Our Fellows work full-time for one year at Hosts: nonprofits, public agencies, or tribal governments. We are currently onboarding new Hosts for our 2027-2028 cohort, which starts on August 9, 2027 and ends on August 8, 2028. More than 90% of Hosts report that CB Fellows exceed expectations, overdeliver based on their age and stage, and strengthen the culture of their workplaces.
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W H Y H O S T A F E L L O W ?
Hosts with VISTAs save about 50-70% compared to the cost to hire a full-time staff member per year when factoring in recruiting, hiring, onboarding, training, and providing salary and benefits.
Hosts build capacity to fulfill their missions with fewer human resources – Civic Bridgers recruits, screens, and onboards highly skilled young professionals and supports them year-round with bi-weekly professional development.
Hosts benefit from having a full-time team member trained in the knowledge, mindsets, and skills to bridge divides.
Hosts join the Civic Bridgers Host Network: a cohort of organizations, public agencies, and corporations that receive cross-promotion and amplification through mutual democracy-strengthening work
T I M E L I N E F O R 2 0 2 7 – 2 0 2 8
May 10, 2027 - Deadline to submit Host Application and draft of VAD (for VISTAs)
May 17, 2027 - Hosts Confirmed
May 21, 2027 - VAD finalized and confirmed
May 31, 2027 - Fellowship Application Closes
June 25, 2027 - Matches Finalized
July 2027 - Orientation and Training (OT) plan due
August 9-13, 2027 Week-long Civic Bridgers Orientation
August 16, 2027: Fellows begin service with Host
F R E Q U E N T L Y A S K E D Q U E S T I O N S
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Civic Bridgers is a nonprofit based in St. Paul, MN that strengthens American democracy by training people to bridge divides.
The Civic Bridgers Fellowship immerses early-career professionals in 12 months of full-time service at a Host. Every assignment is different, but one thing holds true: Fellows model, apply, and transfer bridging skills in service of their communities.
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AmeriCorps provides Fellows a living stipend and other benefits.
Civic Bridgers provides Fellows a year of professional development in bridge-building.
Hosts provide Fellows full-time jobs where they build capacity and exercise bridging skills.
AmeriCorps VISTA (Volunteers in Service to America) is a national service program that fights poverty. VISTA members serve full-time for a year with nonprofit organizations, public agencies, and tribal governments. Their work helps create or expand programs that empower communities to overcome poverty.
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Eligible Hosts are nonprofits, social enterprises within nonprofits, public agencies, or tribal governments. Hosts must be nonpartisan.
We prioritize Hosts and assignments that:
Increase the capacity of Hosts
Increase the number and diversity of people and perspectives engaged in community life
Convene community members across differences and divides
Alleviate the causes or symptoms of poverty
Center solutions and opportunities generated by the community
Demonstrate the capacity to support Fellow(s) to be successful in their project
Anticipate that one year is an adequate time frame to complete the proposed activities
Supervision Requirements
Hosts must determine a reporting supervisor for the Fellow. The supervisor should meet with the Fellow at least once per week to provide guidance, coaching, and accountability. We encourage Hosts to also identify other mentors, including peer mentors, within the organization and community who can support the Fellow.
Work Schedule Requirements
Fellows work full-time from August 9, 2027 through August 16, 2028. They spend the first full week of the program in Civic Bridgers Orientation, followed by bi-weekly cohort meetings on Fridays.
Fellows serve full-time during the Host’s regular business hours, typically 30-40 hours per week.
VISTA Fellows follow the AmeriCorps leave / PTO benefits, and also follow the Host’s holiday schedule. For example, if the Host is closed for a week during Eid, the Fellow will also receive that time off without deducting from their AmeriCorps leave.
Location of Work
Fellows are expected to live within commuting distance of the community they serve. Hosts may determine their worksite location and any hybrid or remote arrangements.
Reporting
Monthly: Hosts complete a 5-minute survey to report on their Fellows’ progress toward project goals. Fellows submit monthly reports to Civic Bridgers.
Quarterly: Hosts meet with Civic Bridgers staff for a one-hour check-in.
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The Host Fee is $26,000.
The Host Fee is the cost paid to Civic Bridgers. It is the only cost of having a Fellow. Fellows do NOT join the Host’s payroll or employee benefit plans. Our partners with annual budgets over $1 million typically pay the full cost. We never want the cost to be a barrier to participation, so please reach out if the cost is prohibitive.How does Civic Bridgers use the Host Fee?
When you partner with us as a Host, your fee directly supports the comprehensive infrastructure that makes our Fellows successful. This includes:
Recruitment and Onboarding
A robust and rigorous 4-stage vetting process
Highly tailored candidate: Host matching
Orientation: 3-4 days of evidence-based professional development in bridging
Professional Development & Support
1:1 mentorship with a structured, evidence-based curriculum
1:1 support in development and implementation of practicum
Administrative Work
Federal AmeriCorps grant management (as relevant)
Program reporting and data management
Provision of food, housing, and transportation for Civic Bridgers’ events
Honoraria for speakers who enrich the Fellows’ experience
Quarterly check-ins with Fellows and Hosts
Additionally, your contribution supports our dedicated Programs Team, whose members provide both collective and individualized support to Fellows, develop impactful programming, and work diligently to ensure strong, productive relationships between Fellows and host organizations like yours.
By hosting a Fellow, you're not only gaining a dedicated team member, but also investing in the development of the next generation of leaders who will strengthen democracy for years to come.
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VISTAs perform roles that mitigate the causes or symptoms of poverty.
VISTAs build capacity. They do not perform direct service as a significant part of their role. As a rule of thumb, direct service does not significantly outlive the initial action, whereas capacity building has long-term impact. For example:
In the field of food security: Direct service is distributing food at a food shelf. Capacity building is systematizing the distribution system to improve efficiency and streamline supply channels.
In the field of youth development: Direct service is mentoring. Capacity building is documenting best practices for mentors in order to improve onboarding and training.
In the field of workforce development: Direct service is filling out job applications. Capacity building is developing a handbook of best practices for job applicants.
While charging time to the AmeriCorps program, accumulating service or training hours, or otherwise performing activities supported by the AmeriCorps program or AmeriCorps, VISTAs may not engage in partisan political activity or religious activity. See the full list of restrictions here.
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Our exceptional Fellow candidates undergo a rigorous vetting process and typically have multiple excellent job options. For this reason, it is vitally important that we match Fellows in a transparent, efficient, and streamlined manner in order to cement their commitment. Here’s what to expect of the matching process:
We will nominate Fellow(s) for you based on (1) the Fellow's fulfillment of your role criteria, and (2) the Fellow's interest in your specific role. We will email you the candidate’s application materials.
You will have 2 business days to review the materials and either accept or reject the candidate.
Within one week of acceptance, the candidate will meet with you for a placement confirmation conversation.
You will communicate your decision to accept or reject the candidate to Civic Bridgers within 24 hours.
If you accept, Civic Bridgers will confirm the placement with both the Host and Fellow and we will celebrate!
Our goal is to send you one strong candidate and forge the match. You may pass on any candidate prior to the placement conversation but you will be limited to one pass on candidates you choose for placement conversations. We will not accept rejections outside of our criteria (outlined below).
Rejection criteria:
Misalignment with role, mission, vision, or goals. For example, expressed values or past actions that demonstrably clash with the core mission and values of the organization.
Lack of necessary skills, experience, credentials, or materials. For example, the candidate lacks specific, essential skills required for the job (This must be balanced with the understanding that Fellows are early-career professionals who are willing to grow). Or, the Fellow does not have a car for a role that requires frequent local travel.
Poor engagement, communication, or professionalism. For example, behaviors during the interview process such as poor verbal communication, late arrival and/or absence, or disregard for workplace conduct expectations established in advance.
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VISTA refers to your Fellow. The VISTA Assignment Description (VAD) is their job description. When you decide to move forward as a Host, you will use a template to create your VAD.
For exemplars, see: -
Our Fellowship is highly competitive. We hire about 10% of candidates that apply, and we draw from a wide range of backgrounds. All Fellows are early-career professionals and many are in their first roles out of college.
Academic Requirement: Applicants must have earned (or will earn by the start of the Fellowship) an associate’s or bachelor’s degree or trades certification from a recognized institution. In the absence of a degree or certification, equivalent workforce experience will be considered.
Eligible Degrees: All academic disciplines and trades.
Leadership: The Fellowship looks for applicants who have demonstrated leadership abilities in their academic, professional, or extracurricular pursuits. This can include leadership in student organizations, professional work, social impact projects, or other leadership roles where you made a meaningful difference.
Language: Applicants must be fluent in English, as all programs are conducted in English. This is a general requirement for our programs.
How it Works
AmeriCorps provides Fellows a living stipend and other benefits.
Civic Bridgers provides Fellows a year of professional development in bridge-building.
Hosts provide Fellows full-time jobs where they build capacity and exercise bridging skills.