Leadership Saratoga’s unique format makes Saratoga County the classroom.  Sessions move to various locations and class members meet the decision makers and community leaders who address not only facts, but perspectives, problems, and potentials, in very interactive sessions.

LIST OF 2023-2024 SESSIONS

Sunday, September 17, 2023, 8:00 am - Monday, September 18, 2023, 5:00 pm - Class retreat

Prepare yourself for a fun indoor and outdoor adventure in recognizing leadership styles and building a team.  This is an overnight retreat at The Embassy Suites in Saratoga Springs, N.Y.

Countywide Tour 

Oct. 4

Saratoga Style:  Immerse yourself in local culture with a tour of some of the myriad of tourism-related, cultural and historic institutions in Saratoga County. You will learn about the interaction and missions of the Saratoga Convention and Tourism Bureau, Saratoga Springs City Center, Saratoga County Board of Supervisors, and the Saratoga County Chamber of Commerce relating to the promotion of tourism. The tour provides a behind the scenes glimpse into the arts, tourism, and history that characterize Saratoga and keep its economy thriving.

Leadership Development Sessions all run 9:00 am - 12:00 pm

May 1, 2024, 8:00 am - 4:30 pm - Closing Retreat

Reflection on the program, skills and knowledge learned and an opportunity to use this growth to create an impactful path for the future. 

Through the course of the program, topics that will be addressed include:

Human Services - Bridging The Gap: 

Gain an insight into Saratoga County’s diverse population, as well as its poverty and human services needs.  Experience real life problems that underresourced people are facing and find out more about the various organizations that exist in the county to assist people in our community.

Keys to Effective Board Governance: 

Understand the elements of effective board governance, board dynamics, and what it takes to develop a strong board of directors. Learn what questions you should ask before agreeing to serve on a board and the skills to lead once you have accepted the position.

Mindful Leadership: 

There are many different styles of leadership. Different situations may dictate different leadership challenges. The dynamics of leadership can be challenging. It is crucial that we remain mindful in our leadership for ourselves,  and allowing and encourage this from others.

Dealing with Ethical Dilemmas: 

Develop critical thinking about ethical dilemmas that face nonprofit and public sector boards. Using case studies from real life examples, learn how to deal with these dilemmas and create solutions to handle the issues.

An Education in Itself: 

School boards face many issues ranging from setting educational policy to finances. Hear about these issues from a panel of county School Board members and area superintendents. Case studies will be presented for further investigation, discussion and understanding. Time will also be spent exploring the advances of technology in the educational experience.

Fundraising and Philanthropy: 

All leaders of nonprofits must raise money. This session offers a better understanding of the various methods of raising money and reviews the pros and cons of each. A panel comprised of donors and those in the development field share examples of successful and not successful asks they have received and made. Learn what works and what does not work when you are fundraising for worthy causes and gain a greater comfort level in soliciting donations. An interactive component will help you prepare for the ask.

Economic Development, Open Space and Quality of Life: 

Saratoga County is fortunate that there are a variety of environments in which people can live, work and play. The reality is that people in the community think and work hard to make it this way. This session brings together some of these people; developers, attorneys, land planners, and land preservers and showcases how all of them must work together to maintain this quality of life.

Perspectives of Change: 

Nonprofit or impact sector organizations are businesses whose product or service is intended to better the lives of others. This session dissects a challenging and often controversial topic, "Overhead Myth". 

Government by the People: 

In this session, participants will gain a better understanding of the differences in operations and issues that face villages, towns and cities, all of which exist in Saratoga County. By touring the County government offices and the District Attorney's offices, participants will receive an up-close look at real issues facing local government, and learn how to make a difference.  The particulars of running for public office will also be covered.

Strategic Planning: 

Organizations move forward best when they have a plan. Strategic planning can be crucial to the growth of nonprofit organizations. Learn from real life experiences of nonprofit executives and board members in the county about how they went through a planning process, what worked, what they would recommend doing differently, and how to engage the board, staff, and members to follow through rather than having a plan collect dust on a shelf.

Strategic Communications: 

Understanding how to tell the story of an organization creates better opportunity. We will learn about the archetypes and define messaging by understanding that the "why" is the message that needs to be shared for greatest impact.

Graduate and Celebrate

Enjoy the recognition you deserve at the class graduation dinner, while reflecting on all that has transpired during the program. 

As an additional opportunity, participants can be paired with alumni who have similar volunteer interests and could assist in making community connections for the participant.