THE WISCONSIN COMMUNITY LEADERSHIP INTENSIVE EXPERIENCE FREQUENTLY ASKED QUESTIONS
MISSION: To prepare, empower, and activate a statewide cohort of leaders to engage in their local communities differently and be motivated to seek collaborative, solution-focused approaches to challenges that are negatively impacting state and local communities while learning to capitalize on available opportunities.
WHAT IS COMMUNITY LEADERSHIP 2.0?
Community Leadership 2.0 is a 9-month program for a statewide cohort of dedicated current and future leaders. This Wisconsin Community Leadership Intensive Experience brought to you by Leadership Wisconsin is a dynamic and impactful program designed to help participants develop advanced leadership skills using an intensive focus on a single issue of statewide importance that will serve as the “learning lab.”
WHO IS ELIGIBLE?
Anyone who has graduated from a local community leadership development program within the state of Wisconsin or completed a comparable program elsewhere is welcome to apply for Community Leadership 2.0. If you are interested but have not yet participated in a local leadership program, you are encouraged to connect with a local community leadership development program and begin there. Dozens of such programs operate across the state including those that are affiliated with chambers of commerce, universities, technical schools, or privately run programs.
WHAT IS THE TIME COMMITMENT?
The pilot program will kick off in February 2025 and will run monthly through October 2025. The cohort will use a hybrid model that includes six virtual learning sessions using the Zoom platform in addition to three in-person gatherings in Madison, Green Bay, and Racine. In addition, local research and community engagement will be required as part of the “learning lab” format that connects statewide issues with local activity. It is estimated an additional 20-30 hours will be required through the course of the program for community-based activity to supplement the monthly learning sessions.
WHAT IS THE COST?
The February 2025 pilot class is being offered at a discounted tuition rate of $1950, which includes travel-related expenses for three in-person sessions. It is anticipated that tuition for subsequent cohorts will be $3,500 – $4,000.
WHAT IS THE BENEFIT OF PARTICIPATING?
Graduates of local community leadership programs have already shown a commitment to learning, connection, and service. The Community Leadership 2.0 opportunity allows them to build on that foundation by growing their knowledge base, developing advanced leadership skills, and providing more hands-on opportunities to enhance their impact on statewide issues. The program will also expand participants’ network with a diverse group of peers.
HOW DOES THE PROGRAM DELIVER ADVANCED LEADERSHIP DEVELOPMENT?
The program offers a dynamic curriculum that emphasizes both essential leadership skills—such as problem-solving, advocacy, collaborative decision-making, civility, etc. —and a comprehensive exploration of a major issue affecting communities across the state. Participants will deepen their knowledge, collaborate with a diverse cohort of colleagues, and analyze this issue from both macro and micro perspectives. Through engagement with subject-matter experts, practitioners, policymakers, and educators from across the state, participants will gain valuable insights. The cohort will co-create a rich learning experience, drawing upon their lived experiences and the collective expertise shared throughout the program. Together, they will work toward developing actionable strategies for community impact.
WHAT TOPIC WILL THE PILOT CLASS FOCUS ON FOR ITS “LEARNING LAB?”
The 2025 pilot class of Community Leadership 2.0 will do a deep dive into the issue of Early Care and Education in the state of Wisconsin. Through this lens, participants will learn about the challenges caused by the current early care and education system in Wisconsin and will roll up your sleeves to assess what is working, how the most impactful efforts can be scaled, and how policy, decision-making, advocacy and awareness all come together to impact the outcome of our state’s early care and education system.
WHAT ARE THE IDEAL CHARACTERISTICS OF A COMMUNITY LEADERSHIP 2.0 PARTICIPANT?
The ideal candidates will:
o Have actively participated in and graduated from a local community leadership program.
o Have some expertise, passion, or strong interest in the focus topic.
o Have demonstrated a high level of engagement and commitment to their local leadership experience and have expressed an interest in doing more/growing.
o Have the commitment and dedication to attend and fully participate in/engage with the program.
o Aspire to put their leadership skills to work in the community(ies) in which they live, work, and play.
WHO IS RUNNING THE PROGRAM?
The Community Leadership 2.0 program is being run and facilitated by Leadership Wisconsin, Inc., the state’s premier leadership development organization with a national reputation for training visionary, yet pragmatic leaders who are bound by public need and not political persuasion. Leadership Wisconsin is a 501(c)3 nonprofit organization whose mission is building a stronger Wisconsin through increased leadership capacity. The organization does this by seeking out innovative and collaborative strategies that promote and invest in the ability of leaders to address community and organizational challenges.
Over its 30-year history, Leadership Wisconsin, Inc. and its predecessor Wisconsin Rural Leadership Program, have strived to develop a solid and important network of stakeholders and constituents who care about and are invested in both the legacy and the future of Wisconsin. In addition to launching Community Leadership 2.0 to support the work of local leadership programs, Leadership Wisconsin also partners with the Wisconsin Counties Association to facilitate the Local Government Leadership Academy. Additionally, Leadership Wisconsin has partnered with the University of Wisconsin- Division of Extension and the LaFollette School for Public Policy to endow a faculty chair of Leadership Development at UW-Madison to ensure Wisconsin remains on the cutting edge of community leadership development.
HOW DO I APPLY?
If you would like to be part of the Community Leadership 2.0 pilot cohort, simply fill out and submit the application here. Before doing so, you will need to have the support and approval of your employer as well as a commitment to attend all sessions. Upon receiving your application, program coordinators will reach out to you to set up a brief phone interview. The application deadline is November 15, 2024, and cohort selection will take place by Dec. 15, 2024.