10-Month Fellowship

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Monthly Stipend

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Mentorship

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Creative Tools

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10-Month Fellowship ✷ Monthly Stipend ✷ Mentorship ✷ Creative Tools ✷

You Know You Were Made for Something.
You Just Need a Place to Build It.

You feel the pull toward something new. You have ideas, creativity, and a sense that God is asking you to step into something bigger. 

But knowing that you’re called and knowing the steps to take to get there are two very different things. And, it can feel impossible to navigate your vision on your own. 

Most people in your shoes are told to wait, figure it out, or pick something safe. 

We think there's a better way.

Where Calling Becomes A Practice

Dream Fellows is an immersive 10-month paid fellowship in Washington, D.C.. It’s specifically designed for college-age to early-30s creatives, aspiring ministers, and entrepreneurial thinkers with a heart for ministry.

We know what it's like to have a dream and no clear runway to achieve it. That's why we built Dream Fellows.

We want to share the resources, relationships, and room to step into your calling with like-minded dreamers alongside you.

BECOME A FELLOW

How It Works

BECOME A FELLOW

Everything You Need to Begin

We invest in you, so you can invest in your calling.  Dream Fellows covers the practical side, so you can be fully present for the work and the growth.

  • $2,000 Monthly Stipend Housing options in Washington, D.C. 

  • Staff membership at National Community Church 

  • Access to NCC's Creative Studio and professional tools 

  • One-on-one mentorship with NCC ministry leaders 

  • Spiritual formation through weekly sessions, retreats, and discipleship 

  • Monthly gatherings with the wider Dream Collective community

The first thing most fellows say is that they didn't expect to be trusted with so much, so quickly. You’ll join staff meetings, contribute to real projects, and take ownership of meaningful work right away.

But the fellowship isn't only about what you produce. 

You're surrounded by people asking the same questions you are, figuring out what faithfulness looks like in your own creative and ministry lives.

BECOME A FELLOW

You Might Be a Dream Fellow If...

  • You grew up in the church and know you want to use your creative gifts in ministry, but you've never had a real environment to try.
  • You're an artist or entrepreneur who's spiritually curious, drawn to community, and looking for a place where your faith and your work don't have to live in separate boxes.
  • You just graduated, but you're not ready to settle for a path that doesn't feel like yours. You’re searching for mentorship instead of a job title. You want to be around people who take their calling seriously.
BECOME A FELLOW

LEARN MORE

 What Our Fellows Say

  • "I grew up in the church. I knew I had creative gifts, but I didn't have the resources or the access to actually take them somewhere professionally. Dream Fellows gave me that. I got access to the NCC Creative Studio, Adobe accounts,and real mentorship from people doing creative ministry in a way I hadn't seen anywhere else. There are other programs in the area, but none of them have this specific focus. None of them say, 'We want to activate your dream.' That's what set it apart for me."

    - Ethan Valliath, Dream Fellow


  • “The fellowship gave me an alternative. Either I was going to figure this out and fall on my face, or I was going to put my dream on hold. Dream Fellows was the buffer period. I could have more space and more resources without having to give up or burn out trying to do it alone. A lot of people are looking for that kind of in-between, and they don't know it exists. When I found the Dream Fellows page, it spoke to where I was. It had these three buckets: ministry, entrepreneurship, and artists. And I was like, I feel like I'm all three of these things, and this is actually something I can get help with."

    - Cleavon Davis

Meet the Dream Fellows

Our fellows are a truly unique group of creatives, ministers, and visionaries living out their faith and building toward Kingdom impact in Washington, D.C.

Tap on their image to donate and support each Fellow as they continue their journey in this program.

Claire Ball

Claire Ball

Cleavon Davis

Cleavon Davis

Ethan Vaillath

Ethan Vaillath

Julian Riley

Julian Riley

Kylie Pierce

Kylie Pierce

Nina Sturm

Nina Sturm

Reagan Scholes

Reagan Scholes

Shannon Vaz

Shannon Vaz

LEARN MORE

The Fellowship Is Just The Beginning

Ask any fellow what affected them most, and the answer almost always comes back to the people. 

Dream Fellows is connected to a wider network of pastors, creatives, entrepreneurs, and culture-makers through both The Dream Collective and National Community Church.

The relationships you form here don't end when the fellowship does. They shape what comes next.

BECOME A FELLOW

FAQs

  • We look for people with a clear sense of calling and a willingness to grow. Previous ministry or leadership experience is helpful, and specific experience in your area of interest is a plus. But we also weigh attitude, flexibility, and your ability to work within a team. 

    A degree is not required, though the program is designed for people in a post-college life stage, typically in their 20s to early 30s.

  • Dream Fellows runs from September (the Thursday after Labor Day) through July (the last Sunday of July), a full 10-month commitment.

  • No. Fellows are brought on as staff members of National Community Church. You'll be held to the same expectations as other NCC staff and treated as a vital part of the team. This is hands-on ministry with real responsibility.

  • There is no tuition fee. Fellows receive a $2,000 monthly stipend and housing options. All program materials are covered by NCC. 

    Fellows are responsible for personal living expenses and have the option to fundraise above the stipend through the NCC finance office.

  • The fellowship's strongest foundation is in ministry, with a growing track for creatives and entrepreneurs. If your calling lives at the intersection of ministry and business or ministry and art, this is a great fit. 

    If you're looking for a standalone business incubator without a ministry connection, this may not be the right program, but we'd love to connect you with other Dream Collective resources that might be.

  • Dream Fellows is a program of The Dream Collective, which operates through National Community Church in Washington, D.C. 

    As a fellow, you become part of both the NCC staff community and the wider Dream Collective network of pastors, creatives, and entrepreneurs.

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