The 2027 Bush Fellowship is now accepting applications from leaders who are ready to invest in their own leadership development and build the capacity needed to create meaningful, equitable and large-scale change.
Offered by the Bush Foundation, the Bush Fellowship is a self-designed leadership development opportunity that gives selected Fellows the time and financial resources to pursue a personalized plan for becoming a stronger and more effective leader.
For the 2027 cohort, up to 30 Bush Fellows will be selected, with each Fellow eligible to receive up to $150,000 to support their individual Fellowship plan over a period of up to two years. The program welcomes leaders from different sectors, including business, government and nonprofit organizations.
The application deadline is October 6, 2026, at noon Central Time (CT). Applications opened on September 22, 2026, at 8:00 a.m. CT.
What Is the Bush Fellowship?
The Bush Fellowship is designed for individuals who have already demonstrated leadership and impact and who understand that they need to invest in their own development to increase their ability to create change.
Rather than providing conventional funding for an organization, business or specific community project, the Fellowship focuses on the individual leader.
The program gives Fellows the flexibility to design their own leadership development plans according to their goals, circumstances and vision for the change they want to make.
According to the Bush Foundation, Bush Fellows are individuals who make things happen and who are often responsible for making change possible. They are people who have reached a point in their leadership journey where they understand what they need to grow and have a plan for how they intend to do it.
This makes the Bush Fellowship particularly relevant to established leaders who are looking beyond conventional professional development and want to make a significant transformation in how they lead.
Key Highlights of the 2027 Bush Fellowship
The opportunity offers several significant benefits for successful applicants:
- Up to $150,000 in Fellowship support
- Up to two years to implement a self-designed leadership development plan
- Selection of up to 30 Bush Fellows each year
- Flexibility to design an individualized leadership development experience
- Opportunity to invest substantial time and resources into leadership growth
- Open to leaders working across multiple sectors, including business, government and nonprofit organizations
- A structured selection process involving application review, references, background checks and interviews
- Participation in a Bush Fellowship retreat for selected Fellows
- Connection to a wider community of Bush Fellows and leaders
- Opportunity to pursue ambitious personal development activities that can strengthen a Fellow’s ability to create broader change
The Bush Foundation has invested in more than 2,000 Fellows since the Fellowship began in the 1960s, demonstrating the longstanding nature of the program.
What Does the Bush Fellowship Fund?
The Bush Fellowship is intentionally different from a traditional project grant.
The Foundation is looking for individuals who want to invest in their own leadership capacity, rather than applicants seeking money to create, expand or complete a project.
The Fellowship can support a range of activities that contribute to an individual’s leadership development, provided they are connected to a strong and clearly articulated Fellowship plan.
The Bush Foundation encourages applicants to think broadly about what they need to become a more effective leader.
For example, a Fellowship plan could involve:
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Advanced learning and professional development
A Fellow may use the opportunity to participate in an educational or professional development program that builds capabilities needed to address complex problems.
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Learning from other countries or communities
A Fellow working in an area such as language revitalization could, for example, travel internationally to learn from another movement or community that has developed relevant approaches.
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Taking time away from an existing role
A Fellow with an ambitious vision for change may use the Fellowship to reduce their work commitments or temporarily step away from their current position to dedicate substantial time to developing and implementing their leadership vision.
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Developing new approaches to leadership
Applicants are encouraged to think beyond conventional training and consider what experiences, resources, relationships, learning opportunities or periods of focused reflection could significantly change the trajectory of their leadership journey.
The Foundation emphasizes that there is no single formula for designing a Fellowship plan. The plan should reflect the individual’s circumstances, leadership goals and vision for change.
Who Is the Bush Foundation Looking For?
The Bush Foundation identifies three major qualities it seeks in Bush Fellowship applicants.
1. Leaders With a Track Record of Impact
The Foundation is looking for people who have already demonstrated that they can create meaningful results.
Bush Fellows are described as problem solvers who get things done. They demonstrate strong character and an openness to learning from other people.
Applicants should therefore be able to demonstrate more than ambition. Their application should communicate evidence of what they have accomplished and the difference their leadership has already made.
2. Leaders With a Vision for Change
The Fellowship is also intended for people who have a significant vision for the future.
Applicants should be able to articulate the change they want to make happen and explain how they are uniquely positioned to contribute to that change.
The Foundation specifically emphasizes a vision for equitable, large-scale change.
This means applicants should think carefully about the relationship between their personal leadership development and the broader change they hope to contribute to.
3. Leaders With a Clear Development Plan
A strong vision alone is not enough.
Applicants need a clear plan explaining how they would use the time and resources provided through the Fellowship to develop their leadership capacity.
The Fellowship plan is described by the Foundation as the foundation of the Fellowship itself.
Applicants should therefore be able to explain:
- What they need to learn or develop
- Why that development is important at this stage of their leadership journey
- How they intend to use the Fellowship resources
- What experiences or opportunities would help them grow
- How the proposed development connects to their broader vision for change
- Why the Fellowship is particularly relevant to their current circumstances
The Foundation notes that if an applicant does not have a clear plan for investing in their own leadership development, another Fellowship or leadership resource may be a better fit.
The Bush Fellowship Is About Investing in the Leader
One of the most important aspects of the Bush Fellowship is its focus on personal leadership development.
Applicants may naturally be inclined to focus on how their Fellowship would benefit their organization, community or cause. However, the Bush Foundation encourages applicants to think about the investment in themselves as a mechanism for creating broader impact.
The Foundation acknowledges that some leaders find it difficult to think about investing resources in themselves rather than directly investing in their communities.
However, the program’s approach is based on the idea that strengthening a leader’s capacity can ultimately strengthen the leader’s ability to contribute to their community and create change.
Examples of Bush Fellowship Plans
The Foundation provides several examples to help potential applicants understand the type of leadership development plan that may fit the program.
One example involves a leader who wants to strengthen their understanding of public policy advocacy and develop new skills for solving complex problems. Such an applicant could use the Fellowship to participate in a relevant policy fellowship or learning program.
Another example involves someone working on language revitalization who wants to travel to New Zealand to learn from efforts to revitalize the Māori language.
A further example involves a leader with an ambitious vision who may need significant time away from their current responsibilities to develop themselves and activate their vision for change.
These examples demonstrate the flexibility of the Bush Fellowship and the importance of connecting the proposed activities to a broader leadership-development objective.
Who Can Benefit From the Bush Fellowship?
The Fellowship welcomes leaders working across different sectors.
The Foundation specifically identifies:
- Business leaders
- Government leaders
- Nonprofit leaders
- Individuals who have demonstrated leadership and impact
- Leaders with a vision for equitable and large-scale change
- Individuals who understand what they need to develop in order to become more effective leaders
- People who can develop a clear and realistic plan for using the Fellowship resources
The Foundation also notes that people do not necessarily have to think of themselves as traditional “leaders.” Its definition is broader: if someone is the person who makes things happen and their contribution is essential to achieving change, they may already be exercising leadership.
Who Is the Fellowship Not Designed For?
Understanding what the Fellowship does not fund is just as important as understanding what it does fund.
The Bush Fellowship is not intended for individuals who simply want to:
- Create a project
- Expand an existing project
- Complete a project
- Fund a business
Applicants whose primary objective is to secure funding for one of these purposes may need to explore other Bush Foundation programs, fellowships or leadership-development resources.
The Foundation provides information about other programs for people seeking different forms of support.
Important Restrictions on How Fellowship Funds Can Be Used
Although the Bush Fellowship provides considerable flexibility, the funding comes with specific restrictions.
Among the limitations identified by the Foundation are:
- Fellowship funds cannot be directed to another person or organization.
- Funds cannot be used to fund a business.
- Funds cannot be used to fund a program.
- Funds cannot be used to pay off debt.
- Funds cannot be used for lobbying.
- Funds cannot be used for political contributions.
- Funds cannot be used for expenses related to political campaigns.
Applicants should therefore ensure that their proposed Fellowship plan is genuinely focused on their own leadership development and complies with the Foundation’s funding rules.
Additional Rules for Government and Elected Officials
There are additional restrictions for government officials and elected officials because of applicable IRS regulations.
The Foundation states that government and elected officials may only use a Fellowship in a degree-granting program.
The Foundation also provides definitions of the categories of government officials covered by these restrictions.
Federal Government Officials
The Foundation’s definition includes individuals who:
- Hold elective office in the executive or legislative branch
- Are presidentially appointed to an office in the executive or judicial branch
- Hold specified positions in the executive, legislative or judicial branches of the federal government
- Hold qualifying positions with compensation at or above the stated threshold
- Work in the U.S. House or Senate with annual compensation of $15,000 or more
- Serve as personal or executive assistants or secretaries to qualifying officials
The detailed federal definitions are provided by the Foundation in its Fellowship information.
Tribal, State and Local Government Officials
The Foundation also defines qualifying tribal, state and local employees and officials to include individuals who hold elective or appointive public office in the executive, legislative or judicial branch with independent policymaking ability and annual compensation of $20,000 or more.
Personal or executive assistants and secretaries to qualifying officials are also included in the Foundation’s definition.
Government and elected officials considering the Fellowship should therefore carefully review the specific restrictions before preparing their plans.
2027 Bush Fellowship Application Deadline
The application period for the 2027 Bush Fellowship opened on:
September 22, 2026, at 8:00 a.m. CT
The application deadline is:
October 6, 2026, at noon CT
Applicants should not wait until the final day to begin preparing their submissions because the Foundation encourages candidates to thoroughly review the application materials, criteria and application questions before applying.
2027 Bush Fellowship Selection Timeline
The Bush Foundation has published a multi-stage selection process for the 2027 Fellowship.
Application Period
September 22, 2026: Applications opened at 8:00 a.m. CT.
October 6, 2026: Applications close at noon CT.
Semifinalist Stage
December 1–4, 2026: Semifinalists will be notified.
Finalist Stage
March 10–15, 2027: Finalists will be notified.
Finalist Interviews
Finalist interviews are scheduled for:
- April 15, 2027
- April 19, 2027
- April 22, 2027
Fellowship Retreat
Selected Fellows must attend the Bush Fellowship retreat from
May 19–21, 2027
Public Announcement
The 2027 Bush Fellows are expected to be publicly announced in June 2027.
How Does the Bush Fellowship Selection Process Work?
The Bush Foundation uses a multi-stage selection process involving Bush staff and board members, previous Bush Fellows and community leaders.
The selection process considers:
- Application responses
- References from semifinalists
- In-person interviews with finalists
According to the Foundation, Bush Fellow alumni initially review applications and select approximately 90 semifinalists.
Bush staff members then conduct reference and background checks for finalists. If information arises during a background check, the Foundation states that it will contact the applicant to understand the situation.
Finalists subsequently participate in interviews with panels of community reviewers who are leaders from across the region.
Community reviewers select the next class of Bush Fellows.
The selected Fellows then come together for a celebration and kickoff retreat before the new class is publicly announced.
How Competitive Is the Bush Fellowship?
The Bush Fellowship is a highly competitive leadership opportunity.
The Foundation states that it received almost 1,200 applications for the 2026 Bush Fellowship, while only up to 30 Fellows are selected each year.
The competitiveness of the Fellowship means applicants should devote considerable attention to communicating their leadership journey, impact, vision and development plan.
However, the Foundation also emphasizes that the application process itself can be valuable. Applicants have reportedly found the process useful for reflecting on their leadership journeys and identifying what they need to create meaningful change.
How to Prepare a Strong Bush Fellowship Application
The Bush Foundation encourages applicants to thoroughly review the application materials, criteria and questions before submitting their applications.
A strong preparation process should include the following.
1. Understand Your Leadership Journey
Before writing the application, reflect on your leadership experience.
Consider:
- What have you accomplished?
- What problems have you helped solve?
- What changes would not have happened without your contribution?
- What leadership experiences have shaped you?
- What have you learned from your successes and challenges?
The Foundation wants applicants to communicate their unique perspectives, context and experiences.
2. Identify the Change You Want to Create
Applicants should have a clear vision of the change they want to make happen.
Think beyond immediate projects and consider the larger issue you are trying to address.
Your application should make it possible to understand:
- The change you want to see
- Why that change matters
- The role you want to play
- Why your leadership development is important to achieving that change
3. Identify Your Development Needs
The Fellowship is an investment in the individual.
Therefore, applicants should identify areas where they need to grow.
These could include new knowledge, leadership capabilities, networks, experiences, exposure to other approaches, professional development or dedicated time for reflection and strategic development.
4. Build a Clear Fellowship Plan
Your Fellowship plan should explain how you intend to use the available resources.
The Foundation emphasizes that the plan is central to the Fellowship.
Applicants should therefore avoid creating a generic professional-development list and instead develop a coherent plan that connects their development needs with their broader leadership vision.
5. Demonstrate Your Track Record of Impact
Applicants should provide evidence that they have already made a difference.
Rather than simply stating that you are passionate about an issue, explain what you have done and what resulted from your actions.
Specific examples can help demonstrate leadership, problem-solving ability and impact.
6. Make Your Writing Clear and Authentic
The Foundation advises applicants to make their written applications as clear as possible.
The application does not need to be perfect or completely error-free, but it needs to clearly communicate what the applicant is trying to accomplish and demonstrate how the proposal meets the Fellowship criteria.
The Foundation also encourages applicants to have other people review their applications.
Can Applicants Use Artificial Intelligence to Prepare Their Application?
The Bush Foundation explicitly addresses the use of artificial intelligence in the application process.
Applicants are allowed to use AI tools to assist with their applications, but the Foundation states that applicants cannot use AI to generate their ideas or plans or to write the application for them.
Instead, the Foundation suggests that AI can be useful for activities such as simplifying writing and removing jargon.
The applicant should remain the main writer and editor, and the final application should still sound like the applicant.
This means applicants should ensure that their Fellowship vision, experiences and development plan genuinely originate from their own leadership journey.
What Happens After Selection?
Successful Fellows are required to participate in the Bush Fellowship retreat scheduled for May 19–21, 2027.
The 2027 Fellows will subsequently be publicly announced in June 2027.
The Fellowship can last for up to two years, giving selected leaders substantial time to pursue their individualized leadership-development plans.
Additional Leadership Resources
The Bush Foundation recognizes that the Bush Fellowship is not the right opportunity for every leader.
For people who need other forms of leadership development, the Foundation provides information about partner-operated programs and Bush-supported programs for individuals.
The Foundation also provides leadership resources for people who may be interested in taking courses, developing specific skills, undertaking a sabbatical or taking dedicated time for health and wellness.
These resources can be useful even for people who ultimately decide not to apply for the Bush Fellowship.
Bush Fellowship Webinars and Application Resources
The Foundation provides several resources to help applicants understand the program.
These include:
- A recorded 2027 Bush Fellowship question-and-answer session
- An overview of the Bush Fellowship program
- A guide to developing a Bush Fellowship plan
- Information about the selection criteria
- A leadership reflection guide
- Information about previous Bush Fellows
- Access to the Bush Foundation grants database
The leadership reflection guide is designed to help people explore their leadership journeys and think about the impact they want to have, whether or not they ultimately apply for the Fellowship.
Bush Fellowship: Opportunity Summary
For quick reference, the major details of the opportunity are:
| Opportunity | Details |
|---|---|
| Opportunity name | Bush Fellowship |
| Cohort | 2027 Bush Fellowship |
| Provider | Bush Foundation |
| Funding | Up to $150,000 |
| Fellowship duration | Up to 2 years |
| Number selected | Up to 30 Bush Fellows |
| Focus | Leadership development |
| Approach | Self-designed leadership plan |
| Sectors | Business, government and nonprofit |
| Applications opened | September 22, 2026 |
| Application deadline | October 6, 2026 at noon CT |
| Semifinalists notified | December 1–4, 2026 |
| Finalists notified | March 10–15, 2027 |
| Finalist interviews | April 15, 19 and 22, 2027 |
| Fellowship retreat | May 19–21, 2027 |
| Fellows announced | June 2027 |
The dates and program details above are provided by the Bush Foundation for the 2027 Fellowship.
Who Qualifies for the 2027 Bush Fellowship?
The supplied Bush Foundation information identifies the target applicants as leaders from different sectors, including business, government and nonprofit organizations.
The Foundation is particularly interested in people who:
- Have a demonstrated track record of impact
- Are problem solvers who get things done
- Demonstrate outstanding character
- Are open to learning from and with others
- Have a vision for equitable, large-scale change
- Understand how they are uniquely positioned to contribute to that change
- Have clear goals for developing their leadership capacity
- Can create a meaningful Fellowship plan for using the time and resources provided
The Foundation also emphasizes that leadership does not necessarily require holding a formal leadership title. People who consistently make things happen and whose contribution is essential to creating change may see themselves as leaders within the Foundation’s broader understanding of leadership.
Important Things Applicants Should Know Before Applying
Potential applicants should carefully distinguish the Bush Fellowship from a conventional grant.
This opportunity is primarily about investing in an individual’s leadership capacity. It is not designed to provide funding for a business, project or program.
Applicants should also understand that:
- The Fellowship is highly competitive.
- A strong leadership track record is important.
- Applicants need a clear vision for change.
- Applicants need a clear plan for their own development.
- Fellowship resources have restrictions.
- Government and elected officials are subject to additional restrictions.
- References are part of the semifinalist process.
- Finalists participate in an in-person interview.
- Selected Fellows must attend the Fellowship retreat.
- Applicants are encouraged to make their applications authentic and clearly connected to their own experiences.
- AI may assist with simplifying writing and removing jargon, but applicants must remain the main authors and editors of their applications.
How to Apply for the 2027 Bush Fellowship
Interested applicants should first review the Bush Foundation’s detailed application questions, eligibility requirements and selection criteria.
The Foundation has provided an online application portal for the 2027 Bush Fellowship.
Application deadline: October 6, 2026, at noon CT.
Applicants should prepare their materials well in advance of the deadline and ensure that their proposed Fellowship plan clearly demonstrates their leadership development needs, previous impact and vision for future change.
Visit HERE for more information about the 2027 Bush Fellowship.
Conclusion
The 2027 Bush Fellowship provides an opportunity for established leaders to step back, reflect on their leadership journey and make a substantial investment in their own capacity to create change.
With up to $150,000 available for up to two years, the Fellowship gives selected leaders significant flexibility to design an individualized leadership-development plan. Rather than requiring Fellows to follow a standardized training program, the Bush Foundation encourages them to think deeply about what they need to become more effective leaders and how that development can help them pursue their vision for equitable, large-scale change.
The opportunity is intended for people who already have a record of impact, have a clear vision for the future and understand what they need to develop in order to take their leadership to another level.
With applications closing on October 6, 2026, at noon CT, prospective applicants should carefully review the official eligibility criteria, application questions, funding restrictions and selection process before submitting their applications.
The Bush Fellowship is ultimately centered on a simple principle: investing in leaders can strengthen their ability to make meaningful change happen. For leaders who have a demonstrated record of impact and a well-developed vision for their next stage of growth, the 2027 Fellowship provides a structured opportunity to turn that leadership-development vision into action.
For more global Fellowship opportunities, visit OFY HERE.
