RISING

INNOVATORS IN

SERVICE &

ECONOMICS

A fellowship to develop the next generation of leaders, innovators, entrepreneurs, and problem-solvers through civic education, mentorship, and real-world community impact.

JOIN THE waitlist 2027 RISE FELLOWSHIP

Every speaker, workshop, mentorship session, site visit, and field experience is designed to help fellows answer one question: How do we build stronger communities? Fellows then turn those insights into innovative solutions that they present at the RISE Future Builders Challenge.

Apply now

  • RISE FELLOWSHIP

    Rising Innovators in Service and Economics

    A leadership and innovation fellowship for young people who want to build the future.

    Through mentorship, real-world experiences, field trips, and hands-on projects, fellows explore how communities grow, how systems work, and how innovative ideas become reality.

    What will fellows do?

    Every experience in RISE is designed to help fellows understand the world around them and discover opportunities to make it better.

    Throughout the fellowship, students will meet leaders across multiple sectors, visit projects and community spaces, develop leadership and communication skills, build professional networks, and explore how business, government, technology, and community organizations work together to solve problems.

    As they learn, fellows will identify a real-world or community challenge, research the problem, explore why it exists, and develop an innovative solution. They will then begin turning that idea into something tangible that can be shared and explored beyond the fellowship.

  • What is RISE?

    RISE (Rising Innovators in Service and Economics) is a leadership and innovation fellowship that challenges young people to explore how communities work, how opportunities are created, and how real-world problems can be solved.

    Throughout the fellowship, students learn directly from entrepreneurs, business leaders, developers, public officials, communicators, and community leaders. Through mentorship, field trips, real-world experiences, and hands-on learning, fellows are exposed to different industries, ideas, technologies, and perspectives.

    As they learn, fellows begin a search for a problem worth solving. They study challenges facing their communities and society, research why those problems exist, and develop innovative ideas for how they could be addressed. The goal is to move young people from simply identifying problems to thinking like inventors, entrepreneurs, and problem-solvers who can create solutions.

  • Every experience in RISE is designed to prepare fellows for the RISE Future Builders Challenge.

    Throughout the fellowship, students will meet leaders across multiple sectors, visit projects and community spaces, develop leadership and communication skills, build professional networks, and explore how business, government, and community organizations work together to solve problems.

    As they learn, fellows will research a community challenge, develop innovative ideas, and begin building a solution that they will present at the end of the program.

  • RISE is 15-20 year old students who are:

    • Curious

    • Ambitious

    • Creative

    • Community-minded

    • Interested in leadership

    • Interested in entrepreneurship

    • Interested in public service

    • Interested in making an impact

    RISE is for curious, ambitious, and creative young people who want to better understand how the world works and how they can help shape it.

    Whether you’re interested in business, entrepreneurship, communications, public service, community development, economics, leadership, or innovation, RISE is designed for students who are eager to learn, ask questions, think critically, and develop solutions to real-world challenges.

    No prior experience is required.

  • The RISE Future Builders Challenge is the culminating experience of the fellowship and the reason every workshop, site visit, speaker session, mentorship opportunity, and project throughout the summer exists.

    Working in teams, fellows identify a significant community challenge and develop an innovative solution designed to create meaningful impact. Along the way, they research their issue, engage with experts, explore real-world constraints, and develop an implementation strategy.

    Teams will also explore what partnerships, funding mechanisms, and policy changes may be needed to bring their ideas to life, including developing a legislative or policy proposal when appropriate.

    At the final showcase, fellows present their solutions before business leaders, entrepreneurs, developers, elected officials, community leaders, and potential supporters who provide feedback on the innovation, feasibility, impact, and future potential of each proposal.

    The challenge is designed to help students move beyond identifying problems and learn how to build solutions.

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