As a federally funded exchange visitor program, the Reagan-Fascell Democracy Fellows Program adheres to a number of operational guidelines. This Memorandum of Understanding highlights the primary requirements for participation in the program. Each fellow is required to sign this MOU as part of their incoming procedures.
Full-Time Residency Requirement: Fellows are expected to work full-time on their fellowship projects and to utilize their offices to the fullest extent possible while at the International Forum for Democratic Studies. Reagan-Fascell fellowships are not designed to support extensive fieldwork outside the DC area.
Sources of Income: Fellows may not hold any other fellowships or be otherwise employed without the express permission of the program. Fellows must notify the program if offered additional fellowships, consultancies, or freelance work opportunities that coincide with the fellowship period, or if they continue projects or work relating to their primary site of employment. Failure to do so may result in the revocation of the fellowship.
Conflict of Interest: To avoid conflict of interest, Fellows may not receive concurrent funding from the National Endowment for Democracy, through NED grants, sub-grants, consultancies, or other affiliations. Fellows affiliated with NED grantee organizations must suspend all work on any NED-funded projects during the fellowship period. The Fellow must have familiarity with the terms of NED’s Conflict of Interest Policy and must adhere to its terms.
Participation in Program Activities: Fellows are expected to participate in all seminars, roundtables, field trips, and other events organized on their behalf. In deference to the collegial goals of the program, fellows are expected to attend each other’s presentations, traditionally held at lunchtime as “brownbag” or catered events.
Presentation and Product: Fellows make at least one formal presentation during their stay. Presentations may be open to the public or geared to a more select audience, and they typically focus on the fellows’ area of research project or another topic relating to the state of democracy in their country of interest. Fellows are also expected to complete a written product (article, report, manual, book manuscript, etc.) relating to their research project.
Media Contacts and Other Communications: In the event that fellows speak or write for the public record, they should clarify that they are doing so in their personal capacity and that the views expressed do not necessarily represent the National Endowment for Democracy.
Professional Conduct: Fellows are expected to respect U.S. laws and regulations; to fulfill all personal financial obligations, including apartment leasing contracts, bank accounts, tax payments, and other obligations; to maintain the highest standards of integrity and professionalism in their work, including scrupulous regard for copyright and intellectual property rights; and to abide by the Endowment’s office policies.
Public Funding and the Freedom of Information Act: As a federally funded organization, the Endowment conducts its business in a spirit of transparency and abides by U.S. laws concerning public accountability, including the U.S. Freedom of Information Act (FOIA). Although some information may be exempt, documents pertaining to fellowship projects may become subject to public disclosure through FOIA requests.
Visa: Fellows and their dependents agree to abide by all federal regulations governing their immigration status in the United States. J visa holders should refer to the J Visa Memorandum for details.
