The Appalachian Leadership Institute is a leadership training opportunity that equips Appalachian community leaders to use economic development as a tool to drive positive change. 

Designed for people who who live and/or work in Appalachia and are passionate about helping their communities thrive, the extensive leadership and economic development curriculum is developed by ARC in partnership with the University of Tennessee, Knoxville; The Howard H. Baker Jr. School of Public Public Policy and Public Affairs; Tuskegee University; and Collective Impact.

The Appalachian Leadership Institute is an all-inclusive program - there is not a cost to participants. From October – July, fellows meet for six skill-building seminars and conduct field visits across Appalachia, followed by a capstone graduation event held in Washington, DC.

The Appalachian Leadership Institute is a close-knit program limited to 40 Fellows each year, with participants from each of the 13 states in Appalachia. Fellows may be from the public, private, or non-profit sectors. 

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, and how they're 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 [email protected]. 

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 of your community? Most pressing challenges? 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 is one aspect of Appalachia you 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 [email protected]. 

Applications close on June 1st, 2024.