The Bellagio Center Convening Program, run by The Rockefeller Foundation for more than 60 years, lets organizations bring up to 21–22 people to the Foundation’s lakeside Bellagio Center in Italy for a focused, five-day working meeting. The Center hosts roughly 1,000 participants across about 60 one-week convenings each year.
A convening must be sponsored by an organization (individuals are directed to the separate Residency or Fellowship programs) and must advance a concrete, charitable-purpose solution to a pressing global problem, with a credible path to impact beyond the event itself. Applications for the 2027 program are open now and are reviewed on a quarterly basis according to the date range requested for the proposed convening.
Benefits & funding
- Use of the Bellagio Center convening facilities for a five-day meeting (Monday–Friday or Tuesday–Saturday)
- Meals and on-site accommodation for participants
- Ground transportation between Milan airports/train stations and the Center
- A dedicated on-site convening lead, plus design guidance, partnership support, and materials
- Invitation letters to support participants’ visa applications
- Limited travel support may be available for eligible individuals from under-resourced organizations
- Not covered: international travel to Milan, which participants/organizations must arrange and pay for themselves
Eligibility
- The convening must be sponsored by an organization; individuals seeking time at Bellagio should apply to the Residency or Fellowship programs instead
- The lead organizer must be over 18 years old
- Open to organizations worldwide — no nationality or residency restriction
- The proposal must advance a specific solution with breakthrough potential, a clear charitable purpose benefiting underserved populations, and a credible path to impact
- Convenings cannot advance lobbying or political-campaign activity as defined by the IRS; the lead organizer cannot be a U.S. government official, a candidate for or holder of public office, or a campaign employee during the convening
Can you apply?
Here's who can apply
Decoded from the official rules. A free account checks them against your passport, degree and age in seconds.
Age requirement
≥ 18 yrs
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Application process
- 1Review the FAQ and the “Elements of a Successful Convening” to confirm fit and eligibility.
- 2Download the Bellagio Center Convening Application form from the official apply page.
- 3Submit the completed proposal; applications are reviewed quarterly based on the requested convening date range, and decisions follow the quarter’s review schedule.
Program timeline
Rolling
Applications for the 2027 program accepted and reviewed quarterly by requested date range
Q1 convenings
decisions in late September or early October
Q2 convenings
decisions in December or early January
Q3 convenings
decisions in late March or early April
Q4 convenings
decisions in late May
2027 convenings held February through early December (the Center is closed in January)