The Legislative Fellows Program (LFP) is sponsored by the U.S. State Department, Bureau of Educational and Cultural Affairs. For Georgia, Russia and Ukraine it is administered by American Councils for International Education: ACTR/ACCELS with support from the National Conference of State Legislatures (NCSL).
Initiated in 2005 under the auspices of the Legislative Education and Practice (LEAP) program, the LFP affords up to 50 promising young professionals from Georgia, Russia, and Ukraine the opportunity to gain practical experience in, and exposure to, United States government. The knowledge and interest of these young Eurasian professionals in American political processes will be expanded through short-term fellowships in state legislatures and city halls across the United States, as well as on Capitol Hill. In addition, the LFP will enable up to 25 Americans to travel outbound on reciprocal visits. One of the program objectives is to enable Fellows to share their knowledge with peers in Eurasia through a follow-on program in which they will conduct conferences and outreach activities in collaboration with American counterparts. Another unique new feature to the LFP is that it will serve countries outside Eurasia, meaning that American Councils’ Georgian, Russian and Ukrainian Fellows will have an opportunity to learn from their peers around the world (Asia, Africa, etc). Plans are currently underway for a large pan-LFP conference to take place twice a year in Washington, D.C.
Foreign and domestic participants will be selected through a competitive online application process scheduled to commence in October 2009. The first foreign delegation will travel to the United States in spring 2010 with the second group following in the autumn. Reciprocal travel is tentatively planned for next summer and winter 2010-11.
