Bush Fellowship Program 2027 | Call for Applications

Applications are open for the Bush Fellowship’s 2027 cycle. This self-designed leadership program funds leaders across a specific US region. Up to 30 fellows receive substantial resources to grow their leadership capacity. Eligibility is limited to Minnesota, the Dakotas, and 23 Native nations.

Program Snapshot

Host Organization: Bush Foundation
Funding: Up to $150,000 over two years, self-directed
Eligibility: Residents of Minnesota, North Dakota, South Dakota, or 23 Native nations
Age Requirement: At least 24 years old at the application deadline
Application Deadline: October 6, 2026, noon CT
Fellows Announced: June 2027

Focus Areas

Self-designed leadership growth and development
Equitable, large-scale community change
Cross-sector leadership: business, government, nonprofit
Personal capacity-building over project funding

About the Fellowship

Bush funds personal leadership growth, not specific projects or programs. Fellows design their own plan for transformative professional development. Applicants must have lived regionally for one continuous year already. The process itself often clarifies a leader’s own growth path.

What Fellows Receive

Fellows receive up to $150,000 to fund their own leadership plan. Funds can support education, travel, sabbaticals, or reduced work hours. Money cannot fund a business, pay debts, or support lobbying. Government officials face additional IRS-related restrictions on fund use.

Who Can Apply

Applicants must be 24 or older and regional residents for one year. Previous Bush Fellowship or Bush Artist Fellowship recipients cannot reapply. Family members of Bush Foundation staff or board members are ineligible. No US citizenship requirement applies to this fellowship.

Required Materials

Applicants submit a written application addressing Bush’s specific criteria. References are requested from semifinalists; finalists complete an interview. AI tools may assist writing, but ideas must remain genuinely the applicant’s own.

How to Apply

Submit your complete application before October 6, 2026, noon CT.

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Conclusion

This fellowship offers exceptional, flexible funding for regional leaders ready to grow. Its self-designed model rewards genuine clarity about your own development needs. Eligible residents should prepare a focused, big-thinking plan before applying.