The Bush Fellowship is an opportunity for individuals to increase their capacity for and improve their practice of leadership while working with others to solve tough problems in their communities.
The Bush Foundation is currently accepting applications for new fellows from all over Minnesota, North Dakota, and South Dakota. If you care deeply about your community and are committed to making it a better place, a Bush Fellowship could be just what you need to take your leadership to the next level in the service of your community. Continue reading for more information about the opportunity and application deadlines, and click to learn even more!
The Bush Fellowship Program is based on four core principles:
- Knowing yourself first—because effective leadership builds effective relationships that improve a community. Without clarity about your own values and beliefs, it is impossible to be effective working with others.
- Knowing your community deeply—active listening and learning to access the community’s knowledge and Fostering community action to solve a tough public problem.
- Managing conflict—searching for answers in the differences among people.
Who should apply for a Bush Fellowship?
- Anyone who cares deeply about their community and is committed to making it a better place for all.
- Anyone who has a desire to work with others in their community, including those with whom they disagree, to find solutions to a tough problem affecting their community.
- Anyone who understands that change needs to happen if solutions to a tough problem are to be found and that the change needs to start with them.
- Anyone who is passionate about learning and is committed to improving their leadership in order to work with others to solve a tough problem.
- Anyone who understands that risk, failure and conflict are not to be feared when working to find solutions to a tough problem but are necessary in order to make progress.
- Anyone who understands that the solutions to their community’s tough problems are to be found within the collective wisdom of the community.
Upcoming deadlines:
| Application Available | Reference Deadline | Application Deadline | Fellows Announced | Required Start Date |
| Wed, Jan 4, 2012 | Friday, Feb 24, 2012 | Friday, Mar 2, 2012, Noon (CST) | June 2012 | Aug 1, 2012 |
| Wed, Mar 7, 2012 | Friday, Apr 27, 2012 | Friday, May 4, 2012, Noon (CST) | August 2012 | Oct 1, 2012 |
| Wed, May 9, 2012 | Friday, Jun 29, 2012 | Monday, Jul 9, 2012, Noon (CST) | October 2012 | Jan 1, 2013 |
Click here for eligibility requirements, selection criteria and additional information. You can also learn about the program’s history and see current Bush Fellows in the program.
Michelle Vigen with the Clean Energy Resource Teams is one of the current Bush Fellows. You can learn more about her experience on her blog, Common Spark*, where she writes about around community-based social marketing for achieving energy and sustainability in Minnesota communities.
