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Springfield LGBTQIA+ Congressional Fellowship

American Psychological Association

The purpose of the Springfield LGBTQIA+ Congressional Fellowship is to provide psychologists with an invaluable public policy learning experience; to contribute to the more effective use of psychological knowledge in government; and to broaden awareness about the value of psychology-government interaction among psychologists and within the federal government.

Through a generous bequest to the American Psychological Foundationopens in new window (APF) from Franklyn Springfield, PhD, that established the FS LGBTQIA+ Awareness Fund, APA administers this APF-funded program for a congressional fellow. Applicants for this fellowship must have a background or interest in psychology as it pertains to health, wellbeing and civil rights of LGBTQIA+ populations. Fellowship activities may involve drafting legislation, conducting oversight work, assisting with congressional hearings and events, and preparing briefs and speeches. Fellows also attend a two-week orientation program on congressional and executive branch operations, which provides guidance for the congressional placement process, and participate in a yearlong seminar series on science and public policy issues. The American Association for the Advancement of Science administers these professional development activities for the APA fellows and for fellows sponsored by over two dozen other professional societies.

APF will sponsor one Springfield LGBTQIA+ Congressional Fellow for a one-year appointment beginning approximately August 30, 2027. The fellowship stipend is $93,750. In addition, the fellowship provides reimbursement for health insurance coverage and a $3,500 stipend for professional development.

Springfield was a clinical psychologist who was passionate about gay rights and the need to publicize the findings of psychological research, not only within the academic community, but to the public at large. Springfield believed that education and awareness are critical tools in the fight against stigma and prejudice. He received his PhD in clinical psychology at a time when homosexuality was still considered a mental illness and often said that his admission to his doctoral program was the only time he ever lied about his sexuality. Springfield passed away in April 2020 after a long illness and he was predeceased by his husband Peter MacNamara. Both of them were committed to APF, to the cause of gay rights, and to the two funds they established at APF, the Franklyn Springfield Research Fund and the FS LGBTQIA+ Awareness Fund. Springfield arranged for the funds to last at least fifty years, ensuring that the scholarships and publicity would have long-lasting impact.

How to Apply

A complete application must include the following:

A completed online application. Submitting the application will require uploading and submitting the following materials electronically:
1. A detailed curriculum vita providing information about educational background, professional employment and activities, professional publications and presentations, public policy and legislative experience, and committee and advisory group appointments.
2. A statement of approximately 1,000 words addressing the applicant's interests in the fellowship, career goals, and what the applicant can contribute to and learn from the fellowship experience.
3. A letter of recommendation to be uploaded and submitted by a recommender: Letters should specifically address the applicant’s ability to serve successfully on Capitol Hill as a congressional fellow. Applicants are responsible for forwarding the recommendation submission form to their recommenders.

AI Based Application Success Predictor

1. Direct psychology/behavioral-science relevance ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐

The project should have psychology or behavioral science at its core, rather than merely using a psychological questionnaire as a small component.

Strong areas include:

Clinical psychology
Counseling psychology
Health psychology
Behavioral medicine
Cognitive psychology
Developmental psychology
Social psychology
Educational psychology
Neuropsychology
Community psychology
Industrial/organizational psychology
Forensic psychology
Psychological assessment
Mental-health interventions
Behavioral health

A general medical study with no substantial psychological/behavioral research question would have weak APA alignment.

2. Important psychological or behavioral-health problem ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐

A competitive proposal should address a clearly defined problem.

Examples include:

Anxiety
Depression
Trauma
Stress
Addiction/substance use
Suicide prevention
Chronic pain and psychological functioning
Behavioral health disparities
Child/adolescent mental health
Aging and cognition
Health behavior
Sleep and psychological health
Social isolation
Workplace mental health
Learning and educational outcomes

The proposal should establish:

Important problem → evidence gap → research question → expected benefit.

3. Scientific merit ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐

A strong APA-oriented proposal should have a clearly defined research question or hypothesis.

Reviewers should understand:

What is known?
What is unknown?
Why does the gap matter?
What theory or model guides the research?
What will the study test?
What new knowledge will be generated?

A particularly strong proposal connects psychological theory with empirical testing.

4. Societal and patient impact ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐

Research is strengthened when the findings can improve:

Mental-health outcomes
Psychological functioning
Quality of life
Prevention
Treatment
Educational outcomes
Workplace well-being
Family functioning
Community health
Public-health policy

For example:

Risk factor → psychological mechanism → intervention → improved mental-health outcome

provides a strong impact pathway.

5. Methodological rigor ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐

Competitive psychology research should use appropriate and transparent methods.

Important elements include:

Clearly defined population
Validated psychological measures
Appropriate comparison groups
Adequate sample size
Appropriate statistical methods
Longitudinal design where necessary
Appropriate handling of missing data
Predefined primary outcomes
Reproducible procedures
Ethical protections

For intervention studies, consider:

Randomization
Control condition
Treatment fidelity
Blinding where feasible
Follow-up assessment

6. Innovation ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐

Innovation can come from the research question, theory, methodology, intervention, population, or technology.

Potentially strong areas include:

Digital mental health

Mobile interventions
Telepsychology
Digital therapeutics
AI-assisted behavioral interventions

Psychological assessment

Novel assessment tools
Digital phenotyping
Computational assessment

Behavioral science

New models of health behavior
Social/behavioral mechanisms
Decision-making

Clinical psychology

New intervention approaches
Personalized psychological treatment
Prevention models

Innovation should be more than simply applying a new technology; it should address an important psychological problem.

7. Investigator qualifications and mentorship ⭐⭐⭐⭐☆

Research experience and appropriate mentorship can be important, particularly for early-career investigators.

Strong applicants demonstrate:

Relevant academic training
Research experience
Publications
Methodological expertise
Clinical experience where appropriate
Appropriate statistical expertise
Strong mentorship

For junior investigators, the proposal should show how the funding will help establish an independent research trajectory.

8. Diversity, equity and underserved populations ⭐⭐⭐⭐☆

Depending on the specific APA program, research addressing disparities can be particularly compelling.

Potential areas include:

Mental-health disparities
Access to psychological services
Culturally responsive interventions
Underserved communities
Rural populations
Socioeconomic disparities
Disability
Aging populations
Children and adolescents
Historically underrepresented groups

However, diversity should be incorporated meaningfully into the research question and methodology, rather than added as a superficial statement.

9. Feasibility ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐

The project should demonstrate access to:

Appropriate participants
Clinical/community settings
Psychological assessment tools
Research staff
Statistical support
Data-management infrastructure
Intervention facilities where required

A focused project that can produce meaningful preliminary data is often more convincing than an overly ambitious study.

10. Dissemination and future research ⭐⭐⭐⭐☆

A strong project should have potential beyond the immediate grant.

Possible trajectory:

Pilot study → preliminary evidence → larger grant → multicenter study → clinical/community implementation

Useful outputs include:

Peer-reviewed publications
Conference presentations
Validated assessment tools
Intervention protocols
Clinical guidance
Educational resources
Community implementation

Specialties

Psychology

Eligibility Requirements

A prospective fellow must:

Demonstrate excellence in scientific and/or professional psychology related to LGBTQIA+ populations.
Demonstrate knowledge of policy issues.
Have a strong interest in applying psychological knowledge to public policies.
Be able to work quickly and communicate effectively on a wide variety of topics and be able to work cooperatively with individuals with diverse viewpoints.
Commit to working full-time in an in-person office environment in Washington, D.C. with a schedule to be determined by their respective congressional office placement. Fellows may not pursue concurrent professional employment or volunteer opportunities that conflict with the schedules set by their congressional office placements.

An applicant must:

Have a doctorate in psychology (from an APA accredited doctoral program and internship, if in the area of professional psychology) or related field by the application deadline.
Be a psychologist, a member of APA (or applicant for membership), and a U.S. citizen.

A special exception is made for current psychology interns who may apply with certification from the director of training in their doctoral program that they have met all but the internship requirement for their doctoral degree by the application deadline.

Eligible Countries:

United States

Sponsor Details

Sponsor Institute/Organizations: American Psychological Association

Sponsor Type: Corporate/Non-Profit

Address: 750 First St. NE, Washington, DC 20002-4242

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