The Rockefeller Foundation’s Bellagio Center Residency Program has been a means for exceptional individuals to unlock their creativity and advance groundbreaking work for over six decades. The gift of four weeks of focused, uninterrupted work time sustains and recharges each resident with new inspiration and drive. The experience of engaging in a cross-cultural, cross-disciplinary cohort with 14 other visionary leaders creates an environment where new pathways for action are seeded, and transformational ideas can bloom.
This residency application is divided into the following sections:
A. Overview
B. Video
C. Project
D. Expertise
E. Alignment
F. Eligibility
As you work on your application, please refer to the criteria contained in the Evaluation Rubric to ensure that you are aligned with the program goals.
Please note that applications must be submitted in English. This provides consistency across all submissions during the review process and reduces the risk of translation error or misinterpreting an application.
You may save your work and return to complete your application later. The application saves automatically, and the status of your application is available to view on your dashboard. If you have questions or technical issues, please contact us by email.
Prior to submission, please confirm that all information provided on the Registration Form is correct. Be sure to review your application as it will appear after it’s submitted using the View Application links at top and bottom of the page.
Once you submit your application, you will no longer be able to make changes. The Application Status on your dashboard will confirm submission. You will not receive an automated email confirmation.
Completed applications including two references and work samples, are due no later than Wednesday, May 17, 2023 at 5:00 PM U.S. Eastern Time.
Using the prompts below, please provide a succinct and compelling overview of your project.
1. Project Title (10 words)
Choose a name that easily identifies and distinguishes your project.
2. Executive Summary (75 words)
Provide a summary description of your project, why it’s important, and how it will address a specific issue/problem or create positive change in the world. This should be a stand-alone statement that does not require any other context to clearly explain what you propose to accomplish.
3. Project Phase
What phase of work do you anticipate being in during your residency?
4. Key Words (5 words)
Provide up to five key words that best describe the subject matter of your project.
You are required to submit a brief video of no more than 90 seconds that introduces you, your project, and why now is the ideal time for a Bellagio residency. Your video should not be professionally produced – an informal video created on a smartphone is expected.
The video is an opportunity to introduce yourself and share your vision in a way that is different from the written application. In creating your video, you may consider including the following elements:
Your video must adhere to the following guidelines, or else it will render your application ineligible:
After you record your video, please upload it to YouTube, copy the URL, and paste it in the space provided below. If you need instructions on how to create and upload your video, see our Video Instructions. If you need technical support, you can contact us.
The Bellagio Residency Program seeks projects that can catalyze breakthrough solutions to the biggest challenges facing our world. This section provides an opportunity to describe the specific issue you intend to address through your project, how your understanding of its nuances has informed your approach, and what you hope to accomplish through the residency.
5. The Issue (200 words)
Describe the specific issue your project is designed to address.
6. Project Description (250 words)
Describe what inspired your project and where the idea came from. Describe what your project is or does, and how it meaningfully contributes to addressing the issue you identified in the previous question.
7. Existing Landscape (200 words)
Explain how your project fits into, builds upon, improves, and/or departs from existing approaches and solutions. Note the extent to which your approach will enable fresh insights or significant progress on this issue.
8. Residency Focus (250 words)
Describe how you intend to spend your four-week residency. What do you hope to advance or complete while you are there, and how will that work contribute to the overall progress or fruition of your project?
9. Deliverable
What is the specific result or deliverable you will produce by the end of your residency? (Select one)
10. Short-Term Outcome (200 words)
Within one year of your residency, what specifically do you anticipate will happen as a result of the work you did during your residency?
11. Intended Audience (200 words)
Who will be most interested in the results of your project? How do you intend to reach this audience? What do you hope will change in their knowledge, beliefs or actions?
12. Long-Term Impact (150 words)
Successful projects will have tangible outcomes that create lasting positive change. Describe the impact your project will have over the long term.
13. Global Region Impacted
Please select the global region that is most directly relevant to your project.
This section covers the influence and impact of your work and career to date.
14. Why You (250 words)
Why are you uniquely suited to take on your project?
15. Professional Background (250 words)
Please provide a brief professional biography that includes your primary area(s) of expertise, major accomplishments to date, and examples of how you are well-positioned to influence change related to your project.
16. Curriculum Vitae
Upload your CV or resume in PDF format. Your PDF should be no more than five pages total and should not exceed 10MB. Be sure to review our CV Guidelines before uploading your submission.
17. Work Samples
Upload a single PDF that includes two work samples that best reflect your capacity to execute your project. Work samples might include writing samples, project summaries, images, reports, data visualizations, or links to external video or audio content. Each sample should include a 2-3 sentence description about the sample and why you chose to include it. Upload a single PDF that includes both samples. Your PDF should be no more than five pages total and should not exceed 10MB. Be sure to review our Work Sample Guidelines before uploading your submission.
18. References
You are required to obtain and submit two professional references using the form provided. References should be from individuals who know you and your work well and can comment on the merit of your project. You must submit these references with your application by the deadline.
Individuals providing a reference must answer the questions contained in the Reference Form and sign the document before returning it to you. Note that these individuals should be prepared to be contacted should you advance to the interview stage.
Enter the name and contact information for your two references below, then upload each form in PDF format. Each PDF should be no more than three pages total (cover letter + two-page reference) and should not exceed 10MB.
Reference #1 First and Last Name
Reference #1 Title and Organization
Reference #1 Email
Reference #1 Phone
Reference #1 Background Briefly describe the referee’s professional background and the nature of your relationship.
Reference Form #1 Upload your first reference form in PDF format.
Reference #2 First and Last Name
Reference #2 Title and Organization
Reference #2 Email
Reference #2 Phone
Reference #2 Background Briefly describe the referee’s professional background and the nature of your relationship.
Reference Form #2 Upload your second reference form in PDF format.
This section provides an opportunity to describe how you are a good fit for the Bellagio Center and how a residency would be valuable to you at this moment in time.
19. Why Now (200 words)
Why is this an ideal time for a residency, and how will it help to catalyze your project? Describe any external events or milestones that are relevant to the timeliness of your project, as well as your personal readiness to take on this project at this time.
20. Program Fit (200 words)
Curiosity, collegiality, and collaboration are vital to make the most of the cross-cultural, cross-disciplinary nature of a Bellagio residency. Describe a conversation with someone very different from you, and how it changed your thinking.
21. Previous Bellagio Residency or Convening Details (10 words)
If you are a former Bellagio resident or convening attendee, enter the year you were at the Bellagio Center and details of your residency or title of your convening. If not applicable, enter “N/A.”
22. Preferred Residency Dates (5 words)
Residencies will be scheduled between February and November 2024. If selected for a residency, please enter your preferred start date (enter as YYYY/MM/DD).
23. Alternate Residency Dates (5 words)
Please enter an alternate start date that is at least 30 days before or after the preferred date you entered above (enter as YYYY/MM/DD).
The following questions confirm your eligibility for this program.
24. Previous Residency
Have you been a resident at the Bellagio Center?
25. Previous Residency Timeframe
Former residents applying for their second residency must wait at least five years before submitting an application. Confirm you have not been a resident within the last five years.
26. Residency Limit
The Rockefeller Foundation limits each resident to no more than two residencies during their lifetime. Confirm you have not had two prior residencies at the Bellagio Center.
27. U.S. Government Official
U.S. government officials, as defined by the Internal Revenue Service, are not eligible to participate in the Bellagio Residency Program. Confirm you are not a U.S. government official and will not be during your proposed residency.
28. Non-U.S. Government Official
Officials in public office outside of the United States are not eligible to participate in the Bellagio Residency Program. Confirm you are not an official in public office in any country outside of the United States, and will not be during your proposed residency.
29. Related Party
Related parties of Rockefeller Foundation staff, board, or trustees, as defined in the Application Rules & Guidelines, are not eligible to participate. Confirm you are not a related party.
30. Project Eligibility
Confirm your project has a clear social benefit or charitable purpose.
31. Questionnaire Confirmation
Confirm that you completed the Pre-Application Assessment available at rfbellagio.org.
