This Fall, the Nevada County Community Leadership Institute (NCCLI) will celebrate its 30th anniversary. It’s hard to measure the impact of its legacy, but Lori Burkart Frank–facilitating her 17th NCCLI cohort this year–has seen firsthand how it has strengthened our community. “NCCLI provides opportunities to build relationships, which make things happen faster and more easily,” she said.
The Community Foundation took over the administration of NCCLI last year to support our mission of connecting people to solve problems and develop solutions to our community’s issues. The Foundation now oversees the finances and marketing for NCCLI.
Opportunities to connect and collaborate
Each NCCLI cohort brings 30 current or prospective leaders together for one full Friday a month for nine months to get to know different aspects of the community – and each other. From the arts and education to health, local media, criminal justice, and economic development, NCCLI offers a behind-the-scenes look at the people and projects shaping our region. Local professionals provide their unique perspective on current opportunities, issues, and best practices at each session. Speakers represent organizations like Sierra Nevada Memorial Hospital, our schools, even the Nevada County Sheriff’s Office, who walks the cohort through our local jail.
NCCLI participants come from a wide variety of organizations – the County, the hospital, banks, smaller organizations, nonprofits, and businesses. Frank provides plenty of opportunities for attendees to connect and collaborate. This co-mingling is intentional: “How else would you meet someone working at the hospital when you are in a completely different realm?” Frank pointed out. Frank has personal experience with NCCLI. She took the course herself in one of its early iterations, when she first moved to this community. “It opened my mind to how valuable all the different sectors are. I was forever changed.”
Alison Lehman, CEO of Nevada County, encourages all of her senior leaders to attend because she understands how valuable the experience can be. “Being a public servant, I have seen the direct benefits when leaders work across sectors to solve challenges together,” said Lehman.” The Nevada County Community Leadership Institute creates an opportunity to bring emerging and established leaders together to learn from one another, build meaningful connections, and deepen their understanding of the issues shaping our community.”
A sense of community
Participants build strong relationships over the course of the program – relationships that last long after the program ends in June. “There are plenty of places to go to learn leadership skills,” said Frank. “NCCLI builds a sense of community and connection. It’s easy to call someone up and ask a question.”
NCCLI is for current or prospective leaders who are committed to local involvement. It’s for newcomers seeking rapid integration into the community and for people who have been here forever who want to get a different perspective on the place where they live. The next cohort will begin in September.