CLCF Leadership Academy
The CLCF Leadership Academy exists to elevate our community across all sectors in Chicago. The program is grounded in a belief that leadership is not confined to a title or a sector. It lives in how you show up for yourself, your family, your community, and your employer. The Academy is not preparing people for a role. It is developing people for a life of leadership in every dimension.
The CLCF Leadership Academy is a life changing seven-month, cohort-based leadership experience designed to improve outcomes for the Latino community by elevating our communities’ leadership.
Since 2018, the Academy has changed the trajectory of each fellow beyond their leadership impact. The Academy has developed more than 175 fellows across the public, private, and nonprofit sectors. Alumni have stepped into executive roles, launched businesses, joined civic boards and commissions, and moved into public service. They are not waiting for a seat at the table. They are building the table.
This is not a program. It is a network, a community, and a career accelerator built on the belief that Chicago's civic leadership should look like Chicago.
Program Timeline: October 2026 - May 2027
Application Deadline: Sunday, August 30, 2026 at 11:59pm
Time commitment: Approximately 100 hours, including:
A two-day opening retreat in October
One full-day session per month, November through May
Approximately seven hours of one-on-one executive coaching
Approximately 6 hours of one-on-one strategic life planning and coaching
A three day Washington, D.C. immersion placing fellows in direct proximity to federal policymakers
Curriculum focus areas: Policy literacy, strategic leadership, management fundamentals, communications, and collaborative leadership across sectors.
Our curriculum offers:
Exclusive Executive Leadership and Management Development: Intensive training to refine leadership and management skills.
Individualized Personality Assessments: Tools to understand and enhance leadership styles, enabling participants to lead and influence more effectively.
Insights Discovery Partnership: As a partner with Insights Discovery, we provide a transformational experience that brings psychology to life in an accessible, practical model. This helps participants understand their preferred behaviors, strengths, and challenges, fostering greater self-awareness and adaptability in the workplace and beyond.
Grow Your Social Network: CLCF is intentionally designed to build the social capital of Latino professionals through this cohort experience. It provides a space where participants bring visibility to the diversity of experiences among Latinos and actively challenge the notion of the Latino monolith.
Access to Community, Civic, and Industry Leaders: Direct engagement with leaders to gain insights into Chicago-specific issues and develop sustainable solutions.
One-on-One Executive Coaching: Personalized feedback from seasoned professionals to support individual growth and development.
Life Strategic Plan: A personalized life strategic plan developed through approximately six hours of one-on-one coaching.
reported Outcomes of the program
Professional Growth and Leadership
Participants reported greater self-confidence, sharper self-awareness of their leadership strengths and blind spots, and a stronger ability to speak up and take action. Many have put new habits into practice, including setting clearer boundaries, prioritizing deliverables, and focusing their efforts to reach goals more efficiently.
Interpersonal Skills and Networking
Participants are building relationships more intentionally, both within the program and across their wider professional and personal lives. Tools like understanding "color energies" and practicing vulnerability have strengthened communication, built trust, and helped them navigate interpersonal dynamics more effectively.
Civic Engagement and Personal Development
The program reignited participants' passion for civic involvement and community service. Beyond their professional lives, many adopted healthier habits, embraced self-reflection, and felt more empowered to pursue long-term goals such as advanced education or starting a business.
Leadership Academy Requirements
What we ask of fellows
The Academy is built on the belief that the network is only as strong as the people who show up for it. Fellows commit to full participation during the program and to staying engaged with the alumni community after graduation through at least two alumni exchange sessions per year. The investment fellows make in each other is what makes this community rare. We ask everyone to protect it.
Who we are looking for
The Academy serves 25 fellows per cohort from diverse sectors, selected through a competitive, nomination-based process. We recruit high-potential professionals with at least nine years of experience from the public, private, and nonprofit sectors, including executives, entrepreneurs, and community advocates.
Ideal candidates:
Bring lived experience in underinvested communities and a demonstrated commitment to civic engagement, mentoring others and learning.
Are coachable and seek feedback for continued growth.
To be considered, applicants should meet the following:
Professional with a minimum of nine years of experience managing people and/or large projects
Demonstrated leadership track record through civic engagement
Dedication to continued learning through relevant programs or professional development
Attendance is mandatory for ALL sessions. Please review all session dates carefully.
IMPORTANT NOTE: The Opening Retreat is very fundamental to your experience in this cohort, if you cannot attend the full two-day event, even for reasons beyond your control (sickness, etc.), you will be asked to apply for the program the following year.
What the application requires
A nomination or sponsorship letter from an elected official, City of Chicago Commissioner, Board Chair, Company President, Investor, or CLCF Advisory Council Member, Leadership Academy Alumni, or someone you have had a positive impact on
Two letters of recommendation focused on community impact and leadership potential
An employer letter of support confirming attendance to all sessions
“I honestly could not have anticipated what this experience would be and how it would impact me not only in my career, but in my self-growth and self-love. It truly has become a foundational stepping point in my pathway to the C-Suite and I am certain that this experience is one that will mark my journey for years to come."
Rocio Garcia
2021 CLCF Leadership Academy Fellow
PROGRam Cost
The CLCF Leadership Academy is significantly subsidized through private and corporate sponsorship, making it one of the most accessible executive leadership programs in Chicago.
Program fees are tiered by employer type:
Nonprofit and government: $3,000
Entrepreneurs: $4,000
Private sector: $5,500
Personal contribution is required of every fellow, regardless of employer support. A minimum of $500 must come directly from the fellow. This is not just a financial requirement. It is a signal of personal investment in your own leadership journey.
The remaining balance may be covered by an employer, fundraised independently, or split between both.
To illustrate:
A nonprofit employee whose employer covers $2,500 of the $3,000 fee is responsible for contributing the remaining $500 personally.
A private sector fellow whose employer sponsors can only fund $3,000 of the $5,500 fee is responsible for securing or contributing the remaining $2,500, whether personally, through fundraising, or a combination of both.
Payment is due in full at the start of the cohort experience. Fellows who require a structured payment plan may request one in writing to the Executive Director. Payment plans are available in three installments. All fees must be paid in full by March 1.
2026-2027 SESSION DATES
Applications are currently open.
Apply by August 30, 2026