2026 – 2028 Fellowship Sponsorship Opportunity

Disability Rights Education & Defense Fund (DREDF), located in Berkeley, California, invites candidates to apply for sponsorship for Skadden, Equal Justice Works, and/or other public interest fellowship applications for the one- to two-year period beginning Fall 2026.

DREDF is a national, non-profit law and policy organization dedicated to protecting and advancing the civil and human rights of people with disabilities through legal advocacy, education, legislation, and public policy. We work to enforce the Individuals with Disabilities Education Act, the Americans with Disabilities Act, Section 504 of the Rehabilitation Act, Section 1557 of the Affordable Care Act, the Fair Housing Act Amendments, and other civil rights laws. DREDF regularly works with legal fellows and law student interns, and DREDF lawyers teach disability rights law at Bay Area law schools. Our office is comprised of not only attorneys, but also special education advocates and policy analysts, which provides for an interdisciplinary perspective on disability rights issues.

DREDF works intensively with prospective fellows to develop projects that address critical disability civil rights law issues. We are interested in candidates who will collaborate on simultaneous applications to more than one funder. We have been successful in obtaining past fellowship awards. We are committed to supporting and advising candidates during the application process to ensure that a high-quality and well-informed application is submitted.

Fellowship projects should connect to DREDF’s areas of engagement and expertise. Our advocacy priorities include defending and advancing the rights of disabled people in: education; access to government programs and services; housing; health care including long-term services and supports; transportation; technology; parenting and the dependency system; and self-determination and decision-making. You can read more about DREDF on our website at https://dredf.org/.

We welcome projects that advance the rights of disabled people from multiply marginalized communities, including Black, Indigenous, and people of color, LGBTQI+, immigrants, people involved in the criminal legal system, and people who are or who have been incarcerated or institutionalized. You do not need a fully developed project proposal in order to apply.

Employees working at least 50% time are eligible for DREDF’s health insurance (Kaiser), vision insurance, and dental insurance. Employees become eligible for health insurance on the first of the month after their first day of employment at DREDF. DREDF pays 80% of the employee’s and their dependents’ health insurance premium. Employees’ 20% contribution is deducted on a pretax basis through our Section 125 Cafeteria Plan. Employees become eligible for vision and dental insurance on the first of the month after 30 days of employment at DREDF. Employee and dependents’ premiums for vision and dental insurance are fully covered by DREDF. Employees working at least 80% time are eligible for DREDF’s Life and LTD insurance. Employees become eligible on the first of the month after 30 days of employment at DREDF. Employee Life/LTD premiums are fully covered by DREDF. Employees can begin contributing to a 403b plan upon hire. After one year of employment, DREDF provides a discretionary match of employee contributions up to 7%. The DREDF discretionary match is reviewed each year and is subject to change. Employees vest upon enrollment. DREDF offers pre-tax Flexible Spending Account for health care and and commuter costs. Full time employees accrue 168 hours (21 days) of vacation each year. Full time employees accrue 120 hours (15 days) of sick leave each year. Accrual are prorated for employees who work part time. Full time employees are granted 40 hours of bereavement leave at the beginning of each calendar year which is not not rolled over. Part-time employees are granted bereavement leave on a pro rata basis.