Community Leadership Institute

Mission Statement

The Institute is an annual, tuition-free program for men and women who live, work or volunteer in low-income neighborhoods in the San Antonio area. The experiential, curriculum-based program promotes a transformational, servant-leader [1] model that builds on individuals’ gifts and passion for improving conditions in their communities. From June through November, CLI participants meet one Saturday a month for classroom instruction. The diverse faculty of community leaders and professionals bring a wealth of resources and connections to the classroom that alumni are able to access after they graduate.

CLI participants practice shared leadership and teamwork by collectively planning and carrying out a project before graduation. They develop budgets and written requests for up to $1,000 in seed money. A significant amount of learning and personal growth occurs through this essential component of CLI. A certificate of completion is awarded at graduation only to those who attend a minimum of five (5) training sessions and participate in the class project.