Frequently Asked Questions
GEL membership is open to high-impact social sector and community leaders from nonprofits, philanthropy, healthcare, education, government, the private sector, and other community leadership roles. GEL groups generally serve leaders in Santa Barbara and Ventura Counties.
In general, GEL is intended to serve senior director-level or other high-impact leaders in the broadly-defined social sector. Leading From Within has other programs that are more focused on the needs of emerging leaders. GEL participants will come from many different sectors and organization types (including grassroots organizations), and they can be volunteer leaders as well as professional leaders.
GEL is for leaders ready to invest in themselves and a peer community that will challenge and support them throughout the year. Participants commit to engage fully in all aspects of the program — bringing their whole selves, their questions, and their real challenges to the GEL experience.
Each cohort group develops its own shared agreements like presence, confidentiality, and open dialogue — creating the conditions for genuine growth and connection. In applying, leaders reflect on their own readiness for this kind of engaged participation and secure their organization’s full support for involvement over the 12 months.
The membership fee for GEL participation is $850 per month (discounted to $9,600 if the year’s membership fee is paid in full in advance of the first session).
As a GEL applicant, you and your agency are responsible for the GEL membership fee. If you and your organization need additional support to make that commitment, here are two possible approaches.
Funder/Donor Support – Many GEL participants supplement what their organization can pay with financial support from an outside funder/donor. You can invite interested funders to learn more about GEL on our website and/or by attending a GEL Information Session.
Scholarships – LFW expects to have a limited amount of scholarship funds available to help a diverse group of leaders and leaders from small budget organizations to participate in GEL. You are welcome to apply for an LFW scholarship, understanding that funds are limited and it is possible you will not receive one.
GEL sessions take place at the Leading From Within meeting space in Santa Barbara at 2050 Alameda Padre Serra.
Leading From Within has many outstanding executive coaches in and around its network and its leadership development programs. In 2025-26, there were 12 experienced Southern California executive coaches who supported GEL members throughout the GEL year. GEL will finalize its roster of coaches this coming fall, and then invite GEL members to provide input into the matching process where each member gets matched with a coach.