Frequently Asked Questions

The FUSE Executive Fellowship program is a one to two-year full-time public service role in city or county government. FUSE Executive Fellows work alongside senior government leaders and the community to lead strategic projects. Unlike many other programs, FUSE Executive Fellows have 15+ years of experience under their belt and are seasoned professionals and executives. 

We take a strengths-based approach to our projects, identifying what already works and lifting up opportunities to accelerate positive change. We then tailor solutions to a community’s needs by drawing on tools that advance racial equity, engaging in human-centered design, and fostering cross-sector collaboration.

The FUSE Executive Fellowship Program launches three cohorts annually in the spring, summer, and fall. Our cohort model builds community and strengthens connections through shared experiences as Executive Fellows start and finish their fellowship journey together.

We pursue our mission and vision by placing experienced professionals in local government agencies to lead strategic projects that are designed to advance racial equity. Our work focuses specifically on accelerating opportunities within the areas of workforce, housing, health, education, justice reform, and climate resilience. We are dedicated to sharing the insights that emerge from our work in order to inspire all civic leaders to think and act differently in their efforts to achieve systemic change.

FUSE conducts direct outreach to government leaders and local stakeholders to understand the most pressing challenges facing their communities and the kind of support that would most accelerate progress. We also welcome requests to partner with local officials interested in our program. Current and prospective partners may contact our team to explore how a FUSE Executive Fellow can support your office’s priorities.

Local stakeholders will work closely with the FUSE team to explore and define projects that best meet their specific needs, representing interventions that will accelerate progress already underway and advance the community’s vision for the future. For each project, we will ask our partners to step up and lean into changes that will have the greatest impact on addressing inequalities. FUSE staff then works in concert with local leaders to craft a detailed project description that is then used to recruit executive-level talent for the fellowship project.

We work closely with our government and community partners to co-create fellowship projects based on their highest priorities. The following criteria guide the design of our projects:

• Advances racial equity by tackling systemic and institutionalized racism.
• Directly impacts the communities served.
• Integrates new approaches or process reforms.
• Reinforces existing departmental goals or initiatives.
• Championed by senior government leadership. 
• Establishes ambitious yet achievable project deliverables. 
• Complements and augments existing leadership in local government and the community.

FUSE Executive Fellows work full time and are embedded in the government agency that is hosting their project. Executive Fellows partner with managers in their respective government agencies to complete project goals and assignments. They also work with a senior-level leader within the agency who helps communicate the fellow’s strategic role and value to key stakeholders. Executive Fellows also engage a wide array of community partners and non-governmental stakeholders throughout the duration of their fellowship in pursuit of project objectives.

The cost of a fellowship is covered by the government partner and/or philanthropic partners. Funding covers the cost of the project design process, an executive search to find the right candidate, the Executive Fellow’s annual compensation and benefits, and training, coaching, and support to participants throughout the fellowship year.

FUSE seeks to partner with cities and counties that serve 150,000 residents or more. Our work has cumulatively impacted 19 million people across the country. We continually develop partnerships with new cities and counties and will add to this page as new projects arise.

Please see Partner with FUSE to learn about the cities and counties we have partnered with.

FUSE provides extensive support and training to Executive Fellows throughout the course of the year to deepen and accelerate the impact of our work. This includes several multi-day convenings at the start, midpoint, and end of the fellowship year; in-depth skill building workshops to equip Executive Fellows with tools and strategies for advancing racial equity; monthly convenings to dive into project-related challenges and leverage the expertise of current and former Executive Fellows. 

Executive Fellows also have a dedicated FUSE contact with whom they meet regularly to help ensure they are leveraging the breadth of resources available and applying best practices gleaned from our decade of partnering with local government. They can also work directly with executive coaches on various project and professional development-related topics. 

FUSE also provides access to a broad range of workshop providers who can help accelerate the impact of projects. Executive Fellows and government partners may also participate in FUSE convenings to share best practices.

Our model is different from traditional consulting because we co-design projects with our government partners, conduct a unique executive search for the talent and skills that best complement the existing team, embed our Executive Fellows full-time in government agencies, and provide extensive training, coaching, and resources to ensure project success. That highly customized, dedicated focus is catalytic to advancing strategic priorities, helping leaders move initiatives meaningfully forward —from conception and ideation to implementation of holistic solutions.

Additionally, because the FUSE Executive Fellowship Program cohort model builds community and strengthens connections through shared experiences as Executive Fellows start and finish their fellowship journey together.

FUSE launches several new fellowship cohorts per year. Each fellowship description will specify its expected beginning and end dates. 

General applications are accepted throughout the year. As fellowship opportunities become available, they will be announced through FUSE’s social media channels and recruiting newsletter (sign up for the newsletter).

Applicants are asked to submit only one application to be considered for all currently available or future projects. All candidates will receive an email acknowledgment that their fellowship application has been successfully received and is under review. If FUSE identifies an alignment between your experience and interests and the goals of the fellowship program, you will be contacted by a recruiter to schedule an introductory conversation.