Leadership Johnson County

What Leadership Johnson County does

Leadership Johnson County (LJC) is an independent 501(c)(3) nonprofit community leadership development organization headquartered in New Whiteland, Indiana, serving Johnson County and Central Indiana. Founded in 1994 with seed funding from Duke Energy (then Cinergy/PSI) and housed at Franklin College for three decades, LJC transitioned to independent nonprofit status in July 2024 and relocated headquarters into the Habitat for Humanity of Johnson County facility. The organization operates with 8 staff and runs a portfolio of programs built around a core nine-month Signature Program (monthly sessions, ~40 participants per class, $2,000 tuition, alumni network now approaching 900 graduates since 1995), a Youth Leadership Academy for high school students earning Franklin College credit ($500 tuition), a Bold Academy summer camp for middle schoolers launching in 2026 ($295), Select Workshops and an On-Demand Punch Card system for flexible professional development, and a Leadership To Your Door on-site corporate training service.

The underlying "technology" is a curriculum framework rather than software: experiential learning paired with personality assessments (Myers-Briggs Type Indicator, True Colors), structured community-immersion days covering local government, agriculture, infrastructure, media, quality of life, and economic development, plus required class community service projects (over 100 completed historically). Distribution is multi-channel: direct enrollment via online applications, employer-sponsored participation, venue-based workshops at partner facilities, on-site workplace delivery, and a digital layer consisting of the Zephyr CMS website, a monthly newsletter (The Leading Edge), a Facebook community presence, and a Let's Talk Leadership video library.

The business model is a hybrid nonprofit revenue stack. Tuition covers only approximately 25-30% of operating expenses, with the remaining ~70-75% funded by corporate sponsorships (Duke Energy, NSK, Endress+Hauser, Johnson County REMC, Johnson Memorial Health, Modern Woodmen, and others at the Leadership Champions Plus level), foundation grants (Johnson County Community Foundation, Branigin Foundation at $10,000+), and individual donations through the Leadership Society donor circle (90+ active members). Customer segments span adult professionals and community leaders (primary), high school sophomores and juniors (primary), middle schoolers (emerging), and Central Indiana businesses and nonprofits seeking on-site or workshop-based professional development.

Name

Leadership Johnson County

Legal name

Leadership Johnson County

Website

https://leadershipjohnsoncounty.org

Company type

Private

Founded year

1994

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

1–10 employees

Short description

Leadership Johnson County is an independent 501(c)(3) nonprofit that delivers a nine-month Signature Program, youth and middle-school leadership academies, and on-site professional development workshops to adults, students, and employers across Johnson County and Central Indiana.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Professional Development and Leadership Training

NAICS

Professional and Management Development Training (61143), Educational Support Services (61171), Civic and Social Organizations (8134)

SIC

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

akta.pro primary industry

Youth Leadership, Civic Education & Service-Learning Nonprofits (BPAGADAI)

akta.pro secondary industries

Civic Participation & Leadership Development (Voting, Advocacy, Community Leadership) (EDAAADAL), Team & Group Executive Coaching (Leadership Teams) (EDABANAF)

Keywords

• Community leadership development
• Professional development workshops
• Executive leadership training
• Youth leadership programs
• Corporate training services

Headquarters

HQ city

New Whiteland

HQ country

United States

HQ region

North America

Offices4 records

Markets served

GTM type

B2B and B2C

Offering type

Services

Cost components

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

Revenue model

1. Program Tuition: Tuition fees from Signature Program ($2,000), Youth Leadership Academy ($500), and workshop attendance fees. Covers approximately 25-30% of operating expenses.
2. Corporate Sponsorships: Support from companies including Duke Energy, NSK, Endress+Hauser, Johnson County REMC, and other local businesses sponsoring participants and program events
3. Individual Donations: Contributions from Leadership Society members (90+ active donors), alumni, and community supporters through annual giving and special campaigns
4. Workshop Punch Cards: On-Demand Punch Cards ($500 for 12-14 punches) and Mini Punch Cards ($300 for 6-7 punches) providing workshop access at discounted rates

Pricing tiers

Go-to-market motion2 records

Distribution channels5 records

Marketing channels7 records

Core offering

Leadership Johnson County delivers community-based leadership development programs for adults, high school students, and middle school students in Johnson County, Indiana. Its flagship Signature Program is a nine-month curriculum of monthly full-day sessions covering local government, agriculture, infrastructure, media, quality of life, service organizations, and economic development, supplemented by personality assessments, community projects, and networking with local leaders. Complementary offerings include the Youth Leadership Academy, BOLD Academy summer camp, single-day Select Workshops, and on-site Leadership to Your Door corporate training.

Product overview

Leadership Johnson County offers a portfolio of leadership development programs centered around its Signature Program, a nine-month comprehensive training, complemented by the Youth Leadership Academy for high school students, Select Workshops for one-day professional development, Leadership To Your Door for on-site corporate training, and BOLD Academy for middle school students. Additional offerings include On Demand Punch Cards for workshop savings and a Lunch and Learn virtual series. The organization became an independent nonprofit in 2024 after 30 years at Franklin College.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Brands

• Bold Academy: Future Leaders Camp for incoming 6th, 7th, and 8th graders - a week-long summer leadership experience
• Youth Leadership Academy
• Signature Program
• Select Workshops
• Leadership To Your Door
• The Leading Edge
• Leadership Society

Products and services

• Signature Program Nine-month community-immersion leadership development program running from September through May for adult professionals and community leaders in Johnson County. Features monthly full-day program days covering local government, agriculture, infrastructure, media, quality of life, service organizations, and economic development. Includes Myers-Briggs Type Indicator and True Colors personality assessments, a class community service project, and networking with Johnson County leaders. Tuition is $2,000 with scholarships up to 60% available.
• Youth Leadership Academy Five-month program for high school sophomores and juniors in Johnson County covering leadership skills, community awareness, a class project, personality assessments, and networking. Participants earn one college credit at Franklin College upon completion. Tuition is $500 with scholarships available.
• Select Workshops Single-day professional development workshops in productivity, culture building, management, communication, and nonprofit governance held at venues throughout Central Indiana. Individual workshops are priced at $59 for members/alumni and $69 for the general public. Group discounts available for 5+ participants.
• Leadership to Your Door On-site customized workplace training delivered by LJC content experts at client locations. Half-day and full-day workshops are tailored to organizational needs in topics including productivity, culture building, management, and communication.
• BOLD Academy Week-long summer leadership camp for incoming 6th, 7th, and 8th graders focused on building confidence, communication, teamwork, and decision-making skills through hands-on activities, games, and STEM-based challenges. Two sessions offered in June 2026 at Endress+Hauser in Greenwood, IN. Tuition is $295 per student. Sponsored by Duke Energy and Baird - The 3C Group.
• On Demand Punch Card Workshop savings bundle providing 14 punches for $500 (claimed value $800+) or 7 punches for $300 (claimed value $400+), usable across any combination of Select Workshops. Punches can be shared within an organization or with friends. Mini Punch Card option also available.
• Lunch and Learn Series Virtual professional development series offering six one-hour sessions covering various leadership topics. Available at $20 per session, $100 for the entire series, or 2 punches with a Punch Card.

Quantifiable outcome

• 900+ graduates trained since 1995
• +3 more outcomes

Named customers15 records

Segments5 records

Ideal customer profiles4 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Feature4 records

Partnerships

Four partnerships are on record, tiered core.

• Franklin CollegecoreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 5 July 2024Franklin College housed and supported LJC for 30 years (1994-2024) as the program's founding host. LJC originated at Franklin College with Professor Emerita Bonnie Pribush as first program director. The college continues to support LJC as an independent nonprofit and provides Youth Leadership Academy participants with 1 college credit upon completion. President Kerry N. Prather expressed continued pride in LJC's work.
• Habitat for Humanity of Johnson CountycoreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 5 July 2024LJC relocated its headquarters in 2024 to office space within Habitat for Humanity of Johnson County's facility in New Whiteland. LJC's Soup Bowl class project has supported Habitat for Humanity since 2006, raising over $200,000.
• Endress+HausercoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerMajor corporate sponsor listed as Leadership Champions Plus. Hosts Bold Academy summer leadership camp at their Greenwood facility. Multiple employees participate in Signature Program. Melody Schulz serves on LJC Board.
• NSK CorporationcoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerLeadership Champions Plus sponsor. Former LJC Board President Andy Moorman is Plant Manager. NSK supports LJC with donations and volunteers, seeing value in employee development. Multiple employees in Signature Program. Matt Smarelli serves on LJC Board.

Scale indicators7 records

Recent moves6 records

Expansion highlights5 records

Broad incumbents

• United Way of Central Indiana: Major regional nonprofit supporting community impact initiatives, civic engagement, and capacity-building for local nonprofits. Comparable as a Central Indiana civic-focused nonprofit with corporate sponsor networks and alumni-style donor societies.
• Indy Chamber (formerly Greater Indianapolis Chamber of Commerce): Regional chamber that runs adult leadership and professional development programming for member companies across Central Indiana. Overlaps with LJC in serving the same employer audience but as a broader business membership organization rather than a dedicated leadership nonprofit.
• Points of Light: National nonprofit focused on volunteer service, civic engagement, and community leadership development. Comparable mission in building community leaders and supporting service projects, but at a national scale rather than county-focused.

Emerging players

• Junior Achievement of Central Indiana: Delivers youth-focused leadership, career readiness, and financial literacy programming in K-12 schools across Central Indiana. Comparable to LJC's Youth Leadership Academy and Bold Academy in targeting student leadership development within the same geography.

Regional players

• Leadership Cincinnati: Long-running (founded 1977) adult community leadership program with alumni network and corporate sponsor model analogous to LJC's Signature Program. Comparable structure and curriculum approach, but geographically focused on Cincinnati/Northern Kentucky.
• Leadership Louisville Center: Runs the Ignite and Bingham Fellows adult leadership programs plus youth programs (e.g., Louisville Youth Leadership). Nearly identical program architecture to LJC's Signature Program / Youth Leadership Academy, but serving the Louisville/Kentucky market.

Others

• Indiana Association of United Ways / Indiana Nonprofit Resource Network: Statewide networks supporting nonprofit capacity-building and community impact measurement across Indiana. Comparable as ecosystem players serving small/mid-sized Indiana nonprofits, with overlapping funder and corporate sponsor relationships to LJC.
• Habitat for Humanity of Johnson County: Mission-aligned Johnson County nonprofit that hosts LJC's headquarters and benefits from LJC's signature Soup Bowl fundraiser. Closely aligned mission around community impact, though the service line (housing) differs from leadership development.
• Civic Education Foundation / Indiana Council for the Social Studies: Indiana-based civic education organization supporting leadership, citizenship, and social studies programming for students and educators. Adjacent to LJC's youth civic mission and curriculum content, though not a direct leadership program operator.

Direct peers

• Leadership Indianapolis: Operates a similar multi-month community leadership fellowship for adult professionals in Central Indiana. Same model (Signature-style program), same region, and comparable alumni/employer sponsorship dynamics, making it the closest direct peer.

Market position

Strengths5 records

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat5 records

Key risks5 records

Key highlights7 records

Customer concentration

• Facebookfacebook.com/feedjoco
• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/leadershipjohnsoncounty

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles27 records

Funding overview

Funding rounds

Investors

Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

M&A

Investments

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

Frequently asked questions about Leadership Johnson County