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We inspire, equip and connect leaders with inspiring stories, learning opportunities and valuable resources.
Our Work
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A showcase of people thinking bigger and thinking differently about what’s possible in communities across our region.
Past Programs
bushCONNECT — or bushCON for short — was created to build stronger and more meaningful connections among leaders in Minnesota, North Dakota, South Dakota and the 23 Native nations that share the same geography. This leadership and networking event was built by the Bush Foundation and produced each year in partnership with more than 40 organizations from the region.
bushCON was created in 2014 with the belief that leaders do their best work when they have the opportunity to meaningfully connect with one another and to explore new ways of thinking. It was a day-long adventure that included inspiring talks, engaging small-group sessions, conversations with community leaders, and interactive networking experiences, all designed to inspire, equip and connect leaders across different networks for success. The event aligned with the Bush Foundation's overarching goal to support innovative, creative problem solving to make our region better for everyone, and was one way to spark innovative change in our region.
The success of bushCON was due to the amazing collaboration and innovation by and with a diverse array of partners. Our four bushCON events served 4,000 participants, hundreds of speakers, and were created in collaboration with scores of partner organizations across our region.
Our Event Scholarship Program invested in the development of leaders who can create positive change within our region. From 2015 to 2019, we sponsored individuals from our region to attend national events as part of a cohort. As part of the Event Scholarship Program, we connected the cohorts before, during, and after the national event to amplify its impact for the attendees and their communities. Over the years, we hosted more than 500 people at various events, including Independent Sector’s Upswell, the Aspen Ideas Festival, PopTech and more.
The goal was to help people develop their leadership skills, build new connections within our region and beyond, be inspired to think bigger and think differently about their work, and share their perspectives and ideas on a national level. We are proud of the partnerships and connections that grew from this program.
Due to the health concerns around in-person gatherings caused by COVID-19, as well as a shift in our strategic direction, this program ended in Spring 2021.
As part of our strategy to invest in people and their leadership development, we provided grants through our Event Sponsorship Program. These grants supported events hosted by other organizations across our region that aimed to inspire, equip and connect people to think bigger and think differently about what is possible in their communities. This program ran from 2014 to 2021.
Over the years, we invested just over $7 million in this program, with dollars going to more than 200 organizations through 440 grants. We are proud of the partnerships that grew from this program, as well as the great ideas that were sparked and spread, the skills gained, and the relationships that were made among attendees because of these gatherings.
Due to the health concerns around in-person gatherings caused by COVID-19, as well as a shift in our strategic direction, this program ended in Spring 2021.