Mozilla Foundation Fellowship 2027–2028 Opens: $125,000 for Technology Innovators
The Mozilla Foundation Fellowship 2027–2028 is open, offering up to US$125,000 over 12 months to individuals building technology that gives people more control over their lives. Run by the U.S.-based Mozilla Foundation, this international, remote fellowship supports technical innovators and a dedicated creative advocacy route.
Mozilla has supported more than 200 fellows across 37 countries since 2011. For this call, your first decision is practical: develop your own independent project or collaborate with a civil society host? This guide explains the funding difference, project fit and application sequence, starting with the Letter of Intent.
01 Which Mozilla fellowship track fits your experience?
Embedded Fellows collaborate with a host; Independent Fellows lead their own project. Embedded suits rising mid-career builders, while Independent targets established innovators ready to lead ambitious work.
| Track and total award | Working arrangement | Personal stipend | Project budget |
|---|---|---|---|
| Embedded — US$100,000 | A project aligned with a civil society host’s challenge. | US$75,000 | US$25,000 |
| Independent — US$125,000 | A self-directed project within the call’s focus areas. | US$100,000 | US$25,000 |
The package also includes programme support, leadership development and paid travel to key fellowship gatherings. The total award includes restricted project spending: use the stipend figure when planning your personal finances.
I would choose the track by the work you can demonstrate and the support you need. A stronger host partnership can be more useful than pursuing the larger award without convincing evidence of independent leadership.
Back to the Mozilla fellowship guide
02 What kinds of technology projects will Mozilla fund?
The call prioritises emerging technology with public benefit and community participation. Its focus areas cover:
- Neurotechnology, biotechnology and physical AI.
- Compute, energy, quantum technology and other hard infrastructure.
- “Raising p(bloom)” — improving AI’s benefits and challenging barriers to participation.
- Business models for a web increasingly shaped by AI agents.
- Shared security and technology-audit infrastructure for small organisations.
- Sovereign AI, public infrastructure and long-term maintenance.
- Creative Advocacy: one Independent Fellowship reserved for a creative campaigner.
- Wildcard: work that advances Mozilla’s mission outside the named themes.
Most proposals must be primarily technical. Creative Advocacy is the stated exception; a general cultural or educational project does not automatically qualify through another theme.
Back to the Mozilla fellowship guide
03 Can international applicants qualify for Mozilla’s fellowship?
International individuals can apply if they can legally receive Mozilla funding and deliver the proposed work. This is a professional project fellowship. The call publishes no required degree or GPA threshold; demonstrated ability matters.
- Funding eligibility: You must be able to enter a grant agreement and receive U.S. funding. Your bank must accept USD; exchange and bank fees may fall to you. Mozilla applies sanctions and conflict-of-interest restrictions.
- Public benefit: Explain who benefits beyond you or your business. Primarily commercial gain, political campaigning and lobbying are excluded under Mozilla’s grant guidelines.
- Host compatibility: Embedded applicants must accommodate the selected host’s working hours. Hosts are BASAibu (Indonesia), Fundación Kamanau (Chile), LAS Art Foundation (Germany), Quantum Village (United States) and Slum & Rural Health Initiative (Nigeria).
- Participation: Allow time for project delivery plus roughly 5–10 hours monthly for cohort activities, with higher commitments around major gatherings. Full-time exclusivity is not required.
Applications must be in English; translation tools are welcome. For Embedded applicants, most hosts accommodate remote participation, but their timezone and location preferences still affect fit.
Back to the Mozilla fellowship guide
04 How do you prepare and submit the Mozilla Letter of Intent?
Submit the online Letter of Intent first; full applications are invitation-only. Prepare these responses and evidence links from the current application:
- Your location, affiliation, relevant experience and public work links where available.
- A project summary, target users, current progress, intended outputs and quarterly milestones.
- Your technical contribution, public benefit, open-working plan, motivation and relevant external support.
I recommend leading with one verifiable example of your work, then explaining how it equips you to deliver this project. Our research proposal guide can help organise that reasoning; Mozilla’s own form controls the submission format.
- Read the current rules. Review the 2027 Mozilla fellowship call and grant eligibility guidelines. Choose your track and resolve funding eligibility before drafting.
- Use the published application questions. The full RFP and host briefs include the LOI questions: the project summary allows 200 words, the one-liner 30 and milestones 150. Embedded applicants explain host fit; Independent applicants choose a focus area.
- Complete Mozilla’s online form. Open the official Letter of Intent portal, enter the required responses and disclose any AI assistance. No application fee is listed.
- Review, submit and retain confirmation. Use the official application FAQs for form guidance. If shortlisted, follow Mozilla’s invitation to submit the full application. Unresolved eligibility questions can go to [email protected].
Back to the Mozilla fellowship guide
05 Which application mistakes should you avoid?
Finalise your responses before submission and preserve your own authorship. Mozilla’s form and AI policy make these practical traps worth addressing:
Submitting a draft: Submitted forms cannot be edited. For saved drafts, keep the unique resume link emailed by FormAssembly.
Outsourcing your answers to AI: Brainstorming, clarification and translation support are permitted; generating complete responses is outside the stated policy. Disclose your use and keep the ideas and voice your own.
Back to the Mozilla fellowship guide
06 Three questions to settle before you apply
Do I need someone to nominate me?
No. You can apply directly, and self-nominations are also welcome. A nomination is an additional route to an invitation to submit a Letter of Intent; it does not replace that submission.
Can I apply with an unlaunched project?
Mozilla’s documents differ on idea-only work. The FAQ says a working product and users are optional, while the RFP discourages idea-only projects except Creative Advocacy. If you have only a concept, ask the fellowship team to clarify your fit.
Will Mozilla own what I create?
Fellows retain ownership of their work. However, fellowship code and non-confidential content must be released under open licences agreed with Mozilla; plan for public sharing from the beginning.
Back to the Mozilla fellowship guide
07 When does the Mozilla fellowship application close?
The last date to submit a Letter of Intent for the Mozilla Foundation Fellowship 2027–2028 is 17 December 2026 at 11:59 PM Pacific Standard Time (UTC−8). Late submissions and extensions are not accepted.
Mozilla plans to invite shortlisted applicants on 16 February 2027. Their full applications are due on 12 March 2027 at 11:59 PM Pacific Standard Time (UTC−8). Final applicants are notified on 30 April, and the 12-month fellowship begins on 1 June 2027.
