The Neighborhood Leadership Development Program, a Connection for Community Change

Eleven years ago, the Neighborhood Leadership Development Program (NLDP), a program of the Jack, Joseph and Morton Mandel Foundation, was established for engaged community leaders and community development professionals to enhance their leadership skills and provide them with the tools to create positive change in their communities.

Each year, 20 chosen applicants start their journey in NLDP’s eleven month, sixteen session program that covers topics such as program planning, marketing and communications, fundraising, conflict resolution and negotiation, and community engagement.

To provide support and direction throughout the course, participants each work with a program coach who will remain with them when they become part of the NLDP graduate network.  The coaches provide advice and support tailored to the needs of the participant.

This year, NLDP celebrated its’ 10th graduating class.  The Cohort X motto is “Improving Neighborhoods Through Collaboration, Empowerment and Innovation”.

NLDP also operates a year-round graduate network program designed to support graduates working in their neighborhoods.  There are currently 186 graduates engaged in community improvement in every neighborhood of Cleveland.  Many have received community awards, accolades and recognitions for their efforts.

NLDP continues to be a driving force for neighborhood leadership development. As one graduate stated, “Not only did NLDP provide me with really important capacity building opportunities, but it connected me more deeply to the Cleveland community in ways that I don’t think many other programs could. It made me think more comprehensively about how the initiatives I was working on connected to the larger community”.

NLDP is currently recruiting for their eleventh cohort.