News

The Bush Fellowship is an investment in you, so that you can make a difference in your community. 

If you have looked at the Bush Fellowship application questions, chances are you have seen the words large-scale change. But what do those words mean in terms of the Bush Fellowship?

How much do I share? How do I match my application with what the selection committee is looking for?
These are two common questions we hear from Bush Fellowship applicants. If you’re looking for a cut-and-dry answer to tell you what to do, there isn’t one. While of course the Fellowship selection committees are guided by the selection criteria (track record, potential and plan) as they review applications, applying for a Bush Fellowship is a truly reflective and transformative inquiry process.

We adapted Community Innovation grants to be more open, equitable and responsive to community needs.

Each year we gather stories of how the people and ideas we've invested in are making our region better for everyone.

Black lives matter. It is a sign of the polarization of our time that such a simple statement can be so fraught that people refuse to say it. It is a moral truth. And it forces recognition of how racism in people and policies can violate this truth. We believe racism is holding our region back from being all it can be and preventing us from reaching our individual and collective potential. The Bush Foundation’s purpose is to make the region better for everyone. Making the region better for everyone requires intentional anti-racism work.

The inequities and systemic oppression that the killing of George Floyd and the COVID-19 pandemic have spotlighted have been there for generations. But they don’t have to continue. It is up to all of us to step forward with the leadership that this moment requires and build a new reality together.

Introducing the 2020 Bush Fellows, 24 visionary leaders who are thinking big about how to solve problems and shape a better future for their communities.

George Floyd’s murder and the community unrest that followed affected our region and world. We’re inspired by the many community-led efforts to respond and rebuild. We are glad to be an initial contributor to the Twin Cities Rebuild for the Future Fund. 

It is always upsetting to witness racism and violence. It is particularly upsetting when the racism and violence is close to home. When it is our community. Our police. Our neighbor — George Floyd.