Leadership Twin Cities

Leadership Twin Cities empowers individuals with the skills, knowledge, and connections needed to be effective leaders and agents of positive change for their community. During this nine-month community leadership program, participants will dive deep into the Greater MSP region to expand their awareness of critical issues, understanding of complex social systems, and ability to take civic action to foster inclusive regional growth.

Participants have the opportunity to engage with local experts including business executives, nonprofit leaders, and elected officials; learn about the community through presentations, panels, workshops, unique behind-the-scenes tours and hands-on experiences; hear many perspectives from other participants during table and group discussions; and develop their own personal passion project with the support of their peers.

What Our Alumni Say About the Program

“Leadership Twin Cities is the best thing that anyone could ever possibly attend. It opens your eyes to the issues in our community, hearing all aspects of those issues, and finding your passion on what you want to be involved in.”

“I used to think that there were lots of people in our community who made things work and run well. LTC helped me figure out that we all have an obligation to be involved in our community and I need to be one of the people who help make this community work well.”

“Leadership Twin Cities has provided me with a phenomenal opportunity to network and build relationships with the leaders and future leaders of this community. The number of times that this has helped me personally and professionally is countless.”

Participants in Leadership Twin Cities Gain:

A diverse network of leaders across different industries and professions with a shared passion for improving their community
A sense of purpose, as they develop their own personal passions and satisfaction engaging with the community
A better understanding and perspective of the community, and the issues that will shape the region during their time in the workforce
Knowledge of civic engagement opportunities to address issues
Enhanced leadership, collaboration, and problem solving skills
Access to future LTC alumni programing

Elevate Your Network

Program participation each year is limited to a cohort of 60 aspiring and experienced leaders from the business, nonprofit, and government sectors. All participants must apply to be considered for the program, demonstrate a passion for improving the community and a capacity to be a civic leader. Because of the depth and diversity of perspectives in the room, participants and speakers learn from each other, making it a truly unique and collaborative experience.

This program is invaluable for individuals seeking to build their understanding of our community’s greatest challenges, develop a robust network of cross-sector civic leaders, and build their own capacity to influence systemic change.

Since its inception in 1976, more than 2,300 people have participated in the program. Alumni continue to engage with each other across different cohorts through alumni programming which includes exclusive access to socials, behind-the-scenes tours, workshops, committees, and more.

Impactful Driven Results

After finishing the program, all participants see an average improvement in the following abilities compared to where they started:

Access to opportunities to form relationships with people from a variety of backgrounds.

+40%

Awareness of the MSP region’s community assets, issues, and stakeholders.

+39%

Understanding of how to find personally relevant community engagement opportunities.

+34%

Information Session

Learn more about Leadership Twin Cities and hear testimonials from program alumni.

Watch Last Year’s Recording

2025-2026 Cohort Application

Applications for the 2025-2026 cohort are now open! The deadline to apply has been extended to Monday, July 7, 2025 EOD. Prior to beginning the application, please read the following items carefully. While reviewing applications in early July, you may or may not be contacted by a member of the selection committee if we have follow up questions. All applicants will be notified about the status of their application by end of July. If admitted, program tuition is due in full by September 5, 2025 unless other arrangements are made.

Time Commitment and Attendance

Full participation of the scheduled program days is essential to the Leadership Twin Cities experience. Class members are expected to arrive on time and remain with the class for the entire session. If you foresee conflicts with your schedule on these program days, it is recommended that you postpone applying for the program until you can accommodate the entire program schedule. The class schedule is below. Please review and put a tentative hold on your calendar to ensure your availability.

2025-2026 Program Dates

Program days are full day events that typically run from 8 a.m.- 4:30 p.m. There will be an additional evening reception on the first day (September 11), as well as two half-day virtual sessions at the end of September, marked with an asterisk ( * ) below. All dates are subject to change.

Thursday, September 11, 2025, 8 am-6 pm (Evening Reception)
Friday, September 12, 2025, 8 am-2 pm
Thursday, September 25, 2025, 9 am-12 pm (Virtual)*
Friday, September 26, 2025, 9 am-12 pm (Virtual)*
Thursday, October 9, 2025
Thursday, November 6, 2025
Thursday, December 4, 2025
Thursday, January 8, 2026
Thursday, February 5, 2026
Thursday, March 5, 2026
Thursday, April 9, 2026
Thursday, May 7, 2026
Thursday, May 21, 2026

Outside of these days, there are additional tours, readings and suggested outings each month called “Call to Actions”. These will take no more than an hour each month. It is highly recommended that class members take advantage of these experiences

Info Session

Watch the recording of the most recent info session to learn more.

Employer Support

Because of the time commitment, it is vital that Leadership Twin Cities participants have the support of their supervisor and employer to take time off to participate. Some corporations have an internal process for selecting applicants from their organization.
Applicants are encouraged to discuss the application process, program cost and time commitment with their employer prior to applying.

Tuition

Tuition for Leadership Twin Cities is $3395 for Minneapolis Regional Chamber members. Tuition for non-member company applicants is $3695. Tuition goes towards meals, venues, materials, equipment, and program management. Payment is due in full prior to the start of the program. To learn more about Chamber membership, please contact us at membership@mplschamber.com

Scholarships

There are limited partial scholarships available. Applicants must note on their application if they are seeking a scholarship to be considered for one. The ability to secure a scholarship does not affect the cohort selection process. Leadership Twin Cities’ scholarships are designed to provide access to participants who will contribute diverse perspectives or distinct leadership experiences to the program. Scholarships are intended for small businesses, government and nonprofit organizations.

Cohort Selection

Class size is limited to approximately 50 people and not all applicants will be accepted. A good candidate must be able to demonstrate a strong interest and commitment to improving their community. Civic engagement, professional and voluntary leadership experience, along with aspirations are considered. Cohort diversity is also important. A diverse cohort that represents a cross-section of the community encourages great discussions and innovative solutions. Factors that may affect the final cohort selection include industry, sector, age, race, ethnicity, gender, geographic location, vocation, and unique perspectives. All applicants will receive a final status of their application by the end of July. Candidates not selected in a given year are strongly encouraged to re-apply in subsequent years.