PROGRAM INFORMATION
Leadership Birmingham educates and empowers community leaders to create meaningful civic change, and it is structured around the belief that knowledge is a critical element and prime motivator of leadership.
Through the Leadership Birmingham flagship program, leaders from diverse organizations come together to discuss and debate our region’s issues, strengths, and challenges in a way that fosters long-lasting and beneficial relationships. Leadership Birmingham class members commit to an overnight opening retreat in September, ten monthly program days, multiple smaller group sessions, and an overnight closing retreat in June. Program days are issue-oriented forums designed by Leadership Birmingham graduates, staff, and experts designed to elicit multiple points of view.
Leadership Birmingham requires a commitment of time to attend a minimum of 80% of the program days and small group work. Mandatory attendance is required at the opening and closing retreats. Individuals who are not willing or able to commit to this time should not apply.
Each monthly program day (usually on the second Thursday of the month) focuses on a critical community issue, and class members have dialogue with issue experts and civic and corporate leaders in locations throughout the city. Program days and small group gatherings encourage class members to explore the most pressing issues facing Birmingham and work together for solutions.
Class members who successfully graduate join the Leadership Birmingham Members Association made up of over 1,600 graduates from our first Class of 1983 to our current Class of 2025. The Members Association hosts multiple opportunities each year for continuing education and networking.
QUALIFICATIONS
The ideal Leadership Birmingham candidate:
· Demonstrates a commitment to community through past and present activities
· Demonstrates leadership ability in his/her chosen field through significant achievement
· Possesses the potential for exercising substantial leadership in the future
· Exhibits a personal commitment to help shape the future of the Birmingham region
TUITION
The cost of the Leadership Birmingham program is $2,500. Financial assistance is available to those in need through partial scholarships from the Ann D. Florie Scholarship Fund.
NOMINATIONS & APPLICATIONS
Leadership Birmingham nominations are accepted year-round from Leadership Birmingham graduates and self-nominees through our online form. Nominees submitted by February 3rd will be invited to apply for the program year that begins in September. Since the program is limited in size to approximately 50 individuals, many qualified applicants are deferred. Those not accepted in a given year have the opportunity for consideration in the subsequent year.
All applications are carefully reviewed by a group of Leadership Birmingham alumni that is charged with the difficult task of selecting a representative cross-section of leaders.
Leadership Birmingham does not discriminate because of race, color, national origin, age, disability, religion, gender, sexual orientation, gender identity, or gender expression.