OUR VISION
OUR VISION
By 2035, civic life is thriving, leaders collaborate across divides, trust rebounds, and people feel deeply connected and empowered to shape their communities.
Did you know there is a community leadership program (CLP) in nearly every city in the country working locally to bring people together and bridge differences?
Our vision is to amplify this hyperlocal work through shared national strategy. Because CLPs are deeply rooted in their communities, they can bring diverse leaders together to understand, collaborate and take action on critical issues. As trusted messengers they are uniquely suited to helping us lead across differences and avoid polarizing divisions. In order to solve 21st-century challenges, we need a an informed and engaged citizenry that can understand the mechanics of our democracy, critically evaluate information, discuss complex and divisive issues, and cooperate to achieve shared goals. Our focus on citizen engagement and helping people find common ground can create spaces for people to listen to those with differing views - and encourage people to reflect on the roots of their own worldviews.
The following initiatives will help us deploy resources across CLPs in multiple cities, deliberately and effectively working in communities to bridge the divisiveness, elevate necessary voices, and teach skills critical for effective and thriving dialogue that leads to real, positive change. Working together through NCLC instead of just as a singular city gives us an opportunity to scale this in way that will truly drive change.
Leading Across Differences
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Leadership programs are the epicenter of healing and progress for our communities and country as we help leaders overcome the divisiveness of today and create more positive civic action.
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Leadership programs strive to bring diverse leaders together to understand, collaborate, and take action on issues of local, regional, and national importance.
Words and concepts have become hyper-polarized and politicized making it difficult for individuals to communicate clearly and productively.
Citizens need more effective ways to enact social change and they need greater faith that their voice will make a difference.
There are few to no organizations or programs deliberately and effectively working in communities to bridge the divisiveness.
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Create and pilot new Leading Across Differences program/ module with virtual and in-person elements to scale across multiple markets.
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New approach to leadership training/skill-building that includes an understanding of polarity and gets leaders to talk to each other in ways that produce positive results in/for community.
Reach more people through technology and a mixed delivery model (virtual and in-person).
Create new revenue stream through grant dollars, sponsorships and/or program revenue.
data-informed storytelling
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Community Leadership Programs are well-regarded and well-known in their local communities, but NCLC recognizes the opportunity to build the power, influence, and reach of our national network through data-informed storytelling.
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There are currently no shared measurement tools across CLPs and no attempt to document national data on participant and community-level outcomes.
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Seeking the help of academic institutions and experts in the field, NCLC will develop real-time impact dashboards to showcase success stories and metrics as well as build public awareness through digital and traditional media.
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Create a communications toolkit for local CLPs to co-brand and amplify national efforts for the common good.