If you want to connect with young leaders from diverse backgrounds, united by a common mission to improve their communities, ELCC is for you. Our cohort and workshops are a place of learning, fellowship, and action, guided by premier experts and changemakers in Georgia and beyond. The cohort will begin with a weekend retreat in Dahlonega, Georgia in September 2025, followed by bi-monthly gatherings through December.

Through eight expert-led workshops on topics ranging from the psychological dynamics of polarization to core concepts of mediation, negotiation, and non-violent communication, participants will develop leadership skills, build relationships with other participants and mentors, and receive funding to design and implement their own community change initiative. Through this cohort, you will gain the ability to:

Understand:

• The basics of the function of local government and civil society
• The structural and psychological dynamics of polarization in the United States and how it impacts our brains, mental health, and relationships
• The unique position and role that faith-based leaders can play in healing (and creating) division 

Practice:

• Models of ethical civic leadership 
• Strategies for creating and expanding positive values in individual communities 
• Effective strategies to reach people on social media

Explore:

• Connecting to people with different views and finding common ground 
• Core concepts of mediation, negotiation, and nonviolent communication as means to address interpersonal and community conflict 
• Co-designing and implementing community-level initiatives. Some projects will be provided with microgrants for further implementation.

The ELCC cohort is for young leaders ages 18-30. There are no specific work or educational requirements for cohort participation. People of all faiths, beliefs, and backgrounds are encouraged to apply.

ELCC workshops will begin in September 2025 and end in December 2025. The connections you build will continue to provide support throughout your career.

The in-person ELCC retreat will be during a weekend in early September and will be followed by 2 hour workshops every two weeks until the end of the program in December. Workshop dates are still yet to be finalized. Following the end of the program in December, optional planning and implementation for participant's community-level initiatives will run from January to April.

Costs associated with cohort participation will be reimbursed. Additionally, funding will be provided for participants to design and implement initiatives that tackle division within their own community.

An ideal candidate for the ELCC cohort is a young leader who has a demonstrated passion for civic engagement and an open-mindedness to different perspectives. The strongest candidates are committed to service through their faith, building bridges, and bringing positive change to their community. People of all faiths, beliefs, and backgrounds are encouraged to apply.

Emerging Leaders for Community Change (ELCC) is an initiative of the The Georgia Faith Forward Democracy (FFD) network, a multifaith, nonpartisan network of faith leaders which is supported by the Georgia Democracy Resilience Network and The Carter Center. We are united by a concern for our increasingly divided country and the impact those divisions have on our communities, families, and democracy. Recognizing that young people of faith are uniquely positioned to bridge divides, ELCC will empower the next generation of leaders to create meaningful, lasting change in their communities. People of all faiths, beliefs, and backgrounds are encouraged to apply.