The underpinning of the Leadership Development Initiative (LDI) program year is centered around three pillars:
The Community Leadership Course for Veterans™ (CLCV™) is a nationally recognized program that aims to leverage the skills and experiences of military veterans for the betterment of the broader Pittsburgh region.
Through participation in the program, CLCV™ cohort members have the opportunity to develop a greater understanding of our region, meet with business and community leaders, as well as utilize their leadership skills to accomplish a project in partnership with a local nonprofit organization.
CLCV™ provides participants with the exposure, experiences, and connections that prepare them to tackle the challenges of our community. Bi-weekly sessions cover topics such as corporate landscape, nonprofit landscape, history of Pittsburgh, networking and more.
The knowledge and associations obtained through CLCV™ can provide committed participants access to the platforms needed to take on civilian leadership roles within Southwestern Pennsylvania communities.
Please review FAQs below to learn more about the application process and program details.
“After the recent graduation of CLCV I, I have found that the learning experiences and focus on community leadership are already driving me to strive towards becoming a veteran leader in Pittsburgh. My spirit and drive have been reinvigorated towards being accepted to and completing graduate school with a degree in public policy, so that I may further be an asset to the city of Pittsburgh.”
A LP XXXIX group spent a day at the JFCS Squirrel Hill Food Pantry. In addition to learning about the various services offered by JFCS, the group rolled up their sleeves and helped to prepare and shelve vegetables in the Food Pantry.
A group from LP XXXIX spent a day volunteering at The Market at the Greater Pittsburgh Community Food Bank. Their volunteer time included assisting Market shoppers with item selection, checkout and bagging of their groceries. At the end of their shift, they also re-stocked shelves and prepared The Market for the next day’s shoppers.
A group from LP XXXIX helped Hello Neighbor with setting up an apartment that was going to be the new home for a Rohingya family who was moving to Pittsburgh. The group transported necessary items from Hello Neighbor’s offices to the apartment. Upon arrival at the apartment, they met additional deliveries of furniture and supplies and proceeded to unload, unpack and setup all of the items needed to fully furnish the apartment and make it a welcoming home for the family.
A LP XXXIX group spent a day at the JFCS Squirrel Hill Food Pantry. In addition to learning about the various services offered by JFCS, the group rolled up their sleeves and helped to prepare and shelve vegetables in the Food Pantry.
A group from LP XXXIX spent a day volunteering at The Market at the Greater Pittsburgh Community Food Bank. Their volunteer time included assisting Market shoppers with item selection, checkout and bagging of their groceries. At the end of their shift, they also re-stocked shelves and prepared The Market for the next day’s shoppers.
A group from LP XXXIX helped Hello Neighbor with setting up an apartment that was going to be the new home for a Rohingya family who was moving to Pittsburgh. The group transported necessary items from Hello Neighbor’s offices to the apartment. Upon arrival at the apartment, they met additional deliveries of furniture and supplies and proceeded to unload, unpack and setup all of the items needed to fully furnish the apartment and make it a welcoming home for the family.
Community Leadership Course for Veterans™ applications will be due Friday, February 16, 2024 for the cohort that begins in May 2024. A selection committee reviews applications during the months of March and April. Applicants accepted for admission to Community Leadership Course for Veterans are notified by mid-April.
At least two letters of recommendation from individuals that are familiar with the applicant’s abilities and skills, are strongly recommended at the time of application.
Due to the contributions of regional philanthropic organizations and Leadership Pittsburgh Inc. alumni, this course is being made available for a nominal tuition fee of $300. Tuition will be due upon acceptance. No application fee is required. The Leadership Pittsburgh Inc. Board of Directors does not want tuition to be a barrier to your application, as such scholarships may be made available. Click Here** to contact us about tuition assistance for CLCV.
**This should link to the contact us form and pre-select ‘Tuition Assistance’ from the ‘Reason for Contact’ dropdown menu**
LPInc. strongly encourages COVID-19 vaccinations and is a mask-friendly organization. LPInc. will continue to monitor local, state and national guidelines, including CDC guidelines, leading up to each in-person event and will share any updates to our policy as needed. Please note that masks, proof of a COVID-19 vaccination or a negative COVID-19 test (taken within 72 hours of an event) may be required for entry into some sessions/events should the venue host require such. Ample advance notice would be provided.
In addition to an opening retreat, CLCV™ typically meets twice monthly from approximately 4:30–8:30 PM on (usually) Tuesday nights. The schedule is determined several months in advance. Credits are assigned to each session and most activities. Participants are required to earn a predetermined number of credits to complete the program. More credits are offered than required for program completion in order to allow participants flexibility in arranging their personal schedules.
Twelve to fourteen sessions held from May through September focus on exposing participants to the civilian/professional landscape and creating avenues for civic involvement as leaders in the community.
Welcome Orientation and Reception – An orientation/welcome reception is held to kick off the program. Attendance is mandatory.
Retreat – Held soon after the welcome orientation and reception, the retreat typically begins on Friday afternoon and runs through Saturday. Attendance is mandatory.
Sessions– Participants meet for learning experiences on topics such as corporate landscape, nonprofit landscape, history of Pittsburgh, savvy networking and more. These sessions focus on topics that expose the participants to community leaders and issues. Leadership sessions typically take place on Tuesday evenings. Participants are expected to attend all regularly scheduled sessions in their entirety and earn sufficient credits to graduate.
Community Impact Projects – CLCV participants form teams to implement a Community Impact Project in our community. In addition to meeting a need in the community, the projects provide significant learning experiences for the team members. The project teams meet outside of the regularly scheduled sessions (each team determines its own schedule).
The program schedule for the 2024 cohort will be available by October 31, 2023.
Click Here to view a list of all CLCV graduates.
Click Here to refer someone to one of our programs. We will then get in touch with them to share more information regarding our programs. Thank you for helping to spread the word and strengthen our mission delivery!
**This should link to the ‘Submit a Referral’ form and automatically select ‘Community Leadership Course for Veterans’ from the program dropdown**
The Community Leadership Course for Veterans Selection Committee considers letters of recommendation in the application process. We strongly encourage each applicant to submit at least two letters of recommendation from their prior military and/or civilian networks. The letters must demonstrate that the writer has/had a meaningful relationship with the applicant.
Recommendations are due in to the Leadership Pittsburgh Inc. office by 5:00 PM on the date of the application deadline. These can be submitted along with the application or separately via the online form; or by e-mail to info@lpinc.org.
**this should link to the ‘Submit a Letter of Recommendation’ form and automatically select ‘Community Leadership Course for Veterans’ from the program dropdown.**
Leadership OnBoard (LOB) is an exclusive program available only for graduates of our Leadership Development Initiative (LDI) and Community Leadership Course for Veterans (CLCV) programs.
Learn moreThe success of the Leadership Pittsburgh Inc. depends to a large part on the financial support of our community’s businesses and community partners. We are deeply grateful for their ongoing support.
