The Appalachian Leadership Institute is a regional leadership and economic development opportunity for people who live and/or work in Appalachia and are passionate about helping their communities thrive. 

Appalachian Leadership Institute Fellows participate in a comprehensive training curriculum developed by the Appalachian Regional Commission in partnership with the University of Tennessee, Knoxville; The Howard H. Baker Jr Center for Public Policy; Tuskegee University; and Collective Impact.

The all-inclusive, nine-month program runs from October – July and includes skill-building seminars and best practice reviews. The program is currently meeting virtually due to COVID, but normally includes field visits during six separate sessions across the Region, followed by a capstone graduation event held in Washington, DC.

The Appalachian Leadership Institute is limited to 40 Fellows annually, drawn from Appalachia's public, private and non-profit sectors. Each class will include representatives from each of the thirteen states in the ARC footprint to reflect the region's diverse economic development, challenges, opportunities, and strategies.

Required Application Materials Include:

• Completed Essay Questions (See Below)
• Resume/CV
• Letter of Support from Applicant's Employer
• Three (3) Letters of Recommendation describing the applicant's skills and experience relevant to the Appalachian Leadership Institute mission. 

There is a 2MB per file size limit for document uploads.

Note: The Appalachian Leadership Institute is seeking a diverse pool of candidates from across the region. For resources on creating resumes for skilled trades or non-traditional career paths, click here. If you have additional questions or need assistance, please contact leadership@arc.gov. 

Essay Questions

Please answer the following essay questions in one document.  Answers should be limited to 300 words each.

• Why are you interested in the Appalachian Leadership Institute and what tools/knowledge do you hope to bring back to your community? What specific skills/knowledge do you hope to contribute to the Appalachian Leadership Institute program?
• Describe a successful project that you have led to improve your community, organization, or region.
• What are the greatest strengths and most pressing challenges and liabilities facing your community? How does your leadership bridge the gap between your community’s strengths and challenges?
• When you are confronted with people, ideas, or experiences different from your own, how do you interact with them?
• What one aspect of Appalachia would you most like to have an impact on and why?
• Share anything else you would like ARC and the Appalachian Leadership Institute team to know about you.  This can include awards or recognition, additional examples of your engagement and leadership, or any other elements not captured in your previous responses.

Attendance Policy

Attendance to all sessions is encouraged, but participants are allowed a pre-approved excused absence of 20 hours (or one full session) with the exception of Orientation. The entire Orientation session is mandatory and if an applicant has a conflict with the Orientation dates, we ask you wait until a future year to apply.

If you do not receive a confirmation email, your application was not successfully submitted. If you are having issues submitting your application, contact leadership@arc.gov. 

Applications close on May 1st, 2021.