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Applications open for Bellagio Center Convening Program 2027

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Agriculture and Food Research Initiative Sustainable Agricultural Systems – United States

Deadline: 23-Jun-2026

The Bellagio Center Convening Program supports one-week convenings that bring together leaders, innovators, and experts to collaborate on complex global challenges. The program focuses on universal energy abundance, food systems and nutrition, economic mobility, global health, artificial intelligence for good, catalytic finance, and climate and development. Applicants must be over 18 years old and propose convenings with a clear social benefit and charitable purpose.

Overview

The Bellagio Center Convening Program is accepting applications to support collaboration, innovation, and problem-solving on major global challenges.

The program hosts approximately 1,000 participants each year through around 60 one-week convenings.

These convenings are designed to help participants develop, refine, and implement breakthrough solutions that address systemic global issues.

Purpose of the Program

The purpose of the Bellagio Center Convening Program is to create space for cross-sector collaboration and high-impact idea exchange.

The program supports gatherings that bring together diverse participants from different fields, regions, institutions, and sectors.

Each convening should focus on a meaningful global challenge and aim to create practical progress, shared strategies, new partnerships, or implementable solutions.

Key Focus Areas

The program focuses on universal energy abundance, food systems and nutrition, economic mobility, global health, artificial intelligence for good, catalytic finance, climate and development, cross-sector collaboration, social impact, innovation, systems change, charitable purpose, and breakthrough solutions to global challenges.

What the Program Supports

The Bellagio Center Convening Program supports one-week convenings that help participants address complex global issues.

Supported convenings may include activities such as:

Convenings should be designed to produce meaningful outcomes beyond discussion alone.

Annual Participation

The program hosts approximately 1,000 participants annually.

These participants take part in around 60 convenings each year.

Each convening typically lasts one week and is structured around a clearly defined global challenge or opportunity.

Theme 1: Universal Energy Abundance

The universal energy abundance theme focuses on expanding access to affordable, reliable, and clean energy.

This theme is especially relevant for underserved communities that lack dependable energy access.

Convenings under this theme may explore:

The goal is to support energy systems that are cleaner, more inclusive, and more reliable.

Theme 2: Food Systems and Nutrition

The food systems and nutrition theme focuses on creating sustainable food systems that provide healthy and nutritious food.

This theme addresses the connections between food security, environmental sustainability, farmer livelihoods, and climate pressures.

Convenings may explore:

The goal is to improve food systems so they can nourish communities while protecting ecosystems.

Theme 3: Economic Mobility

The economic mobility theme focuses on helping people in poverty access stable employment, financial security, and long-term opportunity.

This theme recognizes that economic mobility depends not only on jobs, but also on the conditions that help people succeed.

Convenings may address:

The goal is to create stronger systems that help individuals and families build economic stability.

Theme 4: Global Health

The global health theme focuses on strengthening health systems and community responses to growing global pressures.

This includes health challenges linked to climate change, extreme heat, and other environmental or social disruptions.

Convenings may explore:

The goal is to support health systems that are adaptive, inclusive, and prepared for emerging risks.

Theme 5: Artificial Intelligence for Good

The artificial intelligence for good theme focuses on responsible AI use for social benefit.

This theme explores how AI can support progress in sectors such as education, public health, and development while protecting fairness and accountability.

Convenings may address:

The goal is to ensure that artificial intelligence supports human wellbeing and public good.

Theme 6: Catalytic Finance

The catalytic finance theme focuses on innovative financial mechanisms that mobilize resources for underserved communities and climate-vulnerable regions.

This theme supports new approaches to financing solutions that may not attract traditional investment.

Convenings may explore:

The goal is to unlock capital for high-impact solutions that address urgent development and climate needs.

Theme 7: Climate and Development

The climate and development theme focuses on integrating climate resilience into development strategies.

This theme recognizes that climate change can threaten poverty reduction, infrastructure, economic growth, and ecosystem health.

Convenings may address:

The goal is to ensure that development progress is protected and strengthened in a changing climate.

Who Is Eligible?

Applicants must be over 18 years of age.

Proposed convenings must have a clear social benefit and charitable purpose.

Applicants should be able to demonstrate that the proposed gathering will contribute to meaningful progress on one or more of the program’s focus areas.

Who May Need Prior Approval?

Some individuals are not eligible to apply or participate without prior approval.

This includes:

Applicants should review the eligibility rules carefully before submitting a proposal or inviting participants.

Why It Matters

Many global challenges are too complex for one organisation, sector, or discipline to solve alone.

Issues such as climate change, energy access, food insecurity, economic inequality, public health, and responsible AI require collaboration across governments, civil society, academia, philanthropy, business, and affected communities.

The Bellagio Center Convening Program matters because it creates a structured space for leaders and experts to work together on solutions that can move from ideas to implementation.

How to Apply

Applicants should prepare a clear convening proposal that explains the challenge, participants, social benefit, and expected outcomes.

Step 1: Select the Relevant Focus Area

Applicants should identify the theme that best fits their proposed convening.

The main focus areas include:

The proposal should clearly connect to one or more of these areas.

Step 2: Define the Global Challenge

The application should explain the problem the convening will address.

Applicants should describe:

Step 3: Explain the Social Benefit

Each convening must have a clear social benefit and charitable purpose.

Applicants should explain how the convening will contribute to public good, community benefit, systems change, or improved outcomes for people and the planet.

Step 4: Design the Convening Format

Applicants should describe how the one-week convening will be structured.

This may include:

The format should support collaboration and practical outcomes.

Step 5: Identify Participants

Applicants should explain who should attend and why.

A strong participant group may include people from different sectors, disciplines, regions, or lived experiences.

The proposal should show how participants’ expertise and perspectives will contribute to the convening’s goals.

Step 6: Define Expected Outcomes

Applicants should clearly state what the convening is expected to produce.

Possible outcomes may include:

The strongest proposals will show how outcomes can continue after the convening ends.

Step 7: Check Eligibility and Restrictions

Applicants should confirm that they are over 18 and that the proposed participants meet eligibility rules.

If any participant may fall under a restricted category, applicants should seek prior approval as required.

Step 8: Submit the Application

Applicants should submit a complete proposal that clearly explains the theme, challenge, social benefit, participant group, convening structure, and expected outcomes.

The application should be specific, practical, and aligned with the program’s focus on complex global challenges.

Selection Considerations

Applications are likely to be assessed based on relevance, feasibility, social benefit, and potential for impact.

Key assessment areas may include:

Tips for a Strong Application

A strong application should show why the proposed convening needs to happen and what it can achieve.

Applicants should:

Common Mistakes to Avoid

Applicants should avoid submitting proposals that are too general or unclear.

Common mistakes include:

FAQ

1. What is the Bellagio Center Convening Program?

The Bellagio Center Convening Program supports one-week gatherings that bring together participants to collaborate on breakthrough solutions to complex global challenges.

2. What are the main focus areas?

The main focus areas are universal energy abundance, food systems and nutrition, economic mobility, global health, artificial intelligence for good, catalytic finance, and climate and development.

3. How many convenings does the program host each year?

The program hosts around 60 one-week convenings annually, involving approximately 1,000 participants.

4. Who can apply?

Applicants must be over 18 years old and propose a convening with a clear social benefit and charitable purpose.

5. What kinds of convenings are supported?

The program supports convenings focused on collaboration, innovation, strategy development, partnership building, and implementation of solutions to systemic global challenges.

6. Are public officials eligible?

Certain public officials and candidates may not apply or participate without prior approval. This includes U.S. government officials, candidates for public office, current public office holders outside the United States, and some affiliated personnel.

7. What makes a strong convening proposal?

A strong proposal has a clear global challenge, strong alignment with a program theme, diverse and relevant participants, a practical convening design, measurable expected outcomes, and a clear plan for follow-up action.

Conclusion

The Bellagio Center Convening Program supports collaborative problem-solving on urgent global challenges. Through one-week convenings focused on energy, food systems, economic mobility, global health, responsible AI, catalytic finance, and climate-resilient development, the program helps participants develop ideas, partnerships, and action plans that can lead to systemic change. Applicants should present a focused proposal with clear social benefit, strong participant design, practical outcomes, and a credible pathway from discussion to implementation.

For more information, visit Rockefeller Foundation.

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