WHO SHOULD APPLY

IS THE EMERGING LEADERS PROGRAM A MATCH FOR YOU?

Emerging Leaders is designed for nonprofit and social sector professionals in Santa Barbara County who have demonstrated a commitment to the community and are interested in expanding their capacity for leadership. Participants must be employed in the nonprofit and/or broader social sector and have the support of their direct supervisor and their organization’s Executive Director or Board Chair (or equivalent).

 In terms of role, we welcome professionals across the position spectrum (program, development, administration, marketing, as well as newer Executive Directors).

Please know the selection process is competitive, and not all applicants will be accepted.  Our selection criteria include:

• • Commitment to Growth – Showing a commitment to their own professional development, and a readiness to invest in growing in their leadership and participating fully in all aspects of the program
  • Commitment to Sector – Demonstrating a commitment to the southern Central Coast nonprofit / social sector, and a strong intention to make a career in the field

• Potential for Advancement – Having a sense of how they want to grow their impact at an individual, organizational and community level, matched with the potential to do so
• Ability to Put Learning to Work – Having a role where they can directly apply the leadership and management concepts, tools and lessons learned
• Support of Organizational Leadership – Having the support of direct supervisor and their organization’s Executive Director or Board Chair (or equivalent) in growing in their leadership and participating fully in the program
• Add to Diversity and Richness of Class – Their ability to help us build a diverse cohort (including, for example, geography, job function, organizational mission, ethnicity, and gender) and add to the wisdom of the Emerging Leaders learning community

We receive more Emerging Leaders applications than we have space for.  In addition to assessing each candidate’s strengths and experience, the Emerging Leaders Selection Committee often gives preference to certain categories of candidates, including:

• Returning applicants (who applied for a prior cohort and were not accepted)
• Candidates who have at least three years of professional experience in the nonprofit and social sector
• Candidates who demonstrate a commitment to the Central Coast nonprofit and social sector
• Applicants whose organizations serve Santa Barbara and/or Ventura County residents

If you have specific questions, please email us to request additional information.

COMMITMENT, FEES & DATES

YOUR COMMITMENT TO THE EMERGING LEADERS PROGRAM

We ask that participants, their direct supervisor, and their organization’s Executive Director or Board Chair (or equivalent) be fully committed to the program, including:

• Reviewing the dates of the program and promising to do everything possible to make sure the participant is available for those dates
• Understanding that there will be approximately three hours of coursework between monthly sessions, which might include meetings with people within in the organization or with community members, reading articles, completing assignments, or exploring the participant’s organization in greater depth within the context of the program

PROGRAM FEES

Thanks to our generous program sponsors, the fee charged to each participating organization is around half (or less) of our cost to put on the program (which exceeds $6,000 per participant).  Program fees depend on employer budget size:

Program Fee is $2,250 for Organizations with budgets under $1,000,000
Program Fee is $3,250 for Organizations with budgets over $1 million

As an Emerging Leaders applicant, you and your organization are responsible for the ELP program fee. Over the years, some organizations needing extra help to make the fee commitment have been able to attract financial support from an outside funder/donor.  You can invite such funders to learn more about the Emerging Leaders program on our website.

2025 PROGRAM DATES

Our 2025 Cohort 11 is scheduled to begin in the winter of 2025. It is important upon application that you are able to commit to the following program session dates/times:

Orientation (1:00 – 5:00 pm) with optional lunch at noon
Location: Leading From Within, 2050 Alameda Padre Serra, Suite 202, Santa Barbara
January 10, 2025

Full Day Sessions (Friday’s at 9:00 am -5:00 pm)
Location: Leading From Within, 2050 Alameda Padre Serra, Suite 202, Santa Barbara
Session 1 | January 24
Session 2 | February 28
Session 3 | March 28
Session 4 |  April 25
Session 5 | May 30
Session 6 | June 27
Session 7 | July 25
Session 8 | August 22
Session 9 | September 26
End of Program Celebration | Wednesday, October 22
Final  Session 10 | October 24

START THE APPLICATION PROCESS

The ELP application is now closed. We expect to open to applications again in the spring of 2026. Complete the Program Interest Form below if you’d like to be informed when LFW reopens its ELP application and begins program outreach once again.