Support Us

Overview | Strategic Partner Program | Sponsorship Circle Program | Event Sponsorship Program
Donors | In-Kind Donations | Employee-Sponsoring Organizations | Advertising Opportunities
Volunteer Opportunities | Internships

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Overview

Focused on building healthier communities, Leadership Asheville is western North Carolina’s premier community leadership development organization. We’re passionate about developing, inspiring and connecting our program participants and the communities they serve. We’re just as passionate about creating experiences that benefit our supporters and help them meet their objectives. We are indebted to our corporate, community and individual supporters and gratefully acknowledge the critical role they play in fostering leadership in the community and enriching the quality of life in the greater Asheville area.

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Strategic Partner Program

The Leadership Asheville Strategic Partner program was developed to provide the business community with opportunities to align itself with Leadership Asheville through a customized marketing platform. These bundled packages are unique opportunities for our institutional supporters to help build and maintain year round relationships and contact with our constituents.

We refer to our Strategic Partners as investors because they invest in the future of the greater Asheville region. These investors play a critical role in ensuring our ongoing effectiveness in strengthening our region’s leaders, engaging the community, and assisting our leaders to take action for the benefit of our communities. For this relationship, Leadership Asheville will only align itself with firms that are good corporate citizens with positive images and high-quality reputations and that are deeply committed to community leadership and involvement.

The Strategic Partner program provides maximum exposure for a company seeking to align itself with Leadership Asheville. This bundled package is the most comprehensive of the supporting program opportunities available to our business partners. With extensive overall promotional rights and benefits, unique exposure at signature events through highly customized sponsorships, and exclusive access to our graduates, the strategic partnership helps you achieve marketing objectives in ways never before available while building and maintaining a unique relationship with Leadership Asheville and the community as a whole.

This three year commitment includes a variety of benefits and marketing opportunities. Please review the Strategic Partner Term Sheet for further deatils.

Our current Strategic Partners include:

For more information regarding specific benefits for the Strategic Partner program, please contact Gerry Goertz at 828-348-0673 or programs@leadershipasheville.org.

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Sponsorship Circle Program

The Sponsorship Circle program provides significant exposure for a company seeking to align itself with Leadership Asheville. This partnership level contains bundled marketing opportunities in combination with high level and creative visibility to business partners to help build and maintain a relationship with Leadership Asheville graduates and the community as a whole.

This three year commitment includes a variety of benefits and marketing opportunities in addition to the basic benefits. The sponsorships range from $1,250 to $5,000 each year based on the selected benefits.

For more information regarding specific benefits for the Sponsorship Circle program, please contact Gerry Goertz at 828-348-0673 or programs@leadershipasheville.org.

Basic Benefits

The basic benefits for organizations in the Sponsorship Circle program include:

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Event Sponsorship Program

The Event Sponsorship program was developed to provide exposure for a company seeking to align itself with Leadership Asheville. This bundled package is a unique opportunity for our business partners to help build and maintain a relationship with our members and the community at specific events.

This one year commitment of $500 to $1,000 includes benefits and marketing opportunities for the event sponsor to reach graduates and friends of Leadership Asheville.

For more information regarding specific benefits for the Event Sponsorship program, please contact Gerry Goertz at 828-348-0673 or programs@leadershipasheville.org.

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Donors

Leadership Asheville prepares, challenges, and engages emerging and existing leaders through leadership development for the benefit of the greater Asheville area. The program is supported through tuition & fees, individual contributions and corporate sponsorship.

By contributing to Leadership Asheville, you will help ensure that we will continue to enjoy the leadership and citizen participation that has made the greater Asheville area one of the best places to live and work.

Leadership Asheville is driven by the commitment and energy of its participants, graduates, and volunteers. Those connected with LA have benefited greatly by the diverse network of graduates, skills, and broad knowledge of regional issues gained through the program. The community of graduates is filled with engaged leaders and decision-makers who represent an unparalleled resource working to strengthen the quality of life in our region.

Your contributions support both operations and scholarships. Tuition and fees for Leadership Asheville cover only 30% of the program's operating budget. In addition, we try to award scholarships to assist those who might otherwise not be able to participate.  Contributions to Leadership Asheville help fill the gap, simply donate online or pledge now:  

Your contributions support both operations and scholarships of the yearly core program. We try to award scholarships to assist those who might otherwise not be able to participate. Additionally, tuition and fees for Leadership Asheville do not fully cover the program’s operating budget. Contributions to Leadership Asheville help fill the gaps.

Endowments

Our long term goal is to establish an endowment fund with sufficient capital that ensures Leadership Asheville cultivates generation after generation of community leaders. Endowment funds produce income from investments while keeping the capital intact. This ensures that Leadership Asheville has greater financial stability and allows us to do more long-term planning.

Named Leadership Endowment
An endowment of $100,000 would provide sufficient income to provide one full Leadership Gift in perpetuity. The endowment could be named as the donor wishes and could be designated to provide a Leadership Gift to a particular sector. For an example, “The John Smith Leadership Gift” could be awarded to an individual in the arts community.

While the donor would be welcome to participate in the selection process, selection must be consistent with all of the criteria that Leadership Asheville has set out.

Supplemental Leadership Endowment
An endowment of $50,000 would ensure that one scholarship would be offered each year. Again, the scholarship could be named as the donor wishes and could be allocated to an area where the donor has an interest. The income could be assigned to Mission Hospital participants or to individuals working with youth, for example.

Challenge Gifts

One of the most important gifts we could receive would be a challenge gift where the donor offers to matchdonations from other supporters on a dollar for dollar basis.

The donor could structure their gift to enhance annual giving or to encourage donors to make contributions to an endowment. It could be for a time period as limited as three months or extended to a year.

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In-Kind Donations

Leadership Asheville is also looking for in-kind contributions that will help reduce costs while addressing daily operating needs. It may be that as an individual, business, or foundation you could provide Leadership Asheville with goods or services that may be beneficial to the running of our programs. Whether it is food, meeting space, printing, or other materials, we are always interested in hearing about what you might be willing to donate.

Other possibilities include gifts or prizes for thank you gifts or raffles that have your company logo on them. You may also know of someone in your organization that would make an excellent speaker for one of our programs or someone who is an excellent trainer. The potential for in-kind help is limitless. If you can help with a donation or by providing leads, please let us know.

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Employee-Sponsoring Organizations

Each person selected for the Leadership Asheville Program has an important partner throughout the 9-month process: his or her employer. Employers and sponsors play a critical role in ensuring our ongoing effectiveness in strengthening our region's leadership, engaging the community, and assisting our leadership in taking action for the benefit of our communities. Thanks to their employers and sponsors, participants have the opportunity to engage with others from throughout the corporate, civic and nonprofit sectors in greater Asheville. As a result they become part of a unique and diverse leadership network.

Program participants are not alone in benefiting from the Leadership Asheville Program. Sponsors gain immeasurably from it as well. The Leadership Asheville Program expands participants' abilities to lead in a diverse region and a multicultural workplace. It deepens their knowledge of critical area issues and links them with an array of civic and business leaders. This strengthens their ability to have an impact both in the civic arena and in their careers. Sponsorship also heightens the visibility of Program graduates and their organizations.

We are indebted to our corporate, community and individual sponsors and gratefully acknowledge the critical role they play in fostering leadership in the community and enriching the lives of participants in the Asheville region.

Sampling of Leadership Asheville Program Sponsors

More than 350 organizations have sponsored individuals since the Leadership Asheville Program's inception. Following is a list of those that have sponsored three or more Program participants over the years:

Asheville-Buncombe Technical Community College Affordable Housing Coalition American Red Cross Asheville Buncombe Community Christian Ministry Asheville Citizen-Times Asheville City Schools Asheville Police Department Asheville Savings Bank BB&T Beverly Hanks and Associates The Biltmore Company Biltmore Farms, Inc. Boys, Arnold, and Company Buncombe County Buncombe County Schools Children First City of Asheville HomeTrust Bank Communication Service, Inc. Community Foundation of Western North Carolina

First Citizens Bank Givens Estates Grove Park Inn Resort and Spa The Health Adventure Junior League of Asheville Land-of-Sky Regional Council Laurey's Catering & Gourmet-to-go Manna Food Bank McGuire, Wood and Bissett, PA Mission Hospitals Mountain Area Health Education Center Patla, Straus, Robinson and Moore, PA RBC Centura Bank Thoms Rehabilitation Hospital UNC Asheville United Way VA Medical Center Wachovia Bank Warren Wilson College Western Carolina University Young Transportation YMCA of Western North Carolina

Go to Current Class Profiles to review the sponsors of the current class. Each profile includes the name of the class participant's employer or sponsor.

Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs)

Who typically participates in Leadership Asheville?
Since 1982, Leadership Asheville has competitively selected over 1,000 men and women as Leadership Asheville Fellows. They include, among others, corporate executives, government officials, entrepreneurs, school principals, teachers, doctors, lawyers, clergy, community organizers and directors of nonprofit organizations. Participants are typically sponsored and financially supported by their employers.

What does Leadership Asheville look for in candidates?
The primary purpose of Leadership Asheville is to produce Leadership Asheville Fellows who are willing and prepared to serve their communities at higher levels. Leadership Asheville seeks applicants who have demonstrated leadership ability and commitment to civic and community affairs. Participants are generally articulate, curious, committed individuals who care about their communities and hope to make a difference.

What are the benefits of sponsoring a participant?
Leadership Asheville sharpens participants' abilities to lead by giving them an opportunity to interact closely with a diverse group of people with multiple perspectives. Participants are exposed to a solid network of executives and decision-makers throughout metropolitan Asheville. Sponsoring a participant heightens the visibility of both the participant and the sponsoring organization. Companies, organizations and public agencies find that sponsorship provides an opportunity to elevate their civic profile while they expand employees' leadership potential and ability to make a contribution to the greater Asheville area.

What is the sponsor's commitment?
Sponsors support their employees in the program by giving them the time to participate and contributing to cover the cost of participation. For-profit, private sector sponsors are encouraged to contribute additional monies in order to provide tuition assistance to those candidates who are either employed by small nonprofit organizations, public sector entities, or are self-employed.

How does an organization become a sponsor?
Your organization can become a sponsor by nominating an employee for the program. If appropriate, the sponsor's chief executive officer or board chair should nominate the individual. You can also sponsor a participant whose employer is unable to support his or her participation in the program. If you are interested in doing so, contact Leadership Asheville to find out if there are any candidates in need of sponsorship.

How can I get more information?
View our on-line directory of Leadership Asheville Fellows and learn more about Leadership Asheville at www.leadershipasheville.org. Please contact us with questions by phone at 828.348.0673 or e-mail us at programs@leadershipasheville.org.

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Advertising Opportunities

You are invited to promote your business, products or services at the Leadership Asheville website, through The Difference newsletter/journal, in emails and on calendars. We will work with you to select the ad and link placement appropriate for your needs. First preference on location and space availability will be given to sponsors, donors and graduates.

Graphic ads must be in GIF or JPEG format.. Animated ads are accepted. Graphic ads will also include a sponsored link in our listings at no extra charge.

For more information regarding specific benefits and rates, please contact Gerry Goertz at 828-348-0673 or programs@leadershipasheville.org.

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Volunteer Opportunities

Volunteer opportunities abound at Leadership Asheville and your skills and enthusiasm are greatly needed! Both short-term and long-term opportunities are available. For information on current opportunities, please contact Gerry Goertz at 828-348-0673 or programs@leadershipasheville.org

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Internships

A limited number of internship opportunities at Leadership Asheville are available throughout the year for both students and professionals. These non-paid internships can be done for college credit, under sponsorship of a firm or organization, or simply for personal growth and experience. Internship schedules can be made flexible to meet individual needs.

Leadership Asheville is a nonprofit organization, which trains and develops citizen leaders, involves citizens in determining solutions to public policy issues, and facilitates collaborative action for the betterment of the entire Asheville region.

Internship requirements include:

Internship areas include:

Communications/Marketing – providing support for the marketing of programs by writing and designing communications pieces, assisting with media relations, compiling and updating Leadership Asheville database information, and coordinating email updates.

Technology
Exploring tools and ways we can leverage technology to increase productivity, social networking, community awareness and community leadership education

Community Policy
Assisting with a Leadership Action Team projects, citizen task force projects, developing a defined product with a citizen committee, working on community engagement projects, tracking and monitoring initiatives through the legislature and news media, preparing background information on topics, performing supervised field work as required, reviewing source documents, and conducting surveys and internet research.

Development/Events
Researching funding sources, helping with donor history files, assisting with fundraising campaigns and individual giving initiatives, assisting with all aspects of major events, including vendors, volunteers, program, sponsors, and logistics.

To apply for internships, please mail a letter of interest and resume to Leadership Asheville, Attn: Gerry Goertz, 247 Highsmith Union, CPO #1262, One University Heights, Asheville, NC 28804-8501 or email a letter and resume to Gerry Goertz at 828-348-0673 or programs@leadershipasheville.org. To learn more about Leadership Asheville, please explore our website.