This is not a general leadership fellowship. The IREX Community Solutions Program 2027 is built around one goal: regional economic growth. It looks for community leaders who already have proven results and want to bring home ideas that help their region earn and grow.
Selected leaders spend about three to four months in the United States. That includes a 12 week practicum with a US host organisation. The programme covers J-1 visa support and round trip travel and a monthly allowance and health coverage. Participants then return home and run a nine month SCALE-Up Project.
You must be aged 27 to 39 and a citizen of one of the listed countries. The application is open now. It closes on Tuesday 24 November 2026 at 11:59 pm Eastern Time. That is 4:59 am UTC on 25 November. Check your own time zone before you plan your last day.
Last Information Checked: 29 October 2026
At a Glance
| Item | Details |
| Programme | Community Solutions Program (CSP) 2027 |
| Run by | IREX (eligibility rules are set by the US Department of State) |
| Focus | Regional economic growth and community prosperity |
| Type | Leadership exchange with a US practicum |
| Time in the US | About 3 to 4 months (August to early November 2027) |
| Practicum | 12 weeks from 9 August to 29 October 2027 |
| After the US | 9 month SCALE-Up Project at home |
| Age | 27 to 39 at the time of application |
| Experience | At least 5 years on community issues |
| Funding | Covers most expenses (see Programme Benefits) |
| Application fee | Not stated |
| Deadline | Tuesday 24 November 2026 at 11:59 pm Eastern Time (4:59 am UTC on 25 November) |
About the Community Solutions Program
The Community Solutions Program is a professional leadership programme for experienced and results focused community leaders. These leaders work to advance locally driven regional economic growth and community prosperity.
The programme gives participants practical leadership and technical skills. It also gives them professional connections and hands on experience. The goal is to strengthen their ability to solve economic development problems in their own communities.
The official instructions say what a strong candidate looks like. They show a record of leading or supporting work with measurable benefits to local communities. They can work across sectors. They have clear learning goals linked to a regional economic development challenge.
The Three Parts of the Programme
Three month fellowship in the United States. Participants complete a hands on professional practicum with a US host organisation. They work with US professionals and build technical and leadership skills. Regional field visits add to the learning. These visits show US models of cooperation between businesses and Chambers of Commerce and workforce and education institutions and local government and community organisations.
Innovation and Applied Skills Labs. These labs build practical skills. Participants learn to adapt and expand US models of regional economic development. They develop leadership and management tools to turn ideas into action. The labs also look at how emerging technologies can strengthen key industries and support business growth and create new chances for workers and communities.
SCALE-Up Projects. During their time in the US, participants find promising economic development models and tools and partnership approaches. They document what they learn. After the practicum they run a nine month SCALE-Up Project at home. The project adapts at least one US model or tool or partnership approach to advance regional economic growth.
Also Read: Feminist Futures Fellowship 2027: Fully Funded
Sectors and Training Tracks
You choose one primary sector. The proposed sectors are:
- Culinary industries and farm to table
- Business and entrepreneurship
- Hospitality and tourism
- Technology and innovation
- Other approved sectors
You also choose one or more training tracks that match your learning goals:
- Coalition building and public private partnerships
- E-commerce and digital tools
- Project development and management
- Resource mobilization and development
- Transportation and infrastructure
- Workforce development and transformation
- Youth engagement and retention
Orientation and Placement in the United States
- Participants travel to Washington DC for orientation from 2 to 5 August 2027.
- They complete the 12 week practicum from 9 August to 29 October 2027 in about six US host regions.
- They attend the End of Program Workshop in Washington, DC from 1 to 4 November 2027 and then return home.
- A virtual pre departure orientation takes place in June and July 2027.
These dates are current planning dates and are subject to confirmation.
Programme Benefits
The programme covers the cost of most expenses linked to the following:
- J-1 visa support
- Round trip travel from your home city to the United States
- A monthly allowance for housing and meals and other living costs while in the US
- Accident and sickness health coverage
- Accessibility accommodations such as ADA accessible rooms for in person training and software such as JAWS and community assistance and community training
Accessibility Support
The CSP team offers disability support from the application stage to the end of the fellowship.
- Application: a screen reader friendly application and captioned and pre recorded video interviews
- Before arrival: accommodations for English language testing
- In person: mobility assistance devices as needed and sign language interpreting and live captioning and transcripts for in person and online courses and ADA accessible rooms and software such as JAWS and community assistance and community training
Who Can Apply
You must meet every rule below. Applications that do not meet them are disqualified and are not reviewed. The US Department of State sets these rules and exceptions cannot be made.
- You are between 27 and 39 years old at the time of application.
- You are a citizen of a country on the eligible list below.
- You have at least five years of experience working on community issues. You can show measurable benefits to local communities.
- You live and work in your country at the time of application. You are not living or working outside your country. This includes academic or training or research programmes abroad.
- You have a high level of spoken and written English.
- You can start the programme in the US in 2027 and join the full three to four month exchange.
- You are not a citizen or permanent resident of the US. You have not applied for US permanent residency in the past three years.
- You are eligible for a US J-1 visa.
- If you joined a US Government-sponsored exchange before, you must have completed its two year home residency requirement.
- You commit to return to your home country for at least two years after the programme and to carry out a community-based SCALE-Up Project.
- You meet any extra rules published in the final application materials.
English test: Semi finalists who do not already hold a valid TOEFL score of 520 or higher (or 213 on the computer-based test) must take an Institutional TOEFL or a similar test approved for CSP.
IREX and the State Department can check every detail in your application. If something is false or does not match you are disqualified at once.
Eligible Countries
Africa: Botswana | Cameroon | Ethiopia | Ghana | Guinea | Kenya | Liberia | Mozambique | Namibia | Rwanda | Uganda
East Asia and the Pacific: Cambodia | Federated States of Micronesia | Fiji | Indonesia | Laos | Malaysia | Mongolia | Papua New Guinea | Philippines | Solomon Islands | Thailand | Tonga | Vanuatu | Vietnam
Europe: Albania | Belarus | Croatia | Estonia | Hungary | Latvia | Lithuania | Malta | Moldova | North Macedonia | Romania | Slovakia | Ukraine
Middle East and North Africa: Algeria | Egypt | Iraq | Jordan | Lebanon | Morocco | Oman | Tunisia
South and Central Asia: Bangladesh | Bhutan | Kazakhstan | Kyrgyzstan | Maldives | Nepal | Pakistan | Sri Lanka | Tajikistan | Uzbekistan
Western Hemisphere: Bolivia | Colombia | El Salvador | Guatemala | Guyana | Jamaica | Mexico | Panama | Peru | Suriname | Trinidad and Tobago | Venezuela
Selection Process
- After the deadline CSP staff check each application for completeness and eligibility.
- A Selection Committee scores eligible applications with a scoring matrix approved by ECA (the State Department exchange office).
- About three top candidates for every placement are invited to an English language interview. It can be virtual or in person.
- US embassy Public Diplomacy Sections can review applications and join interviews and comment on semi finalists.
- IREX sends finalists and alternates to ECA and the embassies for approval.
- Finalists and alternates and unsuccessful applicants are all told their status in writing.
How To Apply
- Download and read the application instructions. Check every eligibility rule first.
- Open the CSP application portal. Use one email address for the whole process and check it often.
- Fill in the form in English. Write names and places in the English alphabet and do not translate them. Answer every question marked with a red asterisk. Write N/A if it does not apply.
- Pick one primary sector and one or more training tracks.
- Describe the regional economic development need you work on. Add the results you achieved and the institutions and people involved. Explain how CSP learning would strengthen your work.
- Add a creative supplement if you wish. This can be an op-ed or blog post or captioned photo or short video or report or journal article or a support letter from a community member.
- Write only your own experience. You can use AI tools to polish your answers but you must say how you used them. Answers that do not show your own experience may score lower.
- Submit online before the deadline. Applications sent by mail or fax or email are not accepted. The form must be completed by you alone.
Key Dates
- 27 October 2026: Application opened
- Tuesday 24 November 2026 at 11:59 pm Eastern Time: Application deadline (4:59 am UTC and 9:59 am Pakistan time on 25 November)
- 1 to 16 December 2026: Reading Committee review
- 22 December 2026: Semi finalists told to complete the English interview
- 8 January 2027: Semi finalist interview deadline
- 13 to 29 January 2027: Interview Committee review
- 25 February 2027: Applicants told if they are finalist or alternate or unsuccessful
- March to May 2027: Deadline to accept finalist or alternate status
- April to May 2027: English language assessment and alternate upgrade period if needed
- June to July 2027: Virtual pre departure orientation
- 2 to 5 August 2027: Orientation in Washington DC
- 9 August to 29 October 2027: 12 week practicum
- 1 to 4 November 2027: End of Program Workshop and return home
- December 2027 to September 2028: SCALE-Up Projects at home
