There will be 35 individuals selected to participate. In an effort to serve as many leaders as possible, we do offer a short waitlist for each cohort in case someone is unable to participate in the program.
There is no limit to how many people can apply from one organization. However, it is unlikely that more than one Fellow will be selected from said organization.
Participants range from President and CEO to Manager. The most important characteristic in the selection process is an interest in learning about the education and workforce pipeline and a commitment to applying the principles learned during the program in their local community.
Yes. We currently launch approximately two cohorts per year: one early in the year and one in the summertime.
No — we simply accept the best candidates for the available openings.
Yes. Employees at chambers of commerce, economic development agencies, and statewide trade associations are eligible for the program.
Agenda & Schedule
The formal agenda will be shared with participants directly. Sample agendas for both meetings of Cohort 1 can be found below. Although the structure of each day will for the most part remain the same, future meetings will feature different topics and speakers.
The U.S. Chamber Foundation will provide breakfast, lunch, beverages, and snacks throughout the program, which will consist of interactive plenary and discussion-based Homeroom breakout sessions.
In 2021, we launched our first two virtual cohorts of the Business Leads Fellowship Program. Through monthly virtual meetings over the span of one year, the virtual fellowship offers 101 sessions on the entire education and workforce pipeline and deep dives into policy issues and topics of interest to each cohort, culminating in a multi-day in-person meeting focused on leadership development, programmatic skills, fundraising, and more. We strongly believe that the flexibility and speakers offered in a virtual environment make the virtual cohorts the best yet, and we plan to use learnings from virtual experiences when planning cohorts in 2022 and beyond.
Travel & Accommodations
Once accepted, the Chamber Foundation will be in touch with details on booking your travel through our approved travel agent. Travel booked on your own cannot be reimbursed.
The Chamber Foundation will book your hotel room once your flights are confirmed and will cover the cost of your hotel for the days that the meeting is in session. If you choose to book your travel outside of those days, you must book your own room and cover the cost. We cannot reimburse this expense.
Cohort launch meetings will be held from 8 a.m. – 3 p.m. ET at the U.S. Chamber of Commerce building in Washington, D.C. There will be an optional welcome reception on the evening before, and you will be able to travel home in the evening of the launch meeting, flights permitting.
Cohort graduation meetings begin at noon on the first day and conclude no later than 3 p.m. on the final day. We ask Fellows to fly into the city on the first day and out on the final day.
All virtual meetings of the Business Leads Fellowship Program are held on Thursdays at 1 p.m. ET.
Yes, but you must attend all sessions of the workshop in full, including any networking receptions or field trips. We will not reimburse you for any costs associated with the family member or friend. The hotel rooms have a king bed or two double beds—we cannot accommodate requests for specific sleeping arrangements.
