Leadership Academy Overview & Application

Through an immersive two-year program, Leadership Academy participants build their expertise to enhance their influence in the field of disability services and supports.

Leadership Academy Overview

This two-year program aims to support mid-career professionals interested in building their areas of expertise and thought-leadership to enhance their influence and reputation in the national I/DD community as the next generation of leaders.

Program participants will be expected to complete 50 units of learning activities that are completed over two years. Participants can earn the units through any of the ANCOR Foundation-sponsored activities, ANCOR-sponsored events, or completing external trainings (supporting documentation required).

The fourth Leadership Academy cohort application period is open from September 19–December 14, 2022. ANCOR staff will send out status letters in February 2023. The ANCOR Foundation will kick off its fourth cohort in March 2023, with graduation from the two-year program to be held at ANCOR’s 2025 Annual Conference.

Application Process

Eligibility Criteria

  • Full-time employee of a service provider 
  • Five to ten years of experience in the I/DD or disability field 
  • Minimum 1-year supervisory experience  

To be considered, applications must be completed by the submission deadline: Wednesday, December 14, 2022.

Application Checklist

To be considered, applicants must provide:

  • Short answers to application questions
  • Resume or employment history
  • One letter of recommendation
  • A letter of commitment from the applicant’s organization, indicating willingness to provide support and resources as needed to enable participant to successfully complete the program

Learn More

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Program Requirements

Participation in the Leadership Academy requires attendance at virtual orientation and in-person kick-off meeting at ANCOR’s Annual Conference. In addition, the program requires a combination of learning activities and giving back to the disability community. Fifty (50) units of any combination of learning activities and giving back must be earned over the two-year period of the Leadership Academy. If the participant does not complete the requirements at the end of the two-year program, they must re-apply.

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Admission Notification & Enrollment Fee

If accepted, a non-refundable $2,500 enrollment fee is required to confirm interest. (If the accepted candidate belongs to an ANCOR member organization, a discounted enrollment fee of $1,600 is needed for matriculation).

Instructional Units of Study
  • From Institutions to a Meaningful Life: The Story of Individuals with Intellectual and Developmental Disabilities in the United States
  • The Implications of Policy and Regulation for I/DD Services
  • Conversations that Matter
  • Change Management to Advance Mission-Driven Organizations
  • Strategies for Leading Your Organization through Times of Crisis
  • Workforce Analyses, Retention and Recruiting Strategies
  • Fundraising and Revenue Development Strategies
  • Essentials of Financial Management for I/DD Providers
  • Producing Productive Partnerships with Your Organization’s Executive Leadership
  • Promoting Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion Through Anti-Bias and Anti-Racist Hiring Practices
  • Seen, Heard, and Valued: Building Your Capacity and Your Staff’s Capacity to Challenge Bias

Apply Today

Questions?

Email Sasha Sencer, ANCOR’s Director of Education & Intersectional Collaboration.