Leadership Development Initiative

The information listed below is general and addresses a typical program year.

Following the initial opening events in September/October, sessions are held one day each month (typically on a Thursday) 1:00 – 5:00pm from October through June. Please refer to the program schedule for the specific timeframe of each session. The calendar for the year is available several months prior to the application deadline. Each session location is different.

Credits are assigned to each session and graduation is dependent upon completion of a required number of credits (in addition to attendance at session indicated as “mandatory” on the schedule). In order to allow for busy professional schedules, a higher number of credits are offered than required for completion/graduation. To achieve the full benefit of the program, participants are strongly advised to attend all regularly scheduled sessions in their entirety.

Welcome Reception and Orientation – Mandatory attendance. Held in late September.

Leadership Retreat – Mandatory attendance. The retreat is critical to the formation of the cohort and is held on a Thursday through mid-day Friday. Applicants are strongly advised to take a look at the retreat dates on the schedule in advance of applying. The retreat location is typically within 2 hours of driving distance from downtown Pittsburgh.

Sessions – Sessions typically take place on Thursday afternoons. Session locations are typically within a 1-hour driving distance from downtown Pittsburgh. Participants are expected to attend all of the regularly scheduled sessions in their entirety and earn sufficient credits to graduate.

Click here to download the 2026 – 2027 LDI cohort schedule.

The LDI program curriculum is centered around three main pillars:

• Leadership Skills & Tools
• Community Engagement
• Network Building

The LDI experience advances growth and learning through topics such as managing conflict, understanding behavioral tendencies, design thinking, and serving on nonprofit boards. Program participants hone skills while being exposed to avenues for civic involvement and networking across sectors and industries. 

LDI participants form teams to implement a Community Impact Project in a host community. In addition to meeting a need in the community, the project provides significant learning experiences for the class members. Participants meet outside of the regularly scheduled sessions, where meeting times and locations are self-determined by the cohort themselves.

The Community Impact Project (CIP) is one of the many components of the Leadership Development Initiative (LDI) Program, which provides a real-world, hands-on opportunity for leadership skill practice and development.

This living, breathing “case-study” is undertaken by the group of high-performing and developing professionals in the LDI program each year, working together with a defined regional neighborhood’s stakeholders to deliver significant value to the host neighborhood, its people, and businesses.

The development, design, and execution of the CIP provides developing leaders from our region’s corporate, public, and nonprofit sectors opportunities to hone the skills and strategies taught throughout the program year while getting to know a neighborhood at a deep level and engaging civically.

High-performing and developing professionals who are gaining influence within their organizations and looking to advance their careers and community. Our LDI participants exhibit high levels of energy, enthusiasm, a strong sense of self-reflection, dedication to community well-being, a desire for personal growth, and to be part of something larger than themselves.

• High-performing professionals who are on the path to significant influence within their organizations in business, nonprofit, government, and civic entities
• Interested in acquiring skills and knowledge that would make them stand out within their company and the community
• Looking for a leadership experience that is reality-based
• Seeking to broaden professional and personal networks
• Looking to advance their careers
• Committed to joining about 50 other high-performing professionals from every walk of life to learn and to inspire positive change in our community
• No formal “invitation” is required to initiate your application

In the past this has included titles such as professional associate, significant individual contributor, manager or director.

Contact us to learn more and to determine whether LDI is the right fit for you.

Click here to view a listing of the LDI XXXIII cohort.

Click here for a list of our LDI Alumni by class year.

Leadership Development Initiative applications are due the first Friday in July for the cohort that starts in September. Early applications are encouraged. Incentive tuition pricing is provided for applications submitted by the first Friday in June. All parts of the application must be complete to be considered.

A selection committee reviews applications In August. Applicants accepted to the Leadership Development Initiative program are notified by mid-September.

The Leadership Development Initiative Selection Committee considers letters of recommendation in the application process. We strongly encourage each applicant to submit at least two, but no more than four, letters of recommendation. Successful applications in prior years tend to be accompanied by a letter of recommendation from the applicant’s company CEO/head of business unit in addition to recommendations from other LPInc. Alumni. Our alumni directory can be accessed online at lpinc.org.

Leadership Development Initiative tuition is currently $5,000 and is non-refundable. (Please note that tuition pricing is subject to change in the future.) Payment is expected only after acceptance. Early applications are encouraged. Incentive tuition price for applications submitted by the first Friday in June is $4,700. All parts of the application must be complete to be considered.

LPInc. is a nonprofit organization: Alumni and institutional donations enable us to offer partial scholarships based on need. These are intended, primarily, for participants from the nonprofit sector, especially small nonprofit organizations. To apply for tuition assistance, please request a tuition assistance form from LPInc. (info@lpinc.org) and submit it with your application. Tuition assistance requests do not impact the selection process.

Payment plans are available upon request.

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The Leadership Development Initiative Selection Committee considers letters of recommendation in the application process. We strongly encourage each applicant to submit at least two, but no more than four, letters of recommendation. Successful applications in prior years tend to be accompanied by a letter of recommendation from the applicant’s company CEO/head of business unit in addition to recommendations from other LPInc. Alumni. Our alumni directory can be accessed online at lpinc.org.

Recommendations are due into the Leadership Pittsburgh Inc. office by 5:00 PM on the date of the application deadline. These can be submitted along with the application or separately via the online form or by email to info@lpinc.org.