What We Do
Public Life
Fellowship

The Public Life Fellowship Program is a nine-month program serving an intergenerational class of Christians interested in intensive, community-based learning about the intersection of faith and public service.

Meet our 2024
Public Life Fellows

See our 2023
Public Life Fellows

What is the Public Life Fellowship?

Watch this video from our 2023 class of fellows to find out!

Why a Public Life Fellowship?

Fellows will gain access to a community of support and learning, and have extended interaction with world-class mentors, CCPL staff, and both current and former Public Life Fellows. Through the program, fellows will be better-equipped to navigate the public aspects of their vocations, and serve as resources on these topics in their own local contexts. We seek to cultivate earnest, faithful individuals who can bear the burden of leadership with integrity.

Who should apply?

This is an intensive learning community focused on the intersection of faith and public life with attention to spiritual formation and civic renewal. The ideal applicant will be serious about their faith and committed to public service, and they will have already made a significant contribution to our civic life. Fellows come from diverse sectors, including government, nonprofit leadership, philanthropy, ministry, academia, and journalism. We are open to receiving applications for civically-minded individuals in other sectors, including business, the arts and sports. Applicants come from across the United States, and from many different Christian traditions.

What you can expect:

  • Three in-person retreats in beautiful locations, getting you out of your day-to-day and renewing your imagination for what it looks like to pursue civic renewal in your personal context. 

  • Substantive teaching and tailored resources that will deepen your faith and equip you to better serve the public.

  • Extended interactions with world-class mentors specifically selected based on the needs and goals of your class of fellows.

  • The opportunity to research, develop and share—with the support of CCPL staff and mentors—a distinctively Christian idea that you want to contribute to our civic life.

  • Meaningful friendships and relationships of support with other fellows and members of the thriving community of leaders that are a part of the CCPL ecosystem.

Frequently Asked Questions:

What is the cost?

The program itself is free, and all lodging and accommodations are covered for the retreats. Fellows are responsible for travel costs associated with the in-person retreats.

I have a full time job. What are the time commitments of the program? 

This program is designed for folks in the thick of demanding careers. The main commitments for the fellowship are 3 in-person retreats that require taking off work. Outside of that, there will be monthly calls, some required reading, and one writing project. Most of our fellows have busy, full-time jobs and we want this to complement their work, not take away from it.

When and where are the retreats?

The fellowship starts in February with an onboarding call and runs until our summit in the fall. The first two retreat dates are below. 

Monday, March 3 - Friday, March 7, 2025 (Virginia)
Sunday, June 8 - Thursday, June 12, 2025 (Colorado)

The third and final retreat will be in October or November in Washington D.C., but is not confirmed yet.

Application Process

The application for the 2025 Cohort of Public Life Fellows is now closed. Applications for the 2026 Cohort will open in August 2025.

For questions about the Public Life Fellowship, please reach out to info@ccpubliclife.org.

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