About

Leadership Kitsap Foundation is a non-profit organization founded in 1993 by community leaders, the Kitsap County Chambers of Commerce, and the United Way of Kitsap County. The mission of Leadership Kitsap is to promote informed and committed civic volunteerism. The 10-month long curriculum is designed to help participants acquire both a fuller sense of the critical issues affecting Kitsap County, and the leadership skills necessary to motivate and engage others in collaborative efforts to resolve them.

Leadership Kitsap class participants are selected through a competitive screening/interview process conducted by the Leadership Kitsap Foundation’s Board of Directors. Individuals will be chosen based on the following criteria: (1) commitment to civic involvement in Kitsap County, (2) potential for community leadership, and (3) professional and personal achievement.

Leadership Kitsap Foundation does not discriminate against applicants or participants on the basis of race, religion, sex, national origin, sexual orientation, age, or physical ability.

Applicants must have a sponsoring organization, oftentimes the applicant’s employer, or be sponsored or endorsed by a community organization. All applications are handled respectfully and with appropriate confidentiality.

Questions? Ask us anything. info@leadershipkitsap.org

Selection Criteria

Leadership Kitsap class participants are selected through a competitive screening/interview process conducted by the Leadership Kitsap 
Foundation’s Board of Directors. A limited number of individuals will be selected based on select criteria, including the following: commitment to civic involvement in Kitsap County, potential for community leadership, and professional and personal achievement.

TribeClass Member Commitment

Time commitment: Full participation by each member of Leadership Kitsap is critical. This includes attendance at:

  • Orientation – Late August, Evening (2 Hours)
  • Opening Retreat – Early September (2-day, Overnight)
  • Monthly Challenge Days – One Friday/month from 8:30am to 4pm.
    October through June.
  • Project Presentations – 1 hr meeting in October
  • Personal Reflections – June Challenge Day
  • Service Projects – to be scheduled by teams
  • Graduation Celebration –  Early- to Mid-June

In addition to required in-person training days, each participant will have a small group to work on their community service project with. Time commitment and schedule is determined by the small group.

See schedule for the Class of 2024 below.

Schedule subject to change. Our intention is to hold in-person sessions, however, virtual or hybrid sessions may be necessary due to Kitsap County / Washington State Public Health Restrictions.

It is vital that you and your employer understand and honor these commitments. If you are unable to commit to this schedule, please consider applying another time.

 

Class of 2024 Schedule

2023-2024 CHALLENGE DAY DATES

  • Orientation: Friday, August 18, 2023 (3hr)
  • Opening Retreat Positive Leadership: Introduction: Friday, September 8, 2023
    & Saturday, September 9, 2023 (Overnight, Seabeck Conference Center)
  • Local Government Authenticity: Friday, October 13, 2023
  • Optional LKAA Fall Social Tuesday October 17, 2023 @ 5:30pm
  • Projects Panel Friday October 20, 2023 (1hr)
  • Education Purpose: Friday, November 3, 2023
  • Economics Advocacy: Friday, December 1, 2023
  • Healthy Community Resilience: Friday, January 5, 2024
  • State Government: Wednesday, February 7, 2024 (Trip to Olympia)
  • Law & Justice Community Building: Friday, March 1, 2024
  • Arts & Culture Reason: Friday, April 5, 2024
  • Environment & Planning Gratitude: Friday, May 3, 2024
  • Optional LKAA Spring Social Tuesday May 14, 2024 @ 5:30pm
  • Personal Reflections Conclusion: Thriving: Friday, May 31, 2024
  • Graduation Ceremony: Wednesday, June 5, 2024 (Kiana Lodge, Poulsbo)

*Subject to Change with notice

Financial Commitment

Selection Process – Application is a two-part process: (1) submit an application to the Leadership Kitsap office and (2) a personal interview.

Tuition – Tuition for the next curriculum year is $3,250 (Class of 2023). At least $250 must be paid by the participant. The balance is usually paid by the participant’s employer or sponsoring organization. Partial scholarships are available. There are no refunds.

Non-Discrimination – Leadership Kitsap does not discriminate on the basis of race, religion, sex, national origin, sexual orientation, age, or physical ability.

Confidentiality – All applications are handled respectfully and with appropriate confidentiality.

Applications open in January 2024

First, Download and Sign the Commitment Attestation Form – Commitment Form Click here

Now, Head over to the Online Application – Application Click Here (January-April each year)

Note there is no “save” feature on this form. We suggest saving a copy of your work in a Word/Pages document to avoid any unforeseen delays.

Note the follow-up interview dates:  20-minute in-person/hybrid application interviews will be scheduled for April 2024.

Help us recruit our next class!

Please share this website with a friend or colleague you think would benefit from Leadership Kitsap and be an asset to our next class of community leaders!

We are no longer currently accepting applications for the Class of 2024. Check back to apply for the Class of 2025 starting in January 2024.