Join the Fellowship
Application Process
A Rose Fellow works for three years as a member of a host organization’s staff, assisting with real estate planning and development projects. Each fellow is expected to gain practical experience in site acquisition, site planning, architectural design, developing financial pro-formas, applying for financing, and obtaining public approvals. Some fellows engage in neighborhood planning. As part of these assignments, fellows typically help their host organizations improve standards and practices for design excellence, sustainability, and resident engagement. Most fellows participate in the Intern Development Program (IDP), which leads to professional licensure.
New fellowships are created through a step-by-step process over a period of eight-to-ten months.
A new fellowship is initiated when Enterprise invites one or more community-based organizations in a particular city or region to apply to be a fellowship host. The selected host organization and Enterprise then negotiate a [fellowship] plan that describes the host organization’s goals for the three-year fellowship along with proposed work assignments for the first year.
Typically around March 1st of each year, Enterprise invites interested candidates to apply for one of several fellowship openings with designated hosts. (See Apply to Be a Fellow.) An Application Kit for each fellowship opportunity includes a draft fellowship plan that describes the host’s goals for the fellowship and expected assignments for the fellow during the first year. As part of the application process, an applicant may suggest refinements of the plan. The application consists primarily of essays, transcripts and recommendations. Applications are due on May 1st of that year.
In May of each year, the Rose Fellowship Advisory Committee and representatives of the host organizations meet together to review the applications, Typically, two or three finalists are chosen for each fellowship position. In June, finalists interview with host organizations, which make final selections in consultation with the Rose Fellowship director. New fellowships begin on the first work day in September.
