The Foundation provides fellowships to enable anthropologists, linguists, and other scholars, as well as individuals or teams of local researchers in indigenous societies, to collect and preserve these unique oral traditions. Fellows are encouraged, where possible, to foster the development of local teams of collectors to continue the work of recording traditional literature, language, and ecological knowledge. Transcriptions of the recordings are encouraged. There is no application form. Applicants are asked to submit a proposal with a budget by email to address noted above. Applications are accepted on a continuous basis and grants are awarded quarterly. The primary selection criteria are the importance of collecting oral literature among the society in which the applicant will be working, the methods to be used, the goals to be achieved, and the urgency of the project.

Anyone engaged in the documentation of threatened oral literature and traditional ecological knowledge may apply for a fellowship. Specific academic credentials are not required, but academic credentials are taken into consideration. Fellowships are currently awarded by the Foundations board. Foundation directors and members of the selection committee are ineligible to receive grants, as are their family members; certain descendants and family members of George N. Appell and Laura W.R. Appell are also ineligible. The terms and conditions of each fellowship are set forth in a letter sent to the grant recipient. The Foundation must receive a current report for each fellowship of the progress made and use of grant funds at least annually, and a final report on the results of the grantees research with an accounting for the funds expended.