RODEL INSTITUTE

Programs

1. The institute's signature program is the rodel fellowship. Created in 2005, the fellowship is the nation's premier leadership development program for elected leaders. Each year, the program selects 24 outstanding state and local-level leaders, divided equally between the two political parties, to come together for a series of three multi-day seminars held over a two-year period. Working with leading scholars as moderators, the fellows read and discuss classic texts dealing with ethical values, democratic principles, and wise and effective leadership. Those texts include the declaration of independence, the preamble to the united states constitution, and writings by frederick douglass, abraham lincoln, and martin luther king, jr., among many others. Following completion of the rodel fellowship seminars, fellows have an opportunity to gather periodically with alumni of the program to discuss critical questions of public policy and public leadership in a nonpartisan setting. Over 360 elected leaders have completed the program. These fellows have gone on to serve as united states senators, governors, mayors, party leaders, cabinet secretaries, members of congress, and vice president…

   $740,340 spent
   38% of program spending

2. Launched in 2022, the judicial fellowship is for federal judges and state supreme court justices. Based off of the rodel fellowship model, the program convenes 18 judges and justices annually for a series of three seminars to study, learn from one another, build trusting friendships, and foster common intellectual ground. These judges (9 of which were appointed by or elected as republicans and 9 of which were appointed by or elected as democrats) meet for three long weekends over two years with the final capstone seminar taking place in the united kingdom. The seminars combine reading-based discussions led by distinguished law professors with workshops focused on leadership and the challenges of judicial work. Rodel judicial fellows read classical legal texts on american democracy from varying perspectives. The discussions are candid and confidential, allowing participants to fully examine their own ideas and explore those of their colleagues.

   $690,111 spent
   35% of program spending

3. Building off the success of the rodel fellowship with the goal of making the impact of rodel more scalable, rodel america was founded in 2022. Rodel america convenes bipartisan groups of state and local leaders from select regions of the nation to participate in leadership development workshops employing the proven rodel seminar model. The program is designed to break down partisan barriers, increase mutual understanding, and create an atmosphere conducive to practical problem-solving. Rodel america has completed programs in memphis, tennessee; washington state; rhode island and california with future seminars scheduled for alaska and washington state.

   $319,722 spent
   16% of program spending

4. "founded in 2022, the edwards prize is awarded annually to a book published in the prior year that promises to make an outstanding contribution to the understanding and practice of democracy and american politics. The prize is named in honor of marvin henry ""mickey"" edwards, who has inspired generations of american public servants and students as a member of congress; faculty member at harvard, princeton, and american university; author of multiple scholarly books on the american political process; and founding executive director of the rodel fellowship. In making the selection for the edwards prize, the committee will seek a work that reflects the goals and values of the Rodel Institute. Excerpts from the winning book will be included as background reading for relevant rodel seminars. The prize will be awarded annually and will carry an honorarium of $10,000. The winner of the prize will be determined by a committee of seven persons comprised of four rodel fellows, the president of the Rodel Institute, and two outside advisors appointed by the rodel president. In odd-numbered years, the prize will be announced at the main dinner held at the rodel reunion, at which the winner…

   $123,383 spent
   6% of program spending

5. Council on foreign relations -the council on foreign relations (cfr) and the Rodel Institute convene an annual foreign policy forum for rodel fellows in elected office to gather for nonpartisan discussions on the foreign policy challenges facing the united states. The goal of the program is to help elected leaders develop the geopolitical understanding necessary to engage productively and collaboratively with the world. The cfr-rodel collaboration is designed to further the leadership and intellectual development experience for participants following the completion of their three-seminar rodel fellowship.

   $71,520 spent
   4% of program spending

The 5 programs described on its FY2025 Form 990, listed largest first by expense. Program spending in total: $1,945,076.