What The Leadership does

The Leadership is a Baltimore-based 501(c)(3) nonprofit founded in 1983 (inaugural class 1984) that runs a single core product: a 9-month experiential Flagship Leadership Program for mid-career civic leaders from the Baltimore metropolitan region. The program develops participants' understanding of Baltimore's history, challenges, and assets, strengthens civic leadership competencies, and forges cross-sector relationships for collective action. Cohort sizes have remained stable at 62-64 participants annually, drawing from public, private, and nonprofit employers including Venable, M&T Bank, Johns Hopkins Hospital, CareFirst, the City of Baltimore, and Baltimore Community Foundation. Over four decades the organization has graduated more than 2,000 alumni, several of whom now hold prominent civic roles (Mayor of Baltimore, U.S. Senator, Librarian of Congress, CEO of Baltimore City Public Schools, President of Johns Hopkins Hospital).

The organization does not operate a proprietary technology platform; it relies on standard off-the-shelf tools such as NeonCRM for participant management and event registration, and Zoom for virtual programming. Revenue is generated through three streams: undisclosed program tuition for the Flagship Program (with flexible/scholarship pricing to address cost barriers), $150 ticketed event sales (Reconnect celebration, commencement, with reduced-price options), and donations and charitable support solicited from alumni and supporters. GTM is community-led: recruitment is driven by information sessions, alumni referrals, and word-of-mouth rather than paid advertising, with prospective participants applying through a competitive admissions process. The portfolio extends beyond the flagship with alumni engagement products including Leading Now Conversations (regional leader speaker series), Origin Stories (intimate leadership-journey interviews moderated by Executive Director David Sachs), and the annual Reconnect celebration.

Operationally, the organization is lean, with 17 staff operating from 111 S Calvert St, Suite 1700 in Baltimore, and programming delivered at marquee Baltimore-area venues including the National Aquarium, Baltimore Center Stage, BGE Smart Energy Hall, and the State House in Annapolis. Leadership comprises Executive Director David Sachs, Board Chair Laura Boydston, Alumni Council Chair Jeannie Howe (Class of 2016), and Director of Engagement Charisse Nichols. There is no evidence of venture capital, private equity, or parent-company ownership; the organization is governed by an independent Board of Directors and is sustained by tuition, donations, and standard nonprofit fundraising.

Name

The Leadership

Legal name

The Leadership

Website

https://theleadership.org

Company type

Private

Founded year

1983

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

11–50 employees

Short description

The Leadership is a Baltimore-based 501(c)(3) nonprofit founded in 1983 that runs a 9-month experiential civic leadership program for mid-career professionals across the Baltimore metropolitan region, graduating over 2,000 alumni across four decades and supplementing its flagship program with alumni engagement events.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Civic Leadership Development

NAICS

Professional and Management Development Training (61143), Civic and Social Organizations (81341)

SIC

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

akta.pro primary industry

Executive Leadership & C-Suite Development (EDABAAAA)

akta.pro secondary industries

Talent Management & Leadership Advisory (Succession, Performance, Culture) (BPACAJAH), Civic Participation & Leadership Development (Voting, Advocacy, Community Leadership) (EDAAADAL)

Keywords

• Civic leadership development
• Executive leadership education
• Community leadership program
• Experiential leadership training
• Alumni network engagement

Headquarters

HQ city

Baltimore

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

Revenue model

1. Program Tuition: Revenue generated from tuition fees for the 9-month Flagship Program. The organization indicates sensitivity to cost barriers, suggesting flexible pricing or scholarships may be available.
2. Event Ticket Sales: Revenue from ticketed events including the annual Reconnect celebration ($150 per ticket) and commencement ceremonies. Tickets are available to alumni and guests with reduced-price options for those with barriers to attendance.
3. Donations and Charitable Support: The organization actively solicits donations from alumni and supporters, referencing the importance of continued financial support in anniversary announcements and fundraising appeals.

Pricing tiers

Go-to-market motion1 record

Distribution channels3 records

Marketing channels6 records

Core offering

The Leadership runs a 9-month experiential Flagship Leadership Program that develops civic leaders in the Baltimore metropolitan region through cohort-based sessions on regional history, challenges, and leadership competencies. The organization supplements this core program with alumni engagement events such as Leading Now Conversations, Origin Stories, and the annual Reconnect celebration, supported by an active network of more than 2,000 graduates.

Product overview

The Leadership is a nonprofit civic leadership development organization offering a single core program—the Flagship Leadership Program—alongside supplementary alumni programming including Leading Now Conversations, Origin Stories events, and the annual Reconnect celebration. The organization does not operate a technology product or SaaS platform; its offerings are entirely experiential and in-person. The portfolio consists of the Flagship Program as the primary offering, supplemented by alumni engagement events and gatherings that extend the leadership development experience beyond the initial 9-month program.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Products and services

• Flagship Leadership Program A 9-month experiential leadership development program that deepens participants' understanding of Baltimore's history, challenges, and people while strengthening their capacity to lead in civic contexts and forge substantive relationships for collective action. Designed for mid-career professionals from public, private, and nonprofit sectors. Cohorts of approximately 62-64 participants per year.
• Leading Now Conversations Exclusive alumni events featuring regional leaders in small group settings, offering insights and rich conversation about leadership during challenging times. Featured speakers have included Baltimore's Mayor, the President of Johns Hopkins Hospital, and the CEO of Baltimore City Public Schools.
• Reconnect Annual Celebration Annual celebration event bringing together alumni and graduating classes for networking, recognition, and commemorative ceremonies. Tickets are $150, with reduced-price options available upon request.
• Origin Stories Intimate event series where alumni gather to hear personal leadership journeys from distinguished guests, featuring conversations with Executive Director David Sachs about early mentors and crucible moments.

Quantifiable outcome

• Over 2,000 Leadership graduates actively working to create a more thriving, vibrant, and equitable Baltimore

Named customers7 records

Segments1 record

Ideal customer profiles1 record

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Partnerships

Four partnerships are on record, tiered minor.

• National AquariumminorOthers · 7 November 2024Venue for Class of 2024 Commencement Ceremony held November 7, 2024. The Leadership holds commencement celebrations at this venue, with three official parking partners nearby (Harbor Park Garage, LAZ Inner Harbor Garage, and Parkway Lockwood Place Garage).
• Baltimore Center StageminorOthers · 24 October 2024Performance venue for The Leadership Reconnect Annual Celebration on October 24, 2024. The Leadership rents this venue for its annual celebration event featuring conversation with leaders from the Unified Command on the Key Bridge crisis response.
• The Lyric BaltimoreminorOthersVenue for the 40th Anniversary Celebration on October 19, 2023. Historic performance venue used for major anniversary celebration events.
• BGE Smart Energy HallminorOthersVenue for Class of 2020 opening sessions in January 2020. Used for program kickoff and experiential learning components.

Scale indicators4 records

Recent moves6 records

Expansion highlights4 records

Direct peers

• Leadership Anne Arundel: Civic leadership program serving Anne Arundel County, Maryland — overlapping with The Leadership's stated Baltimore metro footprint. Uses a similar cohort-based model targeting emerging community leaders.
• Leadership Montgomery: Regional civic leadership development program serving Montgomery County, Maryland. Operates a similar cohort-based experiential model for mid-career professionals, making it the closest direct peer given geographic and programmatic overlap.
• Leadership Center for Excellence: Civic leadership development organization based in Arlington, Virginia. Runs cohort-based programs developing leaders across the Greater Washington region; highly comparable model serving a different but adjacent metropolitan area.
• Leadership America: National civic leadership program bringing together accomplished women leaders across sectors and regions. Comparable cohort-based leadership model with similar mission of developing leaders for civic impact.

Broad incumbents

• Coro Foundation: National civic leadership training organization with multiple city-based programs focused on cross-sector leadership development. Broader incumbent offering a more standardized curriculum across geographies, comparable in mission but larger in scale.
• Greater Baltimore Committee: Established regional civic and business leadership organization serving the Baltimore metropolitan area. Broader incumbent covering regional civic and economic policy issues; overlapping geographic footprint and member base.
• National Civic League: National nonprofit promoting civic engagement and democratic governance through programs and policy work. Broader incumbent with thematic alignment in civic participation and community leadership development.
• Center for Creative Leadership: Internationally recognized leadership development provider offering cohort-based programs across sectors. Broader incumbent with overlapping leadership development methodology, though serving primarily corporate rather than civic cohorts.
• Aspen Institute: National policy and leadership organization operating civic leadership programs (e.g., Aspen Community Strategies). Broader incumbent with thematic overlap in civic leadership development but operating at a national scale.

Emerging players

• Baltimore Corps: Baltimore-based nonprofit developing talent pipelines for the social sector and civic leadership. Emerging player with overlapping Baltimore geographic focus and adjacent mission of placing leaders in civic roles.

Market position

Strengths2 records

Weaknesses4 records

Competitive moat4 records

Key risks5 records

Key highlights5 records

Customer concentration

• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/theleadershipbmore

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles5 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 The Leadership