yellow SPARC Fellowship icon of a state capitol dome with a burst behind
green SPARC Fellowship icon of a state capitol dome with a burst behind
black SPARC Fellowship icon of a state capitol dome with a burst behind
Apply Here

2026 SPARC Fellowship

Applications open til January 2, 2026!

Southern Policymakers Advancing Representative Community (SPARC) is a fellowship for elected officials across 14 Southern states that takes place via Zoom from August to October. The SPARC Fellowship is a free opportunity for policymakers in the U.S. South.

Purpose:

  • To support policymakers across the South in collaborative learning about disability justice,

  • To teach best practices for serving disabled constituents and the broader disability community, and

  • To bring together policymakers across the South to share strategies for disability justice and inclusion.

Eligibility:

  • You must be a public policymaker in an elected position (at any level)

  • You must live and serve in one of the following 14 Southern states: Alabama, Arkansas, Florida, Georgia, Kentucky, Louisiana, Mississippi, North Carolina, Oklahoma, South Carolina, Tennessee, Texas, Virginia, or West Virginia

  • You must have a sincere commitment to your disabled constituents and a strong desire to learn more about disability justice

  • You must be available to participate in six 2-hour virtual fellowship meetings on the following Fridays:

    • February 13, 2026

    • February 27, 2026

    • March 13, 2026

    • March 27, 2026

    • April 10, 2026

    • April 24, 2026

Learning Goals:

  • Understand disability language and culture

  • Challenge misconceptions around disability

  • Learn the issues that impact disabled people and their communities

  • Comprehend existing protections for disabled people and disability rights

  • Understand disability justice and intersectionality

  • Integrate disability representation & inclusion into your team/staff

  • Prioritize accessibility at every step

Capstone Project:

  • Each SPARC fellow will complete a capstone project to incorporate into their work as an elected policymaker

  • After completing the SPARC Fellowship, further support and resources will be available from New Disabled South Rising to assist in successfully implementing capstone projects 

Timeline: 

  • Applications are due January 2, 2026

  • The New Disabled South Rising team will reach out to communicate acceptance by January 9, 2026

  • Session times will be selected based on maximum mutual availability and communicated

  • There will be 6 mandatory meetings on Fridays from January to April, lasting 2 hours each:

    • February 13, 2026

    • February 27, 2026

    • March 13, 2026

    • March 27, 2026

    • April 10, 2026

    • April 24, 2026

  • As needed, asynchronous make-up sessions will be available at the discretion of the New Disabled South Rising team

For any questions, please contact Samhit Utlapalli at samhit@newdisabledsouthrising.org or Mel Moore at mel@newdisabledsouthrising.org.

Apply Here