Accepting Applications: Bush Fellowship Program

The Bush Foundation has selected some 2,200 Bush Fellows from Minnesota, North Dakota, and South Dakota over the course of the last 45 years. In their latest efforts to focus on developing courageous leaders and vibrant communities, they have revamped the program slightly, but will continue to invest in the capacity of individuals in order to support the leadership needed to solve tough problems. Do you see a specific problem in your community? Are you a courageous leader? Do you think you could be part of making a change for the better? See additional details below and read more about the Bush Fellowship online. Applications will be accepted until February 25.

Bush Fellowship Program - Overview

In 1965, the Bush Foundation began investing in individuals through fellowships. The three programs that evolved had disparate goals, but shared one belief—investing in individual artists, physicians and “leaders” from a broad range of disciplines would create broad impact for the communities in which they lived and worked, as well as for their fields. For the last 45 years, nearly 2,200 “Bush Fellows” have lived up to this belief and have achieved more for their communities than we would have ever dreamed.

Inspired by the achievements of these Fellows, the Foundation will continue to invest in the capacity of individuals through the Bush Fellowship Program. While this fellowship program is informed by and replaces the three that went before it, the Bush Fellowship Program responds directly to the new challenges that face our communities.

About the Bush Fellowship Program

• Applicants self-determine the community and demonstrate their connection to it, the problem/issue they want to address, and their plan for building their leadership capacity to address it.
• The main requirement of the proposed learning plan is that it prepares the applicant to mobilize others in their identified community to find solutions to the identified problem/issue.
• Grants will be for a minimum of $25,000 and a maximum of $75,000. Funding will be paid out over two years.
• The Bush Foundation expects to have a long-term relationship with Bush Fellows. In addition to the two years of funding, fellows also commit to engage with the Foundation to advance its goal of building leadership capacity within its defined geographic region for two more years immediately following the end of their funding as part of the fellowship.
• Bush Fellows will not be required to take a leave of absence from their employment in order to pursue the fellowship.
• A Bush Fellowship cannot be combined with participation in the Native Nations Rebuilders Program.