Greater Owensboro Leadership Institute

Greater Owensboro Leadership Institute Logo

Fostering leadership for a stronger, healthier, and more prosperous community.

The mission of the Institute is to equip people, organizations, communities, and networks with the tools to bridge divides, build capacity, and tackle shared challenges to become a collective force for change.

The Greater Owensboro Leadership Institute is a nonpartisan, nonprofit organization established in the Fall 2022 through the support of local philanthropic organizations and business and community leaders. Training and programming are underway within the Institute that fosters a deliberative approach to civic engagement, community challenges, and leadership development.

Community challenges are too complex and diverse for traditional top-down leadership to be effective. The Institute is developing a diverse network of leaders who accept responsibility for our community’s shared concerns. We believe developing leaders, embracing civility, and working together around issues that matter is what preserves the common and enduring enterprise we all share…our community. From school age to post-retirement, the Institute wants to work with you to create a can-do narrative in our community to tackle challenges and fulfill our community’s aspirations.

The Greater Owensboro Leadership Institute Inc. is a tax-exempt organization recognized under section 501(c)(3) of the Internal Revenue Code. As such donations are tax-deductible to the extent allowed by law.

We Value

  • Democracy and Civic Knowledge
  • Transparency and Trust
  • Collaboration and Partnerships
  • Capacity Building
  • Courage and Cultural Humility
  • Learning and Research
  • Integrity and Respect
  • Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion
  • All Citizens

What We Do

  • Develop Civic Leaders. The Institute develops leadership capacity in our citizens by encouraging and training all walks of life to share their talents, skills, and ideas in a collaborative manner.
  • Create and Build Civic Trust. The Institute leverages citizens, develops leaders, and facilitates healthy processes for solving complex community challenges.
  • Facilitate Community Engagement. The Institute provides training, programming, and initiatives that fosters discourse, partnerships, and innovation toward a more equitable, fair, just, inclusive, and hopeful path forward.
  • Serve as a Convener. The institute serves as a non-partisan conduit for the common good of our community.

Learn with Us/Programs

  • Civic Institutes (Kansas Leadership Center Adaptive Leadership Competency Training)
  • Diversity, Equity, Inclusion Training and Support Programs
  • Internship Programs for College Students
  • Women in Leadership Program
  • Non-profit Board Member Training
  • Citizens Engagement Forums
  • Elected Office Seekers Training
  • Executive Level Leadership and Civic Engagement Programs
  • Annual Ideas Summit
  • Executives in Residence Mentoring and Coaching Program
  • Youth Civic Engagement Programming