The Bush Fellowship program supports accomplished leaders with extraordinary track records who are ready to take their efforts to the next level and have even greater impact with and across communities.
Donor Name: Bush Foundation
State: Minnesota, North Dakota, and South Dakota
County: All Counties
Type of Grant: Fellowship
Deadline: 09/21/2023
Size of the Grant: $100,000
Duration: 24 months
Details:
The program is unstructured and designed for maximum flexibility, which makes it best suited for people who know what they need to grow in their own leadership and what it will take to realize their vision for change in the region.
Funding Information
Up to 24 Bush Fellows are selected each year for a two-year program and receive a grant of $100,000 to fund their leadership plan. Fellowships can last anywhere between 12 and 24 months.
Ways to use Fellowship Funds
- A Bush Fellowship is designed for maximum flexibility and can be used for a wide range and combination of experiences, including, tuition, conference registration, coaching, travel and living expenses.
- No portion of the Fellowship can be directed to another person or organization, or used to fund a business or program.
- Here are some of the ways Fellows have used their funds to create a great Fellowship experience:
- Earn a bachelor’s, master’s or doctorate degree
- Attend conferences and conventions within or outside of their current expertise and network
- Build a network of colleagues and thought partners
- Develop business acumen and credentials
- Grow capacity to build and sustain coalitions
- Study effective change strategies
- Learn from successful organizations and initiatives
- Take part in leadership programs
- Seek and work with mentors
- Develop specific skills, including professional coaching, conflict and change management, or facilitation and communication skills.
Eligibility Criteria
- Bush Fellowship grants go to individuals in the grantmaking region. To be eligible:
- You must be at least 24 years old at the time of the application deadline.
- You must be a resident of Minnesota, North Dakota, South Dakota or one of the 23 Native nations that share the same geography, and have lived there for at least one (1) continuous year before applying.
- You are not eligible if:
- You previously received a Bush Fellowship, Bush Artist Fellowship, Bush Leadership Fellowship, Bush Medical Fellowship or Enduring Vision Award.
- You are a family member of an individual who is a Bush Foundation staff or board member. Family members include a spouse, parent, grandparent, great grandparent, child, grandchild, great grandchild, and spouses of children, grandchildren and great grandchildren.
- There are no specific citizenship requirements to be eligible for the Bush Fellowship. If a Fellow is not a U.S. citizen, the Foundation might be required to withhold income taxes on Fellowship payments and report such payments and withholdings to the Internal Revenue Service (IRS).
Selection Criteria
- Fellows come from all sectors, ages, backgrounds and stages in their own careers. They demonstrate a track record of accomplishments and have a commitment to deepening their ability to drive equitable, large-scale change.
- Foundation selects up to 24 Bush Fellows each year based on three main criteria:
- Your Track Record
- Record of success: You make the most of opportunities regardless of where you are in your career. You continuously find ways to have more impact inside your job and/or outside your job. You are persistent and resilient in the face of difficulty.
- Outstanding character: You are admired and respected by others. You demonstrate integrity and generosity of spirit.
- Active learner: You recognize your own strengths and weaknesses. You seek and incorporate feedback. You have an inquiring mind, actively searching out new ideas and new experiences to broaden your perspective and increase your effectiveness.
- Your Potential
- You demonstrate the vision and the drive to be extraordinary in your leadership and the capacity to make a far greater impact in your community, affecting larger-scale changes than you are making now. You are committed to working to benefit people and communities in MN, ND, SD and the 23 Native nations that share the geography.
- Your Plan
- You clearly articulate how the Fellowship will be transformative to changing or accelerating your trajectory in your career and life. You clearly articulate how you will be a stronger, more effective leader after the Fellowship than you are today.
- Your Track Record
For more information, visit Bush Foundation.
