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[job_hunter]

I am thinking about applying for a postdoc fellowship.  I am in the humanities so the whole postdoc process is a bit foreign to me.  The granting organization requires that applicants choose a mentor and sponsoring institution.  How does one select/contact a potential mentor in this case?  Does it need to be someone that I already know fairly well from conferences and such? 
Any advice would be greatly appreciated.
Best,
JH

[laurel_knx]

This recent thread might have some valuable information:

http://chronicle.com/forums/index.php/topic,69757.0.html

The OP was trying to figure out how to sell a PI on a postdoc that does independent work (i.e., why should someone sponsor me to do my own work?) It might be helpful.

[merinoblue]

Posting a little late on this. JH, you don't need to have met your potential supervisor, but it's helpful to be informally recommended by someone you know. Start by having a chat with your supervisor and committee members about where you might postdoc, and with whom. It's ideal if they can recommend you to someone in their own networks.  You'll still have to do the negotiating work with that person, and you might have to do it without meeting them. Basically, you're negotiating for a job, with the potential supervisor taking you under his/her wing for a year or two.

If supervisor and committee members aren't helpful but you've identified people you'd like to work with, just email them, tell them you admire their work & would like to train under them, then ask if they're taking on postdocs in the coming year. Keep it brief, but be sure to say that you would be bringing your own funding if successful in the competition, and that they would have to sponsor you in your application (I'm assuming this is the case, though I'm not familiar with the Ford Foundation funding).

Be prepared to identify what you can bring to a possible postdoc position and the supervisor's projects. For example: skills (grantsmanship, teaching, advising); networks (for guest speakers); knowledge of his/her research area. Make yourself sound employable to the supervisor, as it's not enough to just bring your own funding, imo.

I have a feeling this is generic advice, but I hope you find it helpful. You're welcome to pm me if you have more questions.