Rural Fellowship Program
Forecasted
The Rural Fellowship Program places emerging leaders in rural Tennessee to apply research and innovation to economic and community development, funded by the Tennessee Department of Economic and Community Development.
Funder: Tennessee Department of Economic and Community Development
Due Dates (Anticipated): January 2028
Funding Amounts: $60,000 annual salary (two-year fellowship) | Full benefits | Travel and training costs covered
Summary: Two-year fellowship placing recent graduates and emerging leaders in rural Tennessee to support economic and community development.
Key Information: This is a forecasted opportunity; all deadlines are projected and may change.
Description
The Rural Fellowship Program, administered by the Tennessee Department of Economic and Community Development (TNECD) in partnership with Tennessee Tech University’s Center for Rural Innovation, is a full-time, two-year professional fellowship. Its aim is to empower recent graduates and emerging leaders by placing them in Tennessee’s most economically distressed and at-risk rural communities. Fellows work alongside state and local executive leaders, gaining hands-on public service experience and contributing to projects in economic development, grant administration, community planning, and more. The program is designed to build local capacity, foster public service leadership, and advance sustainable rural community development across Tennessee.
