Leading in Community
Leading in Community (LIC) is a leadership development program with a goal to broaden and strengthen leadership pathways for people of color and prepare them for nonprofit and community leadership in the Long Island, New York City, and Hudson Valley regions.
Participants receive a Certificate in Organizational and Community Leadership from Adelphi University upon completion of the nine-month program. The program will start again in February 2024.
Common Challenges
The Center recognizes that the leaders of color serving in the Long Island, New York City, or Hudson Valley underserved communities face obstacles that are common among leaders in low to moderate-income communities throughout the United States. The Leadership Learning Community—a national nonprofit organization that focuses on leadership development—identified the following challenges for leaders of color:
- Disparity in access to education and training programs
- Exclusive networks that recruit and perpetuate white leadership
- Internalized oppression and lack of self-confidence
- Exclusive dominant culture model of leadership
- Economic status
Who Should Take This Course?
Candidates who meet the following criteria should apply:
- Mid-level managers or directors of a nonprofit organization in an underserved community in the Long Island, New York City, or Hudson Valley regions
- Voluntary or paid community leaders
- Supported by their organization’s leadership or other community leaders
My personal growth and confidence have measurable results. I have already begun to use strategies and techniques that I have learned as a direct deliverable of this program.
Methods of Instruction
LIC uses an interactive method for developing leadership based on a collaborative style of learning to address a range of competencies, skills and practices. The curriculum design and schedule take into consideration the busy lives of nonprofit professionals and community leaders. This program consists of:
- In-person and Virtual Sessions
- Networking and sharing from 8:30 – 9:00 a.m. each session
- Case studies to reinforce learning outcomes and enhance the learning experience
Program Details, Goals and Objectives
Cost: $2,500
Partial scholarships are available. Considerations in determining scholarships will be based on financial need. See the application for more details.
Program Phases
Dates are located in the phases below:
Assess and strengthen a participant’s capacity to lead multicultural groups, organizations and communities effectively.
- Virtual Session – Leading in Community Kickoff – Friday, February 9, 2024 from 8:30 a.m. to 10:00 a.m.
- Virtual Session 1 – Friday, February 16, 2024 from 8:30 a.m. – 12:00 p.m.
- Virtual Session 2 – Friday, March 1, 2024 from 8:30 a.m. – 12:00 p.m.
- Virtual Session 2 – Friday, March 15, 2024 from 8:30 a.m. – 12:00 p.m.
- Virtual Session 4 (Bridging Individual and Organizational Leadership) – Friday, April 5, 2024 from 8:30 a.m. – 12:00 p.m.
Leaders develop necessary skills, behaviors and attitudes when they have opportunities to learn how to lead effectively with other people and from other people. The program will support participants as they develop their own approach and learn best leadership practices along with their peers.
We begin with an individual assessment using a widely accepted leadership assessment instrument. After the assessment, the participants and the Center’s leadership coach will collaborate on a personalized plan to guide them as they become the leader they want to be. Participants will learn how to take charge of their future leadership development by:
- Practicing self-assessment, personal reflection and self-awareness
- Identifying how race, ethnicity and culture influence leadership practices
- Articulating personal vision and mission
Learn and apply nonprofit leadership principles to improve participant’s understanding of practices, governance, human resources, advocacy, financial management and fundraising.
- Virtual Session 5 – Friday, April 26, 2024 from 8:30 a.m. – 12:00 p.m.
- Virtual Session 6 – Friday, May 10, 2024 from 8:30 a.m. – 12:00 p.m.
- Virtual Session 7 – Friday, May 31, 2024 from 8:30 a.m. – 12:00 p.m.
- Virtual Session 8 – Friday, June 14, 2024 from 8:30 a.m. – 12:00 p.m.
The Center respects the challenge of leading in underserved communities and recognizes that well-developed organizational leaders have potential for great impact. Therefore, LIC combines nonprofit best practices with practical applications for leading in multicultural organizations and communities. As part of Phase II, each participant will have opportunity to lead a peer group through a carefully selected case study of an organizational or community challenge they are likely to face. Afterwards, their peers will review their leadership, highlight strengths and weaknesses, and make recommendations for greater effectiveness.
Participants will learn how to:
- Operationalize an organization’s mission and provide overall leadership and strategic direction to the organization while working with the board
- Facilitate planning, define a clear vision for the future, and manage change
- Measure organizational performance, and demonstrate and communicate impact.
During Phase II, Leading in Community includes professional mentoring, a dedicated website, a blog for peer support and networking, and webinars that supplement on site learning.
Understand and practice principles to engage community constituents, organizations and public agencies in a social change initiative for measurable social impact.
- Virtual Session 9 – Friday, June 28, 2024 from 8:30 a.m. – 12:00 p.m.
- Virtual Session 10 – Friday, July 12, 2024 from 8:30 a.m. – 12:00 p.m.
- Virtual Session 11 – Friday, July 26, 2024 from 8:30 a.m. – 12:00 p.m.
- In-Person Session 12 – Friday, September 13, 2024 Capstone Project Presentation from 8:30 a.m. – 11:00 a.m.
The Community Leadership phase of the program builds participants’ skills and increases their capacity for community organizing, building community support networks, and developing partnerships with individuals and organizations in their own neighborhood and community. Certificate candidates will:
- Learn how Long Island, New York City and Hudson Valley communities have been affected by societal factors, such as location, inequality, and demographic patterns
- Apply community organizing principles to nonprofit leadership
- Develop a social justice framework for community development
- Build the knowledge and skills required to function as effective community leaders
A key learning outcome of Leading in Community will be the final exercise where participants will develop a strategic community initiative. The participants will:
- Identify a common social justice issue or concern in an underserved community in the Long Island, New York City, or Hudson Valley regions.
- Articulate a strategy to address the issue or concern that involves a collaboration with individuals or with their respective organizations
- Pinpoint community partnerships that will support the initiative
- Explore potential funding sources for the initiative
Explore the mental and health challenges faced by leaders of color in leading nonprofit organizations, government agencies, and underinvested communities; and develop strategies that will allow them to continue to cope and excel.
- Virtual Session 13 – Friday, September 20, 2024 from 8:30 a.m. – 12:00 p.m.
- Virtual Session 14 – Friday, October 4, 2024 from 8:30 a.m. – 12:00 p.m.
- Virtual Session 15 – Friday, October 25, 2024 from 8:30 a.m. – 12:00 p.m.
- In-Person Closing and Certificate Presentation Friday, November 8, 2024 from 8:30 a.m. – 11:00 a.m.
Leaders of color throughout our region continue to face environmental and socio-cultural challenges. This new phase will provide space for the current LIC cohort to join with LIC Alumni to participate in facilitated discussions guided by LIC faculty (one of whom is expert on socio-emotional health and both of whom are LIC alumni), additional experts in this field, and to engage in peer-to-peer exchanges.
The Final Capstone Project
A key learning outcome of Leading in Community is the completion of a final exercise in which participants develop a strategic community initiative with a focus on social justice and racial equity. Each participant is required to participate as a team member in the development of this initiative and each team completes a written report and presentation that is reviewed by the LIC Program Coordinator.
The capstone project encapsulates all of the learning outcomes of the program by achieving the following objectives:
- Identifying a common social justice issue or concern in an underserved community;
- Articulating a strategy to address the issue or concern that involves a collaboration with individuals or with their respective organizations;
- Identifying and engaging in community partnerships that will support the initiative; and
- Locating appropriate funding sources for the initiative.
Expected Outcomes and Evaluation
Each participant will undergo a final assessment at the conclusion of the program. Program alumni will have the opportunity to serve as resources and mentors for new cohorts entering the program as well as leadership resources to their own organizations and communities.
An outcome of Leading in Community will be to increase the number of people of color who are prepared for leadership positions in the Long Island, New York City, and Hudson Valley regions nonprofit sector and/or who are prepared for a leadership role (as a community activist or board member) in their community.
Our Sincerest Thanks
Leading in Community would not be possible without the generous support of the Long Island Community Foundation, our Leading in Community Alumni, and the nonprofit organizations throughout our region.