Leadership wisconsin

Wisconsin Community Leadership Intensive Experience

WELCOME TO LEADERSHIP WISCONSIN

Leadership Wisconsin is pleased to introduce its new advanced statewide leadership development program designed to catapult motivated, high-potential leaders from across the state into solution-based collaboration that will have significant impact on issues that matter.

The “Community Leadership 2.0” program is available exclusively to those thousands of individuals across the state who have benefited from one of several esteemed local community development programs. These alumni have the skills, awareness and demonstrated commitment to roll up their sleeves and make a difference. They’re ready for advanced leadership training and opportunities and this program will inspire and prepare them even further to engage.

The 2.0 program provides participants the opportunity to work collectively with a cohort of peers from across the state to engage in deep learning and exploration on a single, critical issue. The issue serves as the “learning lab” through which they will hone their skills and connect their own local communities to a network of better practices, valuable resources and collaborative thinking/doing.

EXCLUSIVE TO LOCAL COMMUNITY LEADERSHIP PROGRAM ALUM

It will be offered to and comprised exclusively of alum of current local community leadership programs in Wisconsin, including such programs as Leadership Kenosha, Leadership Greater Madison, Leadership Green Bay and many others across the state.

LEADERSHIP LEARNING LAB FORMAT FOCUSED ON ONE TOPIC

The cohort will develop advanced leadership skills via an intensive focus on a single issue of importance and impact that is affecting all areas of the state to varying degrees. The Community Leadership 2.0 program’s “leadership learning lab” will utilize subject-matter experts related to the “focus topic,” along with other experts who will deliver content that provides a framework for understanding, collaboration, problem-solving exploration, and action.

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COLLECTIVE IMPACT WILL BE MADE ON THE FOCUS TOPIC

Together, the cohort will practice the skills in real time as they engage with local partners who are striving to make progress on the focus topic. The leadership learning lab will create a hands-on opportunity for developing, practicing, and applying practical and transferrable leadership skills, while helping to advance the issue in their own community AND collectively at the state level.

2026 FOCUS TOPIC

The next of class of Leadership Wisconsin will start enrollment in fall of 2025. They will meet both in person and virtually over the course of a year to learn, engage and lead. The focus topic will be identified for the 2026 Cohort in September 2025.

*“Focus topic” = the umbrella issue that will be examined in depth in each community and about which data will be collected and shared, leadership opportunities will be tested, and best practices will be explored.

Click Here for the Community Leadership 2.0 Application Form

PARTICIPATION DETAILS

WHAT: The curriculum for the Community Leadership 2.0 program will focus heavily on advanced leadership skill development in areas such as collaborative decision making; issue analysis and assessment; advocacy and persuasion, etc. in the context of the focus topic. Experts and practitioners from across the state will provide valuable content, offer insights, and prompt deep thinking, planning and action.

WHEN:  Second Thursday of the month, February 2026 – October 2026. The format for monthly session days will include a combination of in-person gatherings, virtual meetings, small group sessions, and local community research days through the course of the 10-month program. The program will launch with a mandatory 1.5 day, in-person retreat in Madison and other in-person sessions will take place in locations to be announced later this year. See sample schedule below.

Sept. 2025 Pre-sessionApplications open  May 14, 2026 Session 03Virtual
Oct. 2025 Pre-session– Virtual info sessions
– Phone interviews		*June 10-11, 2026 Session 04  In Person –
– Begins at noon, June 20th
– Ends at 4:00 p.m. June 11th
Nov. 2025 – Jan. 2026 Pre-session-Application period closes (12/1/25)
– Selection process complete (12/15/25)
– Class material distribution & prep		July 9, 2026 Session 05Virtual  
*Feb. 11-12, 2026 Opening Retreat  In-person – Madison
– Begins at noon, Wed, Feb. 11
– Ends at 4:00 p.m. Thurs. Feb. 12		Aug. 13, 2026 Session 06Virtual
March 12, 2026 Session 01Virtual  Sept. 10, 2026 Session 07Virtual
April 9, 2026 Session 02Virtual  *Oct. 9-10, 2026Closing Retreat & GraduationIn-person –
– Begins at noon Oct. 9th
– Ends at 4:00 p.m., Oct. 10th

TIME COMMITMENT: Class time for regular sessions is 9:00 a.m. – 4:30 p.m., opening and closing retreat days will have extended hours. The February, June, and October sessions will be held in-person, as noted above. All remaining sessions will be held virtually using the Zoom platform. Additional work in your local community between sessions will be required as part of the group learning lab/hands-on element of the program. Program participants much commit to not missing more than 1.5 sessions for successful completion of the program.

COST: $1950/person. This special tuition pricing for the Cohort of the Wisconsin Community Leadership Intensive includes accommodations and meals for opening retreat, meals for in-person sessions, and mileage reimbursement for attending the graduation event. All other expenses will be covered by participant.

Click here for Community Leadership 2.0 Application Form.