To apply to convene at the Bellagio Center, proposals must meet the following requirements:
- Organizational Sponsorship: The proposed convening must be affiliated with an organization. Individuals without organizational sponsorship may be more suited for our Residency or Fellowship Programs
- Eligibility: The designated lead organizer must meet the Bellagio Center’s eligibility requirements
- Strategic Fit: The proposed convening must align with the Bellagio Center’s Elements of a Successful Bellagio Convening, including a clear charitable purpose, catalytic timing, and the potential to advance meaningful, real-world impact
Who is eligible to organize a Bellagio Center Convening?
The following conditions must be met to apply to organize a Bellagio Center convening:
- The convening must have a clear social benefit and charitable purpose;
- All applicants must be over the age of 18;
- Applicants cannot be United States government officials, as defined by the U.S. Internal Revenue Service; and certain U.S. government officials may be ineligible to participate in convenings due to ethical regulations;
- Applicants cannot be individuals who are running for a public office in the United States or abroad, or be employed by the campaign of an individual running for public office during the convening;
- Applicants cannot be individuals who hold public office in countries outside of the United States during the convening;
- Applicants cannot be individuals who are Rockefeller Foundation Personnel or a Related Party, without prior review and approval of the Foundation’s General Counsel;
Definition of “Rockefeller Foundation Personnel” and “Related Party”:
- “Personnel” includes all trustees, officers, and staff of the Foundation, as well as non-trustee members of the Investment Committee.
- “Related Party” includes any living spouse, domestic partner, parent, sibling, child, or other family member or individual with whom there is an intimate personal and/or economic relationship.
- For Foundation trustees, directors, officers, key employees, and persons exercising the power of such positions, “related party” includes the following living relatives:
- Spouses or domestic partners;
- Parents and step-parents;
- Grandparents and step-grandparents;
- Siblings and half-siblings and their spouses;
- Children, grandchildren, and great-grandchildren, and their spouses; and
- Other family members or individuals with whom there is an intimate personal and/or economic relationship
How is “charitable purpose” defined for the purpose of the Bellagio Center Convening Program?
All Bellagio Center convening proposals must satisfy the requirements for charitability set by the United States Internal Revenue Service, which include the provision of relief to the poor, advancement of education or science, preservation of the natural environment, and promotion of social welfare. This requirement reflects The Rockefeller Foundation’s mission and its obligations as a charitable organization.
In practice, a convening with a charitable purpose is one that is designed to advance the public good, particularly by contributing to solutions that improve the well-being of people or the planet rather than to benefit a single organization, commercial interest, or political agenda.
Convenings are eligible if they:
- Advance knowledge, collaboration, or action in service of a charitable or philanthropic goal
- Address issues of broad public relevance, especially those affecting underserved or vulnerable populations, and
- Are structured to produce outcomes that extend beyond the immediate participants
Convenings are not eligible if they:
- Are primarily intended for internal organizational purposes (e.g., internal strategy sessions, board meetings, or staff retreats)
- Promote or advance commercial products, services, or private business interests
- Even if the content is otherwise charitable, convenings cannot include political campaign activity or lobbying, as defined by the Internal Revenue Service
How are Political Campaign Activity and Lobbying defined for the purpose of the Bellagio Center Convening Program?
The Rockefeller Foundation is a non-partisan, non-profit organization, and the use of our space and resources must adhere to all limitations on political campaign activity and lobbying as defined by the Internal Revenue Service.
Convenings held at the Bellagio Center cannot include activities or results that may be used to influence the outcome of any public election or to carry on, directly or indirectly, any voter registration initiatives.
Convenings held at the Bellagio Center cannot support or be associated with any activities that may constitute lobbying as defined in the Internal Revenue Code Section 4945(d)(1) and the regulations thereunder.
I have submitted a Bellagio Center Convening Proposal in the past but was not selected. Am I able to be considered again?
Yes. Organizations that have previously submitted a convening proposal but were not selected in a previous year may be considered again.
Each application is reviewed independently and assessed based on its alignment with the Bellagio Center’s convening criteria, charitable purpose, and the relevance and timing of the proposed work. A prior submission or outcome does not limit an organization’s eligibility to apply for future consideration.
My organization has previously hosted a convening at the Bellagio Center. Can we host another?
In limited cases, yes — but the Bellagio Center tries not to host recurring or annual convenings from the same organization.
How are Bellagio Center convening proposals assessed, and what types of convenings are prioritized?
Bellagio Center convening proposals are assessed holistically, based on their alignment with The Foundation’s mission and the Elements of a Successful Convening.
Priority is given to convenings that:
- Define a clear and specific purpose, with objectives that go beyond general discussion or information sharing
- Advance a demonstrably charitable purpose, aligned with improving outcomes for underserved of vulnerable populations
- Occur at a catalytic moment when a convening can meaningfully accelerate progress or unlock decisions
- Position outcomes for impact beyond the convening itself, with a credible link to real-world change
All proposed convenings must comply with applicable law and may not include political campaign activity or lobbying of any kind.
The Bellagio Center is not designed to host gatherings such as internal strategy sessions, board meetings, capstone projects, training programs, large-scale conferences, or academic symposiums.
When are decisions made on convening applications?
Applications are reviewed on a quarterly basis, based on the date range requested for the proposed convening. We aim to communicate final decisions several months in advance of the convenings dates we are able to offer.
As a general guideline, decisions are typically made on the following timeline:
- Q1 Convenings: late September or early October
- Q2 Convenings: December or early January
- Q3 Convenings: Late March or early April
- Q4 Convenings: Late May
Timing may vary slightly depending on the volume of applications under review, but all applicants will be notified once a decision has been made.
When is the Bellagio Center open for convenings?
The Bellagio Center typically hosts convenings from February through early-December. The Center is closed in January.
Can I request specific dates for my convening?
You may indicate preferred timeframes by quarter in your convening application – especially in instances where the output of your convening will have influence at subsequent key moments; however, we are not able to guarantee specific dates.
The Bellagio Center calendar is set well in advance, and availability at the Center is the primary determining factor in scheduling. If a convening is approved, The Rockefeller Foundation will offer dates based on availability within the requested period, when possible.
While we make every effort to be accommodating, final dates are determined by the Center’s schedule and operational considerations.
How long are convenings?
Convenings at the Bellagio Center take place over five days: Monday through Friday, or Tuesday through Saturday. The first day should be reserved for participant arrivals, followed by three full working days, with the final day being reserved for departure.
The Bellagio Center calendar is set well in advance, and convenings are not scheduled over the weekends. While approved convenings may be shortened within the dates offered, we are not able to extend, lengthen, or shift convenings beyond the dates provided.
As a result, convenings cannot exceed five days, and specific start or end dates cannot be adjusted once accepted.
How many participants can a Bellagio Center convening include, and must all participants stay onsite?
Convenings at the Bellagio Center are intentionally designed as small, immersive gatherings. The maximum number of participants is 21 or 22, depending on the building in which the convening takes place. We cannot accommodate convenings with more than 22 participants under any circumstances.
This participant cap is inclusive of everyone involved onsite during the convening, including (but not limited to) organizers, facilitators, speakers, support staff, security personnel, interpreters, and translators.
All convening participants must stay onsite at the Bellagio Center for the full duration of the convening. We are not able to accommodate additional participants staying offsite, joining for only part of the convening, or rotating in and out over the course of the week.
This means that:
- Participants cannot stay in nearby hotels or other accommodations
- Participants may arrive late or depart early, but convenings cannot rotate participants to exceed the maximum participant limit
These parameters reflect both the physical capacity of the Bellagio Center and its core convening model. The Center’s buildings, meeting space, and shared facilities such as dining rooms are designed to support a limited number of participants working together intensively.
If your proposed convening requires a larger number of participants, the Bellagio Center is unlikely to be the right setting.
What kind of support does The Rockefeller Foundation provide for Bellagio Center convenings?
The Rockefeller Foundation provides convening facilities, meals, accommodations, and ground transportation for all convenings held at the Bellagio Center. Ground transportation between local airports or train stations in Milan and the Bellagio Center is organized and coordinated by the Foundation for participants’ arrival and departure.
To support participants in the visa process, The Rockefeller Foundation staff in Italy can provide invitation letters for use at local embassies. However, participants are directly responsible for securing their own visas and ensuring they meet all entry requirements to travel to Italy, and for doing so in a timely fashion.
The Rockefeller Foundation also provides all Bellagio Center convenings with opportunities to connect with our expert design partners, who can help sharpen convening purposes and propose specific tactics for fostering participant engagement and building post-convening momentum. In addition, we provide a branded agenda template as well as other convening materials designed to maximize your convening’s impact during and after the convening. If you’d like to explore more resources related to convening design, we encourage you to visit our design website.
Does The Rockefeller Foundation provide funding for travel to the Bellagio Center?
Convening host organizations and participants are generally expected to cover international travel costs to reach Milan, Italy.
In limited cases, travel support awards may be available to help defray travel expenses for individuals who would not otherwise be able to participate. These awards are intended to support inclusion and access; they are not designed to cover the full costs of international travel for all participants. Supported travel will be booked in economy class.
Travel support is not available for:
- Individuals from well-resourced organizations (e.g., philanthropic institutions or corporations)
- United States government officials as defined by the IRS
- High-net-worth individuals
How do I apply for the Residency Program?
Our application for the Residency program is currently closed. If you would like to be notified when we announce our open call for Residency applications, we invite you to sign up here.
How do I apply for the Big Bets Fellowship Program?
Our application for the Big Bets Fellowship program is currently closed. If you would like to learn more about our Big Bets Fellowship program, we encourage you to sign up here.
Where can I go if I still have questions?
The Bellagio Center Program Team is available to answer any additional questions. Email them at bellagioapplicant@rockfound.org.
All Bellagio Center convening applications are subject to our Data Privacy Policy. We ask all participants to review this policy prior to submitting their applications to convene at the Bellagio Center.