Leadership Program
Amplify Your Environmental Advocacy.
Lead with Community.
Lea la versión en español aquí.
Want to learn to lead effective and inclusive environmental advocacy campaigns? Advance initiatives for environmental justice and conservation? Better prepare to step into leadership roles at nonprofits, public agencies, and community-based groups? Consider applying for the Green Foothills Leadership Program.
The Leadership Program combines an eight-month training program with an alumni program that supports graduates. The training is presented in both English and Spanish. Alumni play a role in shaping Green Foothills’ work: informing our advocacy, engaging in local land-use issues, and providing valuable perspectives on equitable, inclusive environmental activism.
Since its launch in 2013, the program has trained more than 270 local changemakers. For information, contact [email protected].
Now accepting applications for 2025!
Apply for Next Year’s Cohort
Who should apply
The program meets monthly on Saturdays from January through August.
Each year we work to form a 20-25 person cohort that represents the ethnic, geographic, generational, gender, and economic diversity of the region. Applicants should live in or serve San Mateo, Santa Clara, or San Benito County communities.
Accepted applicants are distinguished by their:
- Commitment to be a more effective agent of change
- Desire to work toward a vision for the region to be a resilient, equitable place where wildlife thrives, everyone has natural beauty to enjoy, and communities live in balance with nature
- Desire to explore and address systemic oppression to increase the power of historically disempowered communities
There is a non-refundable $50 application fee to apply to the Leadership Program. This fee can be waived upon request. Tuition is free for participants accepted into the 2025 program thanks to the support of dozens of funders and individual donors.
Applications for the 2025 Leadership Program are now open! Apply by 10/31/24.
Become an advocate for your community.
Donate to support the next generation of local leaders
About the Eight-Month Program
Through eight monthly classes, participants learn to lead effective environmental advocacy campaigns grounded in social justice. As part of the curriculum, participants work in small groups to develop advocacy campaigns to address current, local environmental issues while integrating racial justice as a key component.
Sessions are presented in English, with simultaneous Spanish translation available.
Each Leadership Program graduate can:
- Develop a campaign plan that advances climate resilience and supports place-based and community-centered solutions.
- Advocate more effectively for the natural environment.
- Develop strategies to influence key decision-makers.
- Recognize how bias and systems of oppression play out in local environmental issues.
- Champion inclusive processes and nature-based solutions in their civic leadership.
- Rely on deep connections and shared experiences they’ve made with their classmates.
- Find support in our robust alumni network of 200+ passionate individuals.
- Participate in an annual skills-building workshop for Leadership Program alumni.
Sessions are held once a month on Saturdays, from January through August, usually at Green Foothills’ Palo Alto office. In-person sessions are 10:00 a.m.-4:00 p.m., and the online session is 10:00 a.m.-1:00 p.m. Dates for the 2025 program are as follows:
- January 11, 2025 – in person
- February 8, 2025 – in person
- March 8, 2025 – in person
- April 12, 2025 – in person
- May 10, 2025 – in person
- June 14, 2025 – online
- July 12, 2025 – in person
- August 9, 2025 – in person
Leadership Program scholarships are made possible thanks to Applied Materials Foundation Community Fund, the County of Santa Clara, North Santa Clara Resource Conservation District (NSCRCD), Sand Hill Foundation, Silicon Valley Community Foundation, Wildlife Conservation Network’s California Wildlife Program, and Green Foothills donors. Please consider making a donation to support the Leadership Program. Green Foothills appreciates every individual, agency, and foundation who makes our work possible and we are proud to recognize every contributor in Our Donor Community.
“The Green Foothills Leadership Program increased my advocacy skills and knowledge, making me a stronger champion for my neighborhood, the environment, and climate resilience.”
Ever Rodriguez
Co-founder of the North Fair Oaks Community Alliance and Climate Ready North Fair Oaks, Green Foothills Leadership Program Graduate (2021), Resident of North Fair Oaks