In its fifth year, the Transatlantic Community Foundation Fellowship enables staff of American and European community foundations to exchange best practices and experiences with their colleagues on the other side of the Atlantic by spending two weeks in residence with a host community foundation.  This allows for direct one-on-one learning, exposing both the host institution and the Fellow to alternative means of addressing similar social and economic concerns.  The broader goal of the program is to create and strengthen networks of people within the field of community philanthropy who can share their international experiences with their colleagues and thereby assist in the further development and capacity building of the field at large.

Each June, five Americans and five Europeans participate in the two-week program, which begins with a one-day orientation for all Fellows in Washington, DC, to discuss transatlantic differences and similarities.  While at their host foundations, Fellows participate in day-to-day office operations; explore issues of governance, strategic planning, grantmaking, and investment; and learn about public/private partnerships.  Fellows are also expected to hold informal briefings for their hosts on the practices of their own community foundation and the challenges facing community foundation development in their home countries.  At the conclusion of the program, Fellows meet in Brussels, Belgium, to review and exchange their experiences and impressions regarding community foundations on the other side of the Atlantic.

Fellows receive roundtrip airfare, including travel to and from orientation and debriefing sites; a daily stipend to cover hotel and meals; and reimbursement for car rental expenses as needed (applies only to Europeans in the United States).  Host foundations receive $1000 to help offset any expenses associated with hosting an individual and assistance and guidance from the German Marshall Fund on coordinating a schedule for the visiting Fellow.

This program is coordinated in partnership with the King Baudouin Foundation (KBF) of Belgium, which manages the European portion of the exchange.  The German Marshall Fund handles the American component with financial support from the Charles Stewart Mott Foundation.

2005 Transatlantic Community Foundation Fellowship Awards