Applications open 22 September 2026. They close on 6 October 2026. Fourteen days. That is the entire window to apply for one of the most unusual leadership fellowships in the United States which one that hands selected individuals up to $150000 and tells them to spend it on becoming a better leader, however they define that.
No project to fund. No organization to build. No deliverable to submit at the end. Just two years and significant resources to invest in yourself so that every community organization or system you touch afterward benefits from a stronger version of you.
Applications are open now for the Bush Fellowship 2026 program. Up to 30 fellows are selected each year. The public announcement comes in June 2027. Between now and then there is a multi-stage process that begins with a two-week application window that most people will not see coming.
At a Glance
| Detail | Information |
|---|---|
| Fellowship | 2027 Bush Fellowship |
| Funder | Bush Foundation |
| Funding | Up to $150000 |
| Duration | Up to 2 years |
| Fellows selected | Up to 30 per year |
| Location | Flexible and self-designed |
| Applications open | 22 September 2026 |
| Application deadline | 6 October 2026 12:00 p.m. CT |
| Finalist interviews | 15 19 and 22 April 2027 |
| Public announcement | June 2027 |
Fellowship Benefits ($150000 Award)
Most fellowships fund a thing. A research project, A startup, A community initiative and A dissertation.
The Bush Fellowship funds a person.
Selected fellows design their own two-year learning plan before the money moves. That plan might include executive education programs, international learning experiences, leadership coaching, a professional sabbatical or time spent studying how communities in other parts of the world tackle the same problems you are working on.
The common thread is not the activity. It is the outcome: becoming a more capable more reflective more effective leader.
Bush Foundation has been making this bet since the 1960s. More than 2000 leaders have received the fellowship across its history. The underlying logic has not changed. Sustainable community change depends on the quality of the people leading it. Invest in the leader and the impact compounds.
What the Money Cannot Be Used For
This section matters more than most applicants realize so it comes early.
The Bush Fellowship is strictly for leadership development. It is not a grant for your organization, your startup or your next initiative. The foundation is explicit about this.
Fellowship funds cannot be used to:
- Fund a business
- Support a program or organization
- Transfer funds to another individual
- Pay off debt
- Finance lobbying or political campaigns
Government officials and elected representatives may also face additional IRS regulations on eligible uses of the funding.
Leaders who are primarily thinking about what their organization needs right now are applying for the wrong thing. The question the Bush Fellowship is asking is different. What do you need to become the leader your community deserves?
The Selection Timeline in Full
The process runs from October 2026 through June 2027. Knowing the full timeline helps applicants plan around each stage rather than being caught off guard.
| Stage | Date |
|---|---|
| Applications open | 22 September 2026 |
| Applications close | 6 October 2026 12:00 p.m. CT |
| Semifinalists notified | 1–4 December 2026 |
| Finalists notified | 10–15 March 2027 |
| Finalist interviews | 15 19 and 22 April 2027 |
| Fellowship retreat | 19–21 May 2027 |
| Public announcement | June 2027 |
Building a Strong Application
The Bush Foundation has reviewed thousands of applications across six decades. A few patterns distinguish competitive submissions from the rest.
Lead with impact not biography. Reviewers want to see what changed because of your leadership — not a career summary. Specific measurable outcomes carry more weight than titles or years of experience.
Design a learning plan not a project plan. The most common application mistake is describing what you plan to do for your community rather than what you plan to learn for yourself. These are different documents requiring different thinking.
Think at scale. The foundation uses the word equitable deliberately. Strong candidates articulate a vision that extends beyond their immediate organization to communities systems or fields.
Get external feedback before submitting. The Bush Foundation itself recommends having trusted colleagues review written responses for clarity while making sure the thinking remains authentically yours. A clear application is easier to evaluate than a complex one even when the underlying ideas are strong.
Do not underestimate the references stage. Semifinalists are required to provide references. Identify those people now before applications open and make sure they understand what the fellowship is asking for.
How to Apply?
Applicants can submit an application through the official Bush Foundation application portal. Apply link is given below.
