Up to $150,000 Bush Fellowship
- Organization: Bush Foundation
- Type: Fellowship
- Location: United States
- Deadline: October 6, 2026
- Funding: Fully Funded
The Bush Foundation's Bush Fellowship is a self-designed leadership programme for people in Minnesota, North Dakota, South Dakota and the 23 Native nations that share that geography. Up to 30 Fellows a year receive up to $150,000 over up to two years to follow their own plan for growing as leaders, whether that means study, travel, learning from other movements or stepping back from a job to pursue a bigger vision for change. Leaders from any sector are welcome, including business, government and nonprofit. **What you get:** - Up to $150,000 to fund your own self-designed leadership plan - Up to two years to put the plan into action - A kick-off retreat with your cohort of up to 30 new Bush Fellows - A place in a network of more than 2,000 Fellows since the 1960s **What you'll do:** - Design your own leadership development plan, for example a policy fellowship, learning from a movement abroad, or reducing your work commitments to pursue a large-scale vision - Attend the Bush Fellowship retreat from May 19 to May 21, 2027 - Use the funds within the Foundation's limits: not for another person or organisation, a business or programme, paying off debt, or lobbying and campaigns **Key dates:** - Applications opened September 22, 2026 at 8:00 a.m. CT - Applications close October 6, 2026 at noon CT - Semifinalists notified December 1 to 4, 2026 - Finalists notified March 10 to 15, 2027 - Finalist interviews April 15, 19 and 22, 2027 - Fellows' retreat May 19 to 21, 2027 - 2027 Fellows announced publicly in June 2027 **More information:** - Eligibility, criteria and the full application questions are on the Foundation's application and criteria page, with a downloadable PDF - Semifinalists need two references, at least one living in the region, contacted for a 30 minute call - The Foundation received almost 1,200 applications for the 2026 Fellowship - Government and elected officials face extra IRS limits and may only use a Fellowship in a degree granting programme - Questions: staff@bushfoundation.org or 651-379-2249
