This opportunity is designed to bring young international professionals to the United States for four week-long fellowships in organizations related to their field of work, followed by American counterparts who will travel overseas for reciprocal fellowship.

Projects should take place over the course of one to two years, and engage up-and-coming and mid-level government or civic society professionals who will effect positive change in their institutions and to communities through various initiatives.

Legislative Fellows Program

• The Legislative Fellows Program will engage professionals who are actively involved in the legislative process and/or policy-making through their work in government, civic education organizations, citizen advocacy groups, political parties, or election monitoring organizations.
• During their time in the United States, the participants will examine the relationship between civil society and government, and the issue of public corruption and accountability. Participants will observe the role of their U.S. counterparts in various levels of the U.S. government, through placements in Congressional offices (including state/district offices), state legislatures, city councils/local government bodies, advocacy groups or other relevant organizations across the United States, engage in dialogue, and develop plans for projects that support more responsive social and political institutions.
• U.S. participants will be selected from staff members at the various fellowship sites who will act as primary hosts/mentors to the foreign fellows during their U.S. stay, including staff of the U.S. Congress, state legislatures, city councils/local governments, and advocacy groups.
• After the U.S.-based fellowships are completed, these American participants will travel overseas to their counterparts‟ home countries for on-site consultancies and joint programming with foreign participants and their colleagues, and, if appropriate and feasible, arrange fellowship placements for U.S. participants to learn from their counterparts and share their professional expertise.

Purpose and Program Description

• Provide participants from eligible countries an opportunity to gain knowledge of U.S. practices and techniques in their field of expertise; explore governance principles and practices in both public and civil society institutions in the United States, and gain a deeper understanding of U.S. society, culture, and people;
• Provide U.S. participants the opportunity to share their professional expertise with counterparts in eligible countries and gain a deeper understanding of the societies, cultures, and people of other countries;
• Promote mutual understanding and lasting, mutually beneficial partnerships between key professionals and organizations in the United States and their counterparts in eligible countries. As a result of the program it is expected that participants from both the U.S. and foreign countries will effect positive change in their workplaces and communities and develop long-term engagement between their home organizations and foreign counterparts.