Core Principles and Key Attributes

Eligibility and Selection Criteria

Deadlines and Requirements

Fellowship Structure and Use of Funds

FAQ (.pdf)

Application Form

Reference Form

The 2013 application deadlines have not yet been set. New deadlines will be established by the
end of April, 2013. Please check back at that time.

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THE BUSH FELLOWSHIP PROGRAM NOW OPEN TO ELECTED AND
PUBLIC OFFICIALS

 In 1965, the Bush Foundation began investing in individuals through fellowships in the belief these courageous leaders would create broad impact for the communities in which they lived and worked. Since then, nearly 2,200 Bush Fellows have lived up to this belief and have achieved more for their communities than the Foundation ever anticipated. Read more about the program's history.

For the bulk of the Foundation’s existence it has been involved in supporting individuals in improving themselves and, by extension, their communities. In November 2010, the Foundation launched a new Bush Fellowship Program, designed to foster courageous leadership to mobilize communities to find solutions to tough problems.

Through a partnership with GTS Educational Events, elected officials and appointed government officials at a policymaking level are now eligible to apply to the new Bush Fellowship Program. This opportunity is available to individuals in Minnesota, North Dakota, South Dakota and the 23 Native nations that share the same geographic area. GTS will oversee the selection process on behalf of the Foundation. See eligibility web page.

As an elected or public official, you chose public service because of a desire to make a difference. You may have known many of the community problems you’d face and had ideas for how to solve them. However, the constraints and challenges inherent in working within a governing body or a public jurisdiction may have provided more barriers to solving those problems than you anticipated. 

Do you have a vision that hasn’t been realized? Are you undeterred from working toward solutions to tough problems?   Do you value the input of the entire community, even those who are skeptical that change is possible or who disagree with your approach? Do you welcome opportunities to increase your understanding of, capacity for and practice of leadership in the process? 

If so, you are encouraged to apply!

Who can apply for a Bush Fellowship through GTS? 

• State legislators (no income minimum required);
• Elected state, constitutional officers or federal officials;
• Elected local or tribal officials who earn $20,000 or more (in their elective office);
• Federal employees in positions listed in Schedule C of Rule VI of the Civil Service Rules;
• Federal employees who receive an annual base compensation of $15,000 or more;
• Congressional employees who receive an annual base compensation of $15,000 or more;
• Appointed state or tribal officials with independent policymaking authority and who receive gross annual compensation of $20,000 or more (e.g., commissioners, agency heads and members of boards with policymaking authority);
• State or tribal judges who receive gross annual compensation of $20,000 or more; or
• Personal or executive assistants or secretaries who report to any of the individuals listed above.

In addition, individuals applying to GTS for Bush Fellowships will have to meet the program’s eligibility requirements in order to have their applications considered as part of the selection process. Click here for details. 

Note: If you do not fit in one of these categories, you are welcome to apply for the Bush Fellowship Program directly through the Foundation. Click here for details. 

About the Bush Foundation
The mission of the Bush Foundation is to be a catalyst for the courageous leadership necessary to create sustainable solutions to tough public problems and ensure community vitality. The Foundation was established in 1953 by 3M executive Archibald Bush and his wife, Edyth, and today works in communities across Minnesota, North Dakota, South Dakota and the 23 Native nations that share the same geographic area.