California Agricultural Leadership Foundation

What California Agricultural Leadership Foundation does

The California Agricultural Leadership Foundation (CALF) is a California-based 501(c)(3) nonprofit foundation established in 1962 (as the Agricultural Education Foundation, renamed in 2004) that operates the California Agricultural Leadership Program (CALP), a 17-month advanced leadership development experience for emerging and mid-career agricultural leaders, considered one of the premier programs of its kind in the United States. Each cohort is capped at 24 fellows and includes approximately 55 seminar days, a 10-day national travel seminar, and a 14-day international travel seminar, delivered through a consortium of five partner universities: Cal Poly Pomona, Cal Poly San Luis Obispo, Fresno State, UC Davis, and California State University, Chico (the newest partner, added June 2025). The curriculum covers leadership theory, communication, emotional intelligence, critical thinking, and change management, with additional experiential programming such as CA Exchange for state legislators, regulators, and nonprofit policy influencers.

Since 1970 the program has produced more than 1,500 alumni, and the foundation sustains engagement through the L4 lifelong learning track, First Fridays virtual sessions, regional alumni events, the alumni directory, and recognition programs (Profiles in Leadership, Lifetime Leadership, Common Threads Central Valley, Common Threads North). Core technology is a WordPress/Bootstrap 5 web platform maintained by CALF staff with external vendor support, supporting digital content, alumni resources, and donation processing via Qgiv and Kindful.

CALF is funded primarily through individual and industry donations, corporate sponsorships, fundraising events (clay shoots, breakfast fundraisers, alumni conferences, inauguration dinners), endowment income, and planned giving; per-fellow program cost is $70,000+, underwritten by philanthropy. Major historical and ongoing benefactors include the Stewart and Lynda Resnick Wonderful Legacy Fund ($2.5M pledged in 2018), The James G. Boswell Foundation, The James Irvine Foundation, and the W.K. Kellogg Foundation. The foundation is governed by a 13-member board and led since February 2025 by President & CEO Lesa Eidman (Class 49 alumna).

Name

California Agricultural Leadership Foundation

Legal name

California Agricultural Leadership Foundation

Website

https://agleaders.org

Company type

Private

Founded year

1962

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

1–10 employees

Short description

CALF is a California nonprofit foundation operating the state's premier 17-month agricultural leadership development program, serving 24 mid-career fellows per cohort through five partner universities and a 1,500+ alumni network.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Agricultural Leadership Development / Executive Education

NAICS

Professional and Management Development Training (611430), Professional and Management Development Training (61143), Educational Support Services (61171), Religious, Grantmaking, Civic, Professional, and Similar Organizations (813)

SIC

Services-Educational Services (8200), Services-Membership Organizations (8600)

akta.pro industry

PRIMARYEDALAOAB

Fundraising & Annual Giving

Education/Student Services & Campus Operations/Alumni Relations, Development & Campus Community Engagement

SECONDARYEDALAOAD

Advancement Services & Donor Operations (CRM, Gift Processing, Stewardship)

Education/Student Services & Campus Operations/Alumni Relations, Development & Campus Community Engagement

Keywords

• Agricultural leadership development
• Executive education
• Nonprofit fellowship programs
• Alumni engagement
• Agricultural policy education

Headquarters

HQ city

Monterey

HQ country

United States

HQ region

North America

Offices1 record

Markets served

GTM type

B2C

Offering type

Services

Cost components

Personnel, Operations, Marketing or Sales, Others, Technology or R&D, Infrastructure

Revenue model

1. Donations and Individual Giving: Individual donors contribute to support CALF's mission. Monthly recurring giving program available. One-time and major gifts accepted.
2. Industry and Corporate Donations: Underwritten by individual and industry donations and companies. Sponsorships for events such as clay shoots, breakfast fundraisers, and alumni conferences.
3. Endowment Income: Endowment funds invested with interest reinvested or used for operations. Multiple named endowment funds support fellows and program sustainability.
4. Planned Giving: Bequests, estate gifts, charitable gift annuities, charitable remainder trusts, charitable lead trusts, IRA qualified charitable contributions, retirement plan beneficiaries, real estate gifts.

Pricing tiers

Go-to-market motion2 records

Distribution channels4 records

Marketing channels9 records

Core offering

The California Agricultural Leadership Foundation delivers the California Agricultural Leadership Program (CALP), a 17-month immersive leadership development experience for emerging and mid-career agricultural leaders, comprising approximately 55 seminar days that include national and international travel seminars and individual coaching. The foundation supplements CALP with the CA Exchange policy-education program, alumni lifelong-learning offerings (First Fridays, L4), and donor/fundraising programs (Annual Appeal, Planned Giving, 1970 Society). Program costs in excess of $70,000 per fellow are underwritten by donations and endowment income rather than tuition paid by participants.

Product overview

The California Agricultural Leadership Foundation operates the California Agricultural Leadership Program (CALP), a unified 17-month intensive leadership development program for agricultural leaders. The foundation delivers this core program in partnership with five universities (Cal Poly Pomona, Cal Poly San Luis Obispo, Fresno State, UC Davis, and Chico State) and offers supplementary alumni engagement products including the CA Exchange educational policy program, Lifelong Leadership Learning (L4), First Fridays virtual sessions, and Common Threads award programs. The foundation also manages fundraising initiatives including annual appeals, planned giving options, and the 1970 Society legacy giving recognition. The organization is not a technology product company but rather a nonprofit educational foundation.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Products and services

• California Agricultural Leadership Program (CALP) A 17-month advanced leadership development experience for emerging or mid-career leaders in California agriculture, considered one of the premier leadership development programs in the United States. Fellows participate in approximately 55 seminar days, including a 10-day national travel seminar and a 14-day international travel seminar, with tuition underwritten by donors (CALF invests $70,000+ per fellow).
• CA Exchange (California Educational Exchange Program) An experiential learning and leadership development program that brings together California Assembly and Senate members, regulatory agency employees, and nonprofit workers to develop a better understanding of how public policy affects complex and diverse agricultural systems, including on-site farm and ranch visits in select California counties.
• First Fridays Virtual Alumni Sessions Quarterly virtual programming offered to CALF alumni to stay connected, continue leadership growth through learning, and gain insight into the current Ag Leadership experience, featuring strategic planning listening sessions and topical discussions.
• Lifelong Leadership Learning (L4) Alumni programming providing numerous opportunities for graduates of the California Agricultural Leadership Program to stay connected with the foundation, continue leadership growth through learning, and engage with other alumni, fellows and thought leaders.
• Common Threads Central Valley A collaborative partnership honoring women from Fresno, Kern, Kings, Madera, Merced and Tulare counties who have deep roots in agriculture and have made significant differences within the agricultural industry and their communities.
• Common Threads North A program recognizing women in agriculture who have chosen to make a difference in their communities and our world through philanthropy and service, conducted in partnership with California Women in Agriculture, county Farm Bureaus, and UC Davis College of Agriculture and Environmental Sciences.
• Planned Giving Program Donor legacy planning options including bequests and estate gifts, life income gifts (charitable gift annuities, charitable remainder unitrusts), charitable lead trusts, and other asset giving (IRA, retirement plans, life insurance, real estate).
• Annual Appeal Annual fundraising campaign allowing donors to sustain, grow, and strengthen the foundation's programs that preserve California agriculture, via one-time gifts, monthly recurring gifts, and major gifts.
• 1970 Society An honor society established to celebrate alumni and friends of the foundation who have included Ag Leadership in their estate planning.
• Class Challenge A fundraising competition among program classes where cohorts compete for a trophy through sustained donor engagement.

Quantifiable outcome

• 1,500+ fellows have graduated and become lifelong leaders in agriculture and their communities
• +2 more outcomes

Named customers8 records

Segments3 records

Ideal customer profiles3 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Feature2 records

Partnerships

Twelve partnerships are on record, tiered core, major and minor.

• Chico State (California State University, Chico)coreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 24 June 2025Newest partner university joining in June 2025, strengthening CALP's presence in Northern California. College of Agriculture and University Farm are cornerstones of academic excellence providing leadership education across crop science, horticulture, animal science, ag education, business, and land management.
• International Leadership Alumni Conference (ILAC)majorStrategic or Co-development Partner · 25 June 2024CALF 2024 Alumni Conference held in conjunction with ILAC, bringing together hundreds of agricultural leadership program alumni from numerous states and countries for lifelong leadership learning, socializing, and networking.
• Quinn CompanyminorGTM or Marketing Partner · 25 June 2024Premier sponsor ($25,000) of 2024 Alumni Conference.
• Nutrien, Producers Dairy, SyngentaminorGTM or Marketing Partner · 25 June 2024Cultivation sponsors ($10,000 each) of 2024 Alumni Conference.
• Bayer Crop ScienceminorGTM or Marketing Partner · 25 June 2024Sustainability sponsor ($7,500) of 2024 Alumni Conference.
• Ag One Foundation (Fresno State)minorStrategic or Co-development Partner · 1 January 2024Partner in Common Threads Central Valley collaborative partnership formed in 1997 to honor worthy women in agriculture from Central Valley counties.
• Jordan College of Agricultural Sciences and Technology (Fresno State)minorStrategic or Co-development Partner · 1 January 2024Partner in Common Threads Central Valley collaborative partnership honoring women in agriculture.
• California Women in AgricultureminorStrategic or Co-development Partner · 1 January 2003Founding partner in Common Threads North program created in 2003 to recognize women in agriculture for philanthropy and service.
• Cal Poly San Luis ObispocoreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 1 January 1970Founding partner university providing leadership curriculum delivery, seminar facilities, and core faculty for the California Agricultural Leadership Program since 1970.
• Cal Poly PomonacoreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 1 January 1970Partner university providing integrated curriculum delivery and educational program support for the leadership development experience.
• Fresno StatecoreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 1 January 1970Partner university delivering comprehensive leadership curriculum and hosting inauguration ceremonies for new cohorts.
• UC DaviscoreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 1 January 1970Partner university contributing to the integrated, comprehensive and diverse curriculum for agricultural leadership development.

Scale indicators9 records

Recent moves8 records

Expansion highlights6 records

Direct peers

• Texas Agricultural Lifetime Leadership (TALL): Texas A&M AgriLife-led advanced leadership development program for emerging and mid-career agricultural professionals, modeled similarly with multi-year curriculum, travel seminars, and alumni network. Most direct structural peer to CALF's California Agricultural Leadership Program.
• Oklahoma Agricultural Leadership Program (OALP): Oklahoma State University-based two-year leadership program for agriculture professionals with class cohorts, national/international travel seminars, and alumni association. Same cohort-based, university-partnered leadership model as CALF.
• Nebraska LEAD Program: University of Nebraska-led two-year agricultural leadership fellowship with selective cohorts, travel seminars, and an alumni association sustaining lifelong engagement. Closely comparable in structure and mission to CALF.
• Indiana Agricultural Leadership Program (IALLP): Two-year leadership development program for Indiana agriculture professionals delivered through a cohort model with travel seminars and an alumni network. Equivalent governance and program structure to CALF's California program.
• Washington Agriculture Leadership Program (WALL): Washington Ag Forestry Leadership Program run with the Washington Tree Fruit Association, offering cohort-based advanced leadership training for agricultural and forestry professionals across the Pacific Northwest. Direct peer in the ag leadership cohort-program space.
• Arkansas Agricultural Leadership Program (ALEC): University of Arkansas-led advanced leadership program for Arkansas agriculture producers, agribusiness professionals, and community leaders operating on a similar cohort-based fellowship model with multi-year travel seminars and alumni network.
• Cornell University Agricultural Leadership Program: Cornell Dyson School's Executive Leadership for Ag Professionals and similar cohort-based leadership offerings aimed at senior agribusiness managers. Comparable cohort/executive-style training and alumni-network orientation to CALF.

Others

• Kellogg Foundation Food & Ag Leadership Programs: The W.K. Kellogg Foundation was an early funder of CALF ($350K initial grant) and funds other state ag leadership and rural leadership programs. Thematically adjacent grantmaker and program-funder for the same population.
• National 4-H Council: Large national youth leadership development organization with deep ties to agriculture, extension, and university networks. Operates as an adjacent leadership-development and alumni pipeline for younger ag professionals that may eventually feed CALF and similar programs.

Market position

Strengths5 records

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat5 records

Key risks6 records

Key highlights7 records

Customer concentration

• Facebookfacebook.com/AGLeadership
• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/california-agricultural-leadership-foundation

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles3 records

Funding overview

Funding rounds

Investors

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M&A

Investments

M&A and investment is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

Frequently asked questions about California Agricultural Leadership Foundation