Application

Application Timeline

Applications Open : June 1, 2026  

APPLY HERE

• The application will ask candidates to respond to a series of questions about their experience in leadership, collaboration, community development, economic development, and economic mobility. 
  • The application questions can be reviewed before beginning the formal application process. 
  • Please refer to the Frequently Asked Questions - FAQ page for information on Economic Mobility. All resources on the FAQ page are supplement and are not required readings to complete the application. 
• Candidates will be asked to list five (5) current members of their Civic Network who ideally will have varied Social Capital and Social Assets (such as neighborhood associations, business groups, etc.). 
  • Please refer to the Frequently Asked Questions - FAQ page for information on Civic Networks and Social Capital.  
  • These are people who can speak to the candidate's strengths, experience, as well as their collaborative skills and abilities.
  • Throughout the course of the cohort year, there will be times when Cohort members will be asked to bring members of their Civic Network to the table to support efforts of the Economic Mobility Initiative project. When choosing members of your Civic Network, candidates should consider inviting people with varied Social Capital and Social Assets, skills, experience, and strengths as well as individuals from varied organizations and communities.
  • If a candidate is chosen for the interview phase, each member of the Civic Network will be sent a link to fill out a reference form to speak to the candidate's experience as well as share their level of commitment to participate in the Economic Mobility Initiative phase of the fellowship. 
    • References must be completed by August 5, 2026 to proceed to the Interview Phase.

Applications Close : July 10, 2026 

• Applications will close on Friday, July 10, 2026 at 11:59 p.m.
• At this time, the Selection Committee will assess candidates' applications and experience.

Interviews : August 10 - 21, 2026  

• Interviews will be scheduled in-person with the Selection Committee. If you need any accommodations, please let us know, so we can ensure accommodations are in place. 

Acceptance Notifications : August 31, 2026  

• Fellows will be notified of acceptance into the Civic Collaboration Fellows Cohort. 
• Letters of Commitment will be sent and need to be signed by September 4 to secure your spot in the Cohort. 
  • If at anytime in the application process, your personal circumstances change, and you need to withdraw your application, please inform the Program Coordinator as soon as possible. 

Cohort Begins : September 2026 

• Fellows will be introduced as the 2026-2027 Cohort at the joint Civic Collaboration Fellows and Neighborhood Leadership Fellows Graduation
  • September 19, 2026: Location and Time, TBD  

Civic Collaboration Fellows is a partnership between University of Missouri - Extension (MU Extension) and University of Missouri - St. Louis (UMSL) with generous funding from the James S. McDonnell Foundation.