the ages of 18-35 OR have less than one year of futures and foresight experience, as we want to champion and promote youth voices and those who are newer to the foresight space. It’s one of the values of NGFP to ensure younger voices are represented in decision-making spaces and to elevate and amplify their perspectives, in a world saturated by older, less diverse opinions. That’s why we strive to protect the space the Fellowship creates for newer, emerging practitioners.
- I’m not ready to apply for the fellowship, but I still want to participate in the NGFP network. How can I get involved?
We accept applications from those with ideas or work aligned with our mission, so if you feel like you have something to contribute, don’t hesitate to apply. You can also sign up to our newsletter to stay up-to-date with the latest news from the NGFP network.
- What if my application is not selected?
If your application does not make it to the final selection of this highly competitive process, it means that you are not selected to participate in our Fellowship journey this year. However, this is far from being the end of your story with us. If your application is considered high-quality, is future-focused, and demonstrates alignment with our vision of a better, fairer, and more equitable world, you can still become a member of our NGFP Network. As a member of one of the largest global networks of next generation foresight practitioners in the world, you will have access to a variety of opportunities! And, of course, you can always apply again in the future to become a fellow – many fellows become so after a year in the network. See the opportunities you can access as an NGFP member
- If I’m not chosen, can I apply again during a future round?
Yes, if you are not selected to be a fellow, you can still become a member of our NFGP network, and apply to become a fellow in future editions. Judges will want to see amendments/updates in your application. Read more here.
About the Foresight Transformation Missions (FTM)
- What are the benefits of applying for one of the FTM Fellowships?
Due to the Missions’ alignment with SOIF’s wider work, there may be opportunities for collaboration in projects and with the wider SOIF team, which will be compensated. We highlight the top two FTM Fellows on our website each year and prioritise their involvement and leadership within the thematic Hubs. We aim to always involve FTM Fellows with any related work, proposals or possible funding that comes via NGFP.
- What if my project is not related to a Foresight Transformation Mission?
You can still apply for our Fellowship even if your project is not related to one of our Foresight Transformation Missions. We will invite between 10-11 fellows to join who are not affiliated with any of the Missions.
- What is the role of judges in the Foresight Transformation Missions?
The judges will help to identify if your project is aligned to one of our Missions. The judges selected for the Mission panels have expertise, interest or experience in the Mission areas.
About the Application Process
- What can I do to increase the chances of success for my fellowship application?
You can read all the information available at our website, take a look at previous Fellows projects, check SOIF’s website to explore different projects we are working on. Additionally, you are welcome to attend one of our live Q&As where you can ask questions and gain information and insight from previous fellows, judges and the NGFP team. You can watch past Q&As and sign up for upcoming ones here.
- Is English proficiency required to apply for the Fellowship?
Yes, our programme is conducted in English. You don’t need to be fluent in English but need to be able to communicate comprehensively. Applications won’t be judged by your level of language proficiency.
- Will I receive updates on the status of my application before final decisions are made or feedback if I’m not selected?
Unfortunately, at the moment we don’t have the capacity to provide updates or individual feedback to each applicant.
- I’ve previously applied and was not successful, but would like to apply again this year. Can I request feedback on my previous application?
We are unable to provide individual feedback on previous applications. However, we encourage you to attend our Q&A sessions and to read more about our existing fellows, their projects, and our foresight projects to gain further insight into our Fellowship and application process.
Technical questions
- I’m having trouble with the application process. What should I do?
Please send an email to fellowship@nextgenforesight.org with the details (and screenshot) of the challenge.
- How can I receive regular updates of the NGFP Fellowship?
Any updates pertaining to your application will be sent to the email address you provide us. For other general updates about the programme, please sign up to the NGFP Newsletter here.
Terms & Conditions
Definitions
In the Terms & Conditions of the Next Generation Foresight Practitioners (NGFP) Fellowship, the following definitions apply:
‘NGFP Fellowship’ means the Next Generation Foresight Practitioner Fellowship organised by School of International Futures Ltd
‘SOIF’ means School of International Futures Ltd
‘The Event’ means either the ‘SOIF2023 or SOIF2024 Strategic Foresight Summer Retreat in Strategic Foresight’. For more information visit soif.org.uk/retreat
‘Entrant’ means an individual applicant or individual applying on behalf of a group of individuals. Where an individual is applying on behalf of a group, the individual acknowledges that they have the full consent of all individuals to make the application.
Entering the NGFP Fellowship
(i) The Fellowship
The NGFP Fellowship is organised by School of International Futures Ltd, Onega House, 112 Main Road, Sidcup, DA14 6NE United Kingdom.
To enter the NGFP Fellowship please follow the instructions online at apply.nextgenforesight.org
By entering the NGFP Fellowship, the entrant will be deemed to have read and understood the terms and conditions of ‘Fellowship Entry’ and be bound by both terms and conditions.
The deadline for all entries to the Fellowship is 23:59 GMT+1 on 31 July 2025. Entries received after this deadline may not be processed.
(ii) Entrants
Qualifying entrants must be between 18 and 35 years old on 31 July 2025 or have less than one year experience working in strategic foresight.
Qualifying entrants can only make one entry to the Fellowship, either individually or as part of a group of individuals. Groups can be up to 5 individuals. Responsibility for sharing any financial or other benefits will remain the responsibility of the lead applicant.
Entries may not be submitted by a third party.
Upon written request, or through the application platform, entries may be withdrawn by the entrant prior to 23:59 GMT+1 on Thursday, 31 July 2025.
(iii) General
By submitting an entry, you confirm that: you are entitled to enter and have obtained all and any consents, permissions and authorisations that may be required in order for you to enter; the information contained in the submission is accurate and truthful.
Submissions must be the works of the entrant, must not be copied, must not contain any third-party materials and/or content that you do not have permission to use and must not otherwise be obscene, defamatory or in breach of any applicable legislation or regulations. If we have reason to believe your entry is not your own work or otherwise breaches this paragraph, then we may decide not to consider it.
Submissions that are AI-generated will not be accepted.
No fee is required to enter the Fellowship.
Entrants are responsible for the cost (if any) of sending your entry or nomination to us.
All category entries must be submitted in English and submitted electronically with supporting documents (if applicable) using the online Application Form. Any entry received by any other means including via email, fax, post or hand delivered will not be accepted unless prior permission has been agreed. Entries received in other languages may be processed at the discretion of SOIF.
Neither SOIF nor the NGFP judges accept responsibility or liability for any lost, late, mislaid or incomplete entries with all such entries deemed invalid. For the purpose of doubt, proof of dispatch shall not be accepted as proof of entry.
SOIF reserves the right to not process entries that are illegible or incomplete or those that do not meet the entry criteria.
Entrants may, at SOIF’s discretion, be disqualified and not considered due to ethical or moral considerations.
SOIF reserves the right at any time and from time to time to modify or discontinue, temporarily or permanently, the Fellowship or any feature thereof with or without prior notice due to reasons outside its control (including, without limitation, in the case of anticipated, suspected, or actual fraud).
SOIF accepts no responsibility for any damage, loss, liabilities, injury or disappointment incurred or suffered by you as a result of entering the Award. Nothing in these terms and conditions shall exclude the liability of SOIF under law for fraud or fraudulent misrepresentation, or for death or personal injury resulting from its negligence.
SOIF shall not be liable for any failure to comply with its obligations relating to the awards or where the failure is caused by something outside its reasonable control. Such circumstances shall include, but not be limited to, weather conditions, fire, flood, hurricane, strike, industrial dispute, war, hostilities, political unrest, riots, civil commotion, inevitable accidents, supervening legislation or any other circumstances amounting to force majeure.
The Fellowship and these terms and conditions shall be governed by English law and entrants submit to the exclusive jurisdiction of the English courts.
(iv) Judging and Selection
SOIF, their advisors and the NGFP Judging Panel will produce a shortlist of entrants for the NGFP Fellowship.
Fellowship entries must take account of any word limits specified in the Judging Criteria. Any Fellowship entry that exceeds a stated word limit may, at SOIF’s discretion, be disqualified and not considered.
Judging will take place through a panel process. Panels will comprise a minimum of three judges. Each panel will select will select the candidates to put through to a final selection round for the Fellowship. Judges also have the option to nominate a wildcard to go through if they deem the entry to be particularly innovative.
The judging process will be undertaken by members of the NGFP Judges Network in August and September 2025 . The final selection panels are expected to take place in October 2025. Fellows will be announced by November 2025.
To make their judgements, each judge will independently rank the shortlisted nominees, marking each entry against how it meets the judging criteria (the “Judging Criteria”).
Judges will then compare scores and debate the merits of each entry before deciding collaboratively on the top entries.
The final selection panel will include at least two members who are independent of SOIF. They will select the fellows. Judges may choose to invite entrants to take part in a short interview with a judging panel as part of the judging process.
The judges’ decision is final and no negotiations or correspondence with entrants will be entered into. Entrants to the Fellowship and nominees for the Fellowship must not contact, or try to contact, the judges in any way in connection with the Fellowship, or otherwise try to influence the judges’ selection.
(v) Criteria
Judging will be conducted based on the information provided in the application form. Entrants are required to complete all steps of the application.
Eligibility for the Fellowship will be determined at the discretion of SOIF based on submitted information, judges scoring, and any additional information gathered from any interviews or references.
For the Fellowship, eligible entrants will be judged based on two application sections. Project proposals must be for a new initiative or a new phase to an existing initiative that has not been started prior to entry. For each step, in addition to the criteria specified on the Application form which can be accessed at apply.nextgenforesight.org our judges will be looking for evidence of: measurable and sustained impact; a participative approach; innovation in foresight; and a clear understanding of the need, opportunity or challenge.
(vi) Copyright
The named entrant of each submission owns the copyright to that entry. If another person or organisation is the author of your entry, you warrant that you have received an assignment of all associated copyright to your entry from that person. SOIF may ask to see evidence of that assignment at any time.
In consideration of SOIF agreeing to consider your entry for the Fellowship, each entrant: (a) grants SOIF a royalty-free licence to copy, edit, display, publish, broadcast and make available their entry in any format in connection with the Fellowship; (b) agrees that SOIF may publish their name in connection with SOIF’s use of the entry; (c) warrants that the work submitted with their entry is their own or the relevant organisation’s original work, that it is not defamatory and that it does not infringe any third-party rights; (d) and agrees that SOIF may grant to its partners and/or associated companies a sub-licence of the rights licensed to SOIF under these terms and conditions on such terms as SOIF shall agree in its sole discretion.
To support efforts to showcase entrants, their submissions and insights from the award, entrants may be asked to participate in publication and promotional activity on SOIF’s reasonable request. All forms of replication will have entrant names clearly associated with the content.
Winners of the Fellowship consent to the use by SOIF and its related companies, both before and after the closing date of the Fellowship for an unlimited time, of their voice, image, photograph and name for publicity purposes (in any medium, including still photographs and films, and on the internet, including any websites hosted by SOIF and its related companies) and in advertising, marketing or promotional material without additional compensation or prior notice. In submitting an entry or consenting to a nomination, all entrants consent to the same.
(vi) Data Protection
SOIF shall use and take care of any personal information you supply to it as described in its privacy policy, a copy of which can be seen here, and in accordance with data protection legislation. By entering the Fellowship or making a nomination, you agree to the collection, retention, usage and distribution of your personal information in order to process and contact you about your Fellowship entry, and for the purposes of administering the Fellowship.
By submitting an entry for the Fellowship, the participant acknowledges and gives consent on behalf of all persons mentioned on the submission form and all representatives attending events associated with the awards to have their details processed and entered into a database owned by SOIF. Information will be used for the purposes of judging.
Entrants’ details will be used by SOIF to help us process your entry more efficiently and to keep you informed of information in relation to this Fellowship. We will never sell your information to any third parties; however we may make data available to sponsors and selected partners to support monitoring and evaluation in relation to the Fellowship.
By entering the NGFP Fellowship, all entrants have agreed to allow the details of their entry to be shared with the judges of NGFP and representatives of SOIF. All entrants will be deemed to have consented to the transfer and sharing of their personal, company and project data and information for the purpose of administration, judging, monitoring and evaluation of the Fellowship and any other purposes to which the entrant has consented.
Entrants might be contacted by SOIF prior to announcement of the Fellowship to gather further detail on their entry. This is for the purposes of collecting and reviewing content to be provided on SOIF’s websites and in any supplement which is published, at SOIF’s sole discretion, in public media after the Fellowship.
Any entrant to the Fellowship may be contacted by SOIF for the purposes of verifying their identity and confirming their inclusion in the process. Participants may also opt-in to join the Next Generation Foresight Practitioners mailing list which provides information on the Fellowship, and/or SOIF’s mailing list which provides information on SOIF’s services as well as upcoming events.
For more global fellowship opportunities like this, visit the Opportunities for Youth website https://opportunitiesforyouth.org/?s=fellowship
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