Homegrown Leaders

The NC Rural Center is hosting a series of Homegrown Leaders trainings serving Eastern North Carolina through the summer of 2022. This program is made possible by the generous support from Anonymous Trust, NC Community Foundation, Smithfield Foods, First National Bank, NC Commission on Volunteerism and Community Service, and the U.S. Economic Development Administration.

Homegrown Leaders is a regional leadership and economic development training that develops and supports highly-skilled, highly-motivated leaders, and emerging leaders who are committed to regional collaboration. Homegrown Leaders addresses the need for high-quality, professional leadership and economic development training that equips community leaders with the skills they need to lead long-term economic advancement in their community and region and seeks to increase cooperation, collaboration, and coordination across a broad array of organizations and sectors. 

Homegrown Leaders Helps Emerging Regional Leaders:

• Increase understanding of comprehensive community economic development with an emphasis on equity, inclusion, resilience, and regional connectivity
• Increase understanding of regional data and trends
• Practice effective collaboration at the local and regional levels
• Increase knowledge of and access to regional assets and resources
• Build regional networks of community leaders that promote peer learning, resource sharing, and collaboration

Next Homegrown Leaders Training:

When: The next training is on February 24-26, 2021 from 9:00am – 1:00pm and is virtual due to COVID-19.

Who: You are eligible to apply if you live in or work in the following NC counties: Cumberland, Duplin, Harnett, Johnston, Jones, Onslow, Sampson, and Wayne.

What:  Homegrown Leaders is a regional leadership and economic development training that develops and supports highly-skilled, highly-motivated leaders, and emerging leaders who are committed to regional collaboration. If you live in or work in one of the communities served, you must apply first to be considered as a participant for this training. The application period has closed.

Where: The next training will be held as a virtual training using Zoom. All accepted participants will receive the Zoom training link upon participant confirmation. 

*The registration fee is $150. Limited scholarships are made possible by NC Community Foundation and Anonymous Trust and you must indicate your financial need on your application. 

Important Dates:

• January 15, 2021 | Application period closes.
• January 29, 2021 | Accepted applicants are notified.
• February 10, 2021 | Registration completed & registration fee due ($150).
• February 18, 2021 | Virtual Welcome Reception.
• February 24 – 26, 2021 | Homegrown Leaders Virtual Training.

The application period has closed.

Accepted applicants will be notified by Friday, January 29, 2021. 

Subscribe to the NC Rural Center newsletter and follow us on social media to receive important updates on this training.