For Applicants

Thank you for your interest in the Young Leaders Council's program.

The deadline to apply for the Fall class is August 1 and for the Spring class is January 1. If you are interested, we ask that you send in your application as soon as possible. There usually is a waiting list. The training classes will continue for eleven consecutive weeks. The "typical" class schedule will give you an idea of topics, length of classes, etc.

The main criteria for being in a Young Leaders class is: 1) a strong interest in community service and nonprofit work, 2) making a commitment to attend all the training classes and to do an one-year internship on the board of a nonprofit organization, 3) to get the support of your supervisor, and 4) a $475 fee (most class participants' companies/organizations are willing to pay this fee, but some pay it themselves).

Thank you again for your interest in Young Leaders Council. We are committed to replenishing the leadership base for the Nashville community. Young Leaders offers a solid and unique program designed to appeal to emerging leaders in our community. The program has recruited and trained more than 1500 young professionals with a variety of backgrounds and experiences to serve on the boards of more than 150 nonprofit agencies. We truly believe you would benefit greatly from this program.

We look forward to hearing from you.

Program Requirements

  1. The Young Leaders Council strives to maintain a strong cross section of individuals, backgrounds, and experiences in order to enhance the program. To be considered for a position in the next class, an application must be completed and returned to the Young Leaders Council.
  2. Preference will be given to those individuals who have volunteer experience and have demonstrated a commitment to community service.
  3. If an the application is selected, the applicant will be asked to schedule a visit with the Executive Director. After the interview, the applicant will be notified if they have been selected to participate in the program.
  4. The applicant must submit a brief letter of recommendation from their immediate supervisor once the class starts. However, this is not required until the applicant has been accepted into the class.
  5. The applicant or the applicant's company/organization is responsible for a program fee of $475.00. This fee is non-refundable and is due prior to the first training session once the applicant has been accepted.  Every applicant is encouraged to ask their employer to sponsor the class fee because most companies do. 
  6. Attendance is required at all training and internship information sessions. All training sessions must be completed before the internship process begins. The participant needs to notify the Executive Director in writing if a session is going to be missed. A missed session must be made up in the next scheduled class. If two or more sessions are missed without prior approval, the participant will be advised to discontinue the class.
  7. The participant must commit to and complete a one-year internship on the board of a nonprofit agency. The Executive Director works individually with each participant to determine the most appropriate internship.
  8. Should the participant need to withdraw from the program because of an emergency, the applicant will be permitted only one other opportunity to participate in the program. Fees are not transferable between participants or classes.