The Leadership Development training consists of 48 class hours held over four Friday–Saturday sessions. The classes focus on developing the community leadership capacity of individuals. The training emphasizes an interactive and facilitative style rather than lectures. It draws on the knowledge and skills of those in the room, augmented by the lessons in the curriculum.

A typical class consists of about 25 individuals (high-school students to retired seniors) with leadership experience ranging from emerging to seasoned. This training is designed for a diverse mix of citizens representing business, government and non-profit sectors.

Curriculum concepts include:
     • Community capacity and social capital
     • Personality types and leadership styles
     • Community development models
     • Catalytic Leadership Model
     • Asset mapping
     • Group development
     • Models for group decision-making
     • Communication strategies
     • Volunteerism

Each class selects a project that they work on together (for example, a local park improvement). The project helps focus the course content on a real-world situation. The Institute provides up to a $5,000 match in support of the project. Participants are expected to volunteer outside the class to complete the project within one year. See Leadership Class Projects for more information.

We are currently accepting applications online for the communities below. Refer to application deadlines. For printable PDF application click on the community link below. To review or print a session schedule click on the link below.

To apply online click here.

If you have questions please contact Alicia Flory at aflory@tfff.org or call 541-957-5574

Download PDF Application	Session Schedules	Application Due Date
Applegate Valley/Jacksonville	Schedule	June 30, 2012
Baker County	Schedule	June 30, 2012
Dallas	Schedule	June 30, 2012
East Linn County	Schedule	June 30, 2012
Illinois Valley	Schedule	June 30, 2012
La Pine	Schedule	June 30, 2012
McKenzie River	Schedule	June 30, 2012
Newberg	Schedule	June 30, 2012
North Curry County	Schedule	June 30, 2012
Sandy to Government Camp	Schedule	June 30, 2012
Silverton/Mt. Angel	Schedule	June 30, 2012
South Douglas (Glendale/Azalea)/North Josephine	Schedule	June 30, 2012
South Umpqua Gateway (Myrtle Creek, Riddle, Canyonville, Days Creeks)	Schedule	June 30, 2012
Stayton/Sublimity	Schedule	June 30, 2012
Wheeler County	Schedule	June 30, 2012
Wild Rivers Coast	Schedule	June 30, 2012

Effective Organizations is 20 to 24 class hours designed to develop skills for the successful leadership and management of community organizations.

The core topics are:
    • Strategic planning
    • Organizational leadership
    • Resource development (human and financial)

The training provides many tools to assist in the hands-on application of the material covered. Participants have a chance to network with leaders of other organizations in their community. Follow-up coaching is available to participants to better integrate class learnings into their organizations. This training is most beneficial for directors, board members, and staff and volunteers who work with non-profits and service organizations; it also has proven helpful to local government, service districts and institutions such as schools and clinics.

Register online by selecting the community link below. OR submit a printable PDFcopy.

Submit printable forms via fax or mail to:
The Ford Family Foundation
1600 NW Stewart Parkway
Roseburg, OR  97471
Fax 541-957-5720
 
If you have questions or any problems filling out the registration, please contact Alicia Flory at aflory@tfff.org or call 541-957-5574.

You must live or work in the community/area to participate.

Online Registration	Printable PDF	Registration Deadline
Woodburn	Printable PDF	Closed
Morrow County	Printable PDF	Closed
Grants Pass	Printable PDF	Closed
Molalla	Printable PDF	April 13, 2012

Overview: Community Collaborations is designed to enhance the capacity of rural community leaders and organizations to leverage the power of working together. Actual community collaboration opportunities will be explored. Coaching is provided to help participants initiate a collaboration, sustain it and end it as appropriate.

The goal is to help communities build collaborations that “get things done” and which—in the process—infuse rural communities with vitality. This training is for Leadership Development graduates, participants of the Effective Organizations training, and all others in the community who are inspired to work together to identify shared areas of interest, develop ongoing networks, coordinate projects and activities, share and leverage resources, and promote cooperation and collaboration. 

Register online by selecting the community link below. OR submit a printable PDF copy.

Submit printable forms via fax or mail to:
The Ford Family Foundation
1600 NW Stewart Parkway
Roseburg, OR  97471
Fax 541-957-5720
 
If you have questions or any problems filling out the registration, please contact Alicia Flory at aflory@tfff.org or call  541-957-5574 .

You must live or work in the community/area to participate.

Online Registration	Printable PDF	Registration Due Date
Jefferson/Scio	Printable PDF	April 20, 2012
West Valley	Printable PDF	Closed
Upper Rogue	Printable PDF	Coming Soon
Roseburg	Printable PDF	Coming Soon

What is the cost?

The cost for program participants is their committment of time. The Foundation covers all program costs including materials and catered meals during training. Participants are responsible for getting to and from the sessions. 

Where are the training sessions held? 

All trainings/sessions are held in the community, with the exception of occasional conferences.

Who facilitates the classes?

Rural Development Intiatives (RDI), a nationally recognized Oregon-based nonprofit, partners with the Institute in recruitment, curriculum development and delivery of the Leadership Development classes. They provide professional staff who facilitate the sessions. For more information about RDI and their staff, visit www.rdiinc.org

The second and subsequent Leadership Development classes are delivered in part by community members. RDI certifies a core group of program graduates who volunteer to help deliver future classes.

Effective Organization and Community Collaboration sessions are conducted by several organizations. Human Systems serve Southern Oregon and Siskiyou County, California; Rural Development Initiatives, Inc. (RDI) serve Eastern Oregon; and NAO - Nonprofit Association of Oregon serve Northwest Oregon, www.nonprofitoregon.org.

How can my community become a Ford Institute Community?

The Ford Institute Leadership program is offered to rural communities in Oregon and Siskiyou County, California. We define "rural" as communities under 30,000 in population and not adjacent to or part of a metropolitan area. The Institute selects communities based on an internal process that looks for "readiness" – where the community is already demonstrating a willingness to work together for positive change. Individuals may promote their community with letters to the Institute that advocate selection and offer examples of successes in the community. The Institute selects four communities to enter the program each spring and each fall. For more information, contact the Institute's program manager at 541-957-5574.

Requests for Additional Leadership Cohorts
Communities that have completed the first five years of the Ford Institute Leadership Program can now request additional leadership cohorts.  A limited number of cohort slots will be available each spring and fall. Cohorts will be selected from the applicant pool by Foundation and RDI staff. As demand grows, the Institute expects to expand resources to support additional cohorts every two or three years in each hub as requested. Community Cohorts will be facilitated by an RDI professional working in partnership with an experienced Community Ambassador Team (CAT). 

Request for Cohort (RFC) Request Period (requests will be accepted during these periods only)
May 1 - June 30 for classes starting January/ February
October 1 - January 30 for classes starting August/September

For more information and to request a cohort: Request for Cohorts Form