Applicants sought for Community Practitioners Network: a leadership program for the North Country

CONCORD, NH (PRESS RELEASE) — Applications are now open for the 2019-2020 class of the Community Practitioners Network: A Leadership Program for the North Country.

The Community Practitioners Network is a program of the New Hampshire Charitable Foundation’s Neil and Louise Tillotson Fund. The 18-month program is designed to strengthen the region’s network of local leaders and enhance community and economic development in the North Country.

CPN helps participants learn and strengthen leadership skills and immerses them in best practices for bolstering communities and economies. Through the program, participants build networks that will help them advance community and economic development efforts for the region.

Participants meet every other month for two-day sessions at sites within and outside the North Country region. All costs for participants accepted into the program are covered by the Tillotson Fund.

“I joined CPN expecting to expand my network beyond my traditional sector and to enhance my leadership skills,” said Lori Langlois, Executive Director of North Country Education Services, who was part of the first CPN class.

“I came away with so much more. From a deeper understanding of myself as a leader and coming to fully recognize my commitment to being a place-maker, my CPN experience was a boost personally and professionally.”

This will be the third cohort selected for the program. About two dozen people from communities in New Hampshire, Maine and Vermont have graduated from the CPN program since its inception in 2012. The timeline for selection and launch of the third program was moved up on the urging of members of the second CPN class, which completed the program in 2018.

“We’re seeing real momentum among participants — because they are already seeing the positive effects on communities and the region,” said Phoebe Backler, a Charitable Foundation Senior Program Officer and member of the first CPN class. “It is so exciting to see new leaders emerging and connecting through this program to help build community and economic vitality in the North Country.”

Fifteen emerging and seasoned leaders from Coös County, New Hampshire and all surrounding communities in Vermont and Maine will be selected for the program which will start in March 2019 and run through November  2020.

The Tillotson Fund seeks applicants across all sectors — education, business, government and nonprofit — who believe that the North Country region has tremendous assets and promise, and who value collaboration and demonstrate a model of shared leadership to get things done.

The application deadline is Monday, November 12, at 5 p.m. EST. The application form and an overview of the program, including logistics, timeline and alumni testimonials, are available at www.nhcf.org.

For more information, contact Jean Clarke at wrna.pynexr@aups.bet or 1-800-464-6641 ext. 238.

About the New Hampshire Charitable Foundation
The New Hampshire Charitable Foundation is New Hampshire’s statewide community foundation, founded in 1962 by and for the people of New Hampshire. The Foundation manages a growing collection of 1,900 funds created by generous individuals, families and businesses, and awards more than $40 million in grants and scholarships every year. The Foundation works with generous and visionary citizens to maximize the power of their giving, supports great work happening in our communities and leads and collaborates on high-impact initiatives. For more information, please visit www.nhcf.org or call 603-225-6641.