Dear Leaders,

We are proud to share the results of our 2025 Program Impact Survey, which reaffirms the power and purpose of Leadership Perimeter’s work in our region.

Through both our Flagship and Youth programs, participants are growing into informed, engaged, and inclusive leaders — and the data tells a compelling story.

Our evaluation is grounded in a nationally adopted framework used by Community Leadership Programs (CLPs) across the country. This framework is built around four core pillars that support our mission:

• Civic Understanding
• Relationship Building
• Collaborative Leadership
• Civic Readiness

The retrospective survey measures program impact by assessing changes in participants’ knowledge, attitudes, and skills from the beginning to the end of their experience, using a series of defined learning indicators.

For the Classes of 2025, both programs showed measurable growth across all indicators, which is a testament to the strength and significance of the Leadership Perimeter experience.

A snapshot of the results are seen here, and the full results are linked below!

94% can think critically about how relationships between civic assets, issues, and stakeholders impact the health of the community

95% have access to opportunities to form relationships with people from a variety of backgrounds

90% found the best way to contribute their strengths as a community leader

94% can work strategically with diverse community stakeholders to effect positive change

93% know how to find community engagement opportunities that are relevant to their interests and abilities

97% learned about career options they have never considered before

91% formed relationships with people from a variety of backgrounds

87% are more informed citizens

88% think about /consider the needs of other people in the community 

86% know how to get involved in the community and contribute their strengths as a leader

At the recent, annual Association of Leadership Programs (ALP) conference in Fort Worth, TX, the wave of industry changes were felt in abundance.

Workshops discussing the use of A.I. and enhanced technology were hot topics as nonprofits seek maximum efficiency with limited resources.

Skills-based and college-level programs are dominating the industry, with more than 80% of community leadership organizations planning to add college programs in the next three years.

One of the most prominent businesses and employers in our country, Amazon, was a key sponsor and provided more compelling stats in a corporate context.

Amazon’s behavioral economists have started tracking the long-term internal impact of Community Leadership Program Alumni within their workforce. Their impact surveys track the ongoing community investments and career trajectory of participants and alumni.

In addition to the above, their initial findings uncovered:

• 2.5% Increase in retention 1 year after program participation

• 6% Increase in employees reporting a stronger sense of belonging

• Local community engagement grew by 30% due to alumni involvement

The fact that Amazon, a global corporate leader, is tracking employee retention and reporting a 2.5% increase one year post-program suggests that community leadership programs aren’t just “feel-good” initiatives. They directly influence employee loyalty and reduce turnover, a major cost for any organization.

This data proves that community leadership programs create smarter leaders, stronger organizations, and healthier communities - and that investing in them isn’t just the right thing to do, it’s also the smart thing to do.

Share your community updates with 

joelle@leadershipperimeter.org