What if every community in America was consistently developing leaders who know how to do more than lead. They know how to listen across differences, navigate tension, and solve tough problems together?

Not theoretically. Not occasionally.

But at scale.

That’s the opportunity in front of us.

Across the country, Community Leadership Programs (CLPs) are already doing something powerful. They bring together diverse leaders, build connections, and deepen understanding of local issues. They are trusted, locally rooted, and uniquely positioned to strengthen the civic fabric of their communities.

At the same time, we’re living in a moment where:

Dialogue is harder
Trust is lower
Complex challenges feel increasingly stuck

What’s missing isn’t just leadership — it’s the skills to lead across difference.

That’s why National Community Leadership Collaborative is partnering with Convergence Center for Policy Resolution to pilot something new.

Introducing: Collaborative Problem Solving at Scale

Together, we are exploring what it looks like to embed Convergence’s Collaborative Problem-Solving curriculum directly into Community Leadership Programs across the country.

This is the same approach used to bring unlikely stakeholders together to tackle some of our nation’s most complex challenges.

Now imagine that capability in every city.

Leaders who can:

Stay at the table when conversations get hard
Build trust across differences
Turn conflict into collaboration
Move groups from gridlock to forward progress

This isn’t just skill-building — it’s capacity-building for communities.

Why This Matters Now

We often talk about polarization as a national issue.

But it shows up locally at school boards, in neighborhoods, across sectors.

And the truth is: the people closest to the problem are best positioned to solve it, if they have the tools.

Community Leadership Programs are already convening the right people.

This work adds the how.

Join the Pilot

We invite Community Leadership Programs to participate in an upcoming pilot.

This is an opportunity to:

Equip your participants with practical, high-impact dialogue and problem-solving skills
Strengthen your program’s relevance in today’s environment
Be part of a national effort to scale what works

👉 Interested CLPs can complete the interest form here:

NCLC x Convergence Pilot Program Interest Form

👉 Join us for a virtual information session:

Thursday, June 11th

4pm Eastern / 3pm Central / 2pm Mountain/ 1pm Pacific

Register by emailing team@nclcpartners.org

A Different Kind of Leadership Pipeline

If we want a stronger civic culture, we have to build it—intentionally.

This is about more than one program or one cohort.

It’s about creating a future where every community is continuously developing leaders who can bridge, collaborate, and lead forward.

That’s a future worth building.

What If Every Community Had Leaders Trained to Bridge Divides?