Bellagio Center Residency Program

This opportunity is intended for leaders with a proven track record of accomplishment and influence in their field, and for whom a Bellagio residency will accelerate progress on an important project.  

Strong applicants will be forward-looking with a history of advancing breakthrough ideas or actions. They should be curious, collegial, and collaborative—open to giving and receiving feedback from a diverse group of fellow residents.

To get started, please complete the Pre-Application Questionnaire. For additional information, see the application rules for eligibility requirements, application requirements, and the evaluation rubric for details on how applicants will be evaluated.

Applicants must have a specific project they want to advance during the four-week residency and demonstrate how their project will be catalyzed by this opportunity. Projects must be bold and compelling, with significant positive social impact and breakthrough potential. Projects can include scholarly research, applied practice, or a work of art. There should be a specific output or deliverable that is meaningfully advanced during the residency period and likely to be highly influential. Projects should be timely and well-suited to benefit from the unique cross-cultural, cross-disciplinary environment of the Bellagio residency.

Applicants who have passed the Pre-Application Questionnaire may submit projects that align with one of the following:  

Addressing Climate Change

We will support leading thinkers and organizations working on solutions addressing the following four themes:

• Climate & Energy Systems
• Climate & Health Systems
• Climate & Food Systems
• Climate Aligned Policy & Financial Systems

Building Vibrant, Connected, and Resilient Societies

Humans thrive when we recognize that all of our futures are inherently intertwined. We will support projects that focus on how to address the core challenges to building vibrant, connected, and resilient societies through the following three themes:

• Future of Democracy
• Technology That Supports Humanity
• Bridging Generations

General Open Call

The General Open Call is for practitioners, academics, and artists working in any discipline or area of study. Projects can be based on any topic but must demonstrate clear social impact and charitable purpose.

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All projects must demonstrate clear social impact and charitable purpose.

Note that projects that require access to specialized equipment or offsite excursions are not a good fit for this program. Residents must bring any materials needed for their project with them to the Bellagio Center.  

Please be sure to review the Evaluation Rubric for more information on how projects will be evaluated.

We recommend reviewing the residency program application before you take the Pre-Application Questionnaire to fully understand what is required. The application includes narrative questions where you will describe your professional background, your proposed project, and its intended social impact. You must also submit a brief video, curriculum vitae or resume, and work samples.  

The deadline to register and submit your completed application is Thursday, April 25, 2024 at 5:00 p.m. U.S. Eastern Time. This deadline is firm – we strongly encourage you to register and begin your online application as soon as possible, and at the latest by Friday, April 4, 2024, to allow yourself time to respond to all the requirements and address any technical issues that may arise.

Applications will first be reviewed for completeness, eligibility, and general fit with the program. Should it pass administrative review, your application will move to an expert panel for review.  

During the expert panel review, your application will be evaluated on the following four dimensions:

• Impact: Does the project feel like it could be a breakthrough, for example yielding fresh insights or significant progress, on an important issue facing our world?
• Clarity: Is there enough specificity to the project, its output, and the plan for achieving it? Is the project poised to be meaningfully advanced during a four-week residency?
• Expertise: Does the applicant demonstrate mastery suitable to their project? Are they a recognized leader with evidence of significant contributions to their field?
• Influence: Is the applicant well-positioned to influence change related to their project? Do they have access to audiences and networks that will ensure their project takes root?

We strongly recommend reviewing the Evaluation Rubric before you apply.

Based on the results of the expert panel review, a subset of applicants will be invited to interview with Rockefeller Foundation staff.  

Each application must include 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.

Your video must adhere to the following guidelines, or else it will render your application ineligible:

• No more than 90 seconds in length;  
• Must be in English or, if in another language, subtitled in English;  
• Should not include images of identifiable children;  
• Should not include copyrighted material (including, but not limited to, music) for which you do not have a license;  
• Your video’s privacy settings should be set to “Unlisted” (not private).

After you record your video, you will need to upload it to YouTube, copy the YouTube URL, and then paste the URL in the space provided in the application. If you need technical support, you can contact us.