Call for Applications for Public Service Leaves
About the Program: Public Service Leaves
Public Service Leaves provide funding to enable Harvard faculty to take a leave to work in government or a nonprofit organization.
Harvard Impact Labs will cover faculty salary and benefits for one semester (up to $175,000), enabling faculty to extend their leaves for a full year. Limited support for travel and housing may also be available, but total support including salary, benefits, and other expenses is capped at $175,000.
Applications are due September 18, 2026. We expect most applicants will be applying for leaves in academic year 2027-2028. Please contact us if you are considering taking a leave either before or after academic year 2027-2028.
Questions and expressions of interest may be submitted at any time to PublicServiceLeaves@hks.harvard.edu. We can provide support planning the focus of your leave or finding a host organization.
Eligibility
Faculty who are tenured, tenure-track, or full-time Professors of the Practice or Professors in Residence are eligible. Both Quad and non-Quad HMS and HSDM professors are eligible. Funding is contingent on having the consent of your department Chair and Dean or their equivalent. We encourage you to consult your school’s faculty handbook for its policy on sabbaticals and leaves.
Evaluation Criteria
Competitive applicants will clearly articulate:
- How the experience will enhance their understanding of a compelling social problem and lead to important insights that will inform their research, teaching, and advising.
- How the placement benefits the host organization and the public.
- Who the host organization is and that they are already in conversation with them. Faculty who are interested in this program but have not yet identified a host organization may email PublicServiceLeaves@hks.harvard.edu for assistance in finding a placement before they apply.
Finally, competitive applicants will:
- Demonstrate a commitment to both scholarly research and public service;
- Exhibit curiosity, humility, and a learning mindset; and
- Recognize and appreciate the complementary expertise of their host organization.
Application Timeline
- April: Request for applications is issued
- April-May – Virtual information sessions
- September 18: Applications due
- October: Applicants notified if they are advancing to the interview stage
- November: Virtual interviews for those advancing
- November/December: Participants selected and notified
Application Instructions and Materials
How to submit your application:
- Applications will be submitted online using the Harvard University Funding Portal. You will log in with your Harvard Key credentials and follow the instructions. The application consists of six short-answer questions. The process does not need to be completed in one sitting – you can save and come back to it later.
- You may also include a letter of support from the host organization (encouraged but not required)
- Applications are due by 11:59 pm on Friday, September 18, 2026.
- Click here to start your application.
Contact
Please review our FAQs for more information. If you have questions, please email us at PublicServiceLeaves@hks.harvard.edu.
Frequently Asked Questions
Harvard professors at every Harvard school who are tenured, tenure-track, or full-time Professors of the Practice or Professors in Residence are eligible. Both Quad and non-Quad Harvard Medical School and Harvard School of Dental Medicine professors are eligible.
We will cover your salary and fringe benefits for one semester of leave up to a maximum of $175,000. We encourage faculty to combine this funding with any available sabbatical credit to allow for longer leaves, if desired. Compensation support cannot exceed your Harvard salary and fringe when combined with other support you are receiving for your leave.
No
Our goal is to enable immersive experiences for faculty to deepen their knowledge of and engagement with pressing public problems. As result, we give preference to applicants who can commit to full-time placements. However, we understand that faculty may have other competing commitments, such as ongoing grants.
Leaves do not need to follow the academic calendar. However, we expect most applications submitted in 2026 will be for leaves in academic year 2027-2028. Please contact us if you are considering taking a leave either before or after academic year 2027-2028.