Lead DSM

What Lead DSM does

Lead DSM is a Des Moines, Iowa-based non-profit organization founded in 1982 that develops community leaders across Central Iowa through cohort programs, workshops, and content. It operates four core programs: the nine-month Greater Des Moines Leadership Institute (GDMLI), the nine-week Community Connect program, the tuition-free eight-month Youth Leadership Initiative (YLI) for high school students, and the Then. Now. When. racial equity video series; a year-round Leadership Workshop Series supplements these offerings. Alumni total more than 3,000 since inception, holding volunteer leadership positions in over 286 community organizations.

The organization is run by a three-person staff led by Executive Director Amy Jennings and governed by a Board of Governors with volunteer committee chairs. Lead DSM's revenue mix is anchored in tiered corporate sponsorships (Premier, Champion, Inspiring, Signature, Connecting, Contributing, Supporting) led by Principal Financial Group, Federal Home Loan Bank of Des Moines, and the Greater Des Moines Partnership, supplemented by program tuition ($3,350 GDMLI, $650 Community Connect), tiered 1982 Society donor memberships ($75 to $5,000), event revenue (e.g., Mahjong with a Mission, leadership workshops), and curriculum-partner support (Nationwide for Then. Now. When.; NCMIC presenting sponsor for Community Connect).

The business is purely community- and relationship-driven: programs are delivered in person across Greater Des Moines, distributed via word-of-mouth, nominations, alumni ambassadors, and partnership channels, and supplemented by an online video product. Lead DSM's underlying competitive position rests on a 42-year brand, a dense alumni network embedded in civic organizations, and a multi-stakeholder sponsor ecosystem rather than technology or IP moats.

Name

Lead DSM

Legal name

Lead DSM

Website

https://leaddsm.org

Company type

Private

Founded year

1982

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

1–10 employees

Short description

Lead DSM is a Des Moines-based non-profit founded in 1982 that runs leadership development programs — GDMLI, Community Connect, and the Youth Leadership Initiative — for adult professionals, emerging leaders, and high school students in Central Iowa, supported by corporate sponsorships, tuition, and donor memberships.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Leadership Development Training

NAICS

Professional Organizations (81392), Business, Professional, Labor, Political, and Similar Organizations (8139), Social Advocacy Organizations (8133)

SIC

Services-Membership Organizations (8600)

akta.pro primary industry

Executive Leadership & C-Suite Development (EDABAAAA)

akta.pro secondary industries

Succession Planning & High-Potential (HiPo) Leadership Programs (EDABAAAL), Inclusive Leadership & Leading Diverse Teams (EDABAAAM)

Keywords

• Leadership development programs
• Community leadership training
• Nonprofit leadership
• Youth leadership initiative
• Civic engagement workshops

Headquarters

HQ city

Des Moines

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, Technology or R&D

Revenue model

1. Donor Memberships (1982 Society): Annual donor memberships at various levels from $75 to $5,000, providing early announcements, special opportunities, and discounts to supporters.
2. Program Tuition: Tuition fees for leadership development programs including Greater Des Moines Leadership Institute ($3,350) and Community Connect ($650). Scholarships are available for those who cannot afford tuition.
3. Event Revenue: Revenue from events such as Mahjong with a Mission ($40 per person) and Leadership Workshop Series registrations.
4. Corporate Sponsorships: Support from corporate sponsors at various investment levels (Premier, Champion, Inspiring, Signature, Connecting, Contributing, Supporting) who fund programs and scholarships.

Pricing tiers

Go-to-market motion1 record

Distribution channels4 records

Marketing channels8 records

Core offering

Lead DSM develops, connects, inspires, and challenges community champions through life-changing leadership experiences. The organization delivers cohort-based experiential leadership programs for mid-career professionals, emerging leaders, and high school students, complemented by a racial equity educational video series, year-round workshops, donor memberships, and annual recognition awards. Since 1982 it has graduated more than 3,000 leaders who now serve in 286+ community organizations across Greater Des Moines.

Product overview

Lead DSM is a nonprofit organization that develops, connects, inspires, and challenges community champions through life-changing leadership experiences. The organization operates a portfolio of programs including the flagship Greater Des Moines Leadership Institute (a nine-month cohort-based program), Community Connect (a nine-week purpose discovery program), and the Youth Leadership Initiative (a tuition-free eight-month program for high school students). Additional offerings include the Then. Now. When. racial equity video series, a year-round Leadership Workshop Series, donor membership programs, and an annual Leadership Awards recognition program. Together, these programs have graduated over 3,000 leaders since 1982 who serve in leadership positions across more than 286 community organizations.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Brands

• Greater Des Moines Leadership Institute (GDMLI): A nine-month curriculum preparing leaders from across Central Iowa to be effective stewards for the community's future through leadership development training and community issue exposure.
• Community Connect
• Youth Leadership Initiative (YLI)
• Then. Now. When.
• Leadership Workshop Series

Products and services

• Greater Des Moines Leadership Institute (GDMLI) A nine-month flagship leadership development program that prepares leaders from across Central Iowa to be effective stewards for the community through 10 partial-day classes, an opening retreat, capstone experience, and commencement. It uses The Leadership Challenge framework and community capitals to cover leadership skills and community issues. Tuition is $3,350 with full and partial scholarships available.
• Community Connect A nine-week evening program with a kick-off, mentor mixer, and five evening sessions plus small group meetings. It helps participants uncover and leverage their personal values and purpose while connecting them with experienced community leaders as mentors. Tuition is $650 with full and partial scholarships available.
• Youth Leadership Initiative (YLI) An eight-month tuition-free program that empowers high-potential high school students (10th–12th grade) from public and private schools to step into leadership through monthly full-day sessions during the school day (October–May). Students can earn up to 4 DMACC college credits upon completion; there is a $40 acceptance fee that can be waived.
• Then. Now. When. Video Series A seven-module self-guided racial equity educational video series for leaders, presented in partnership with Nationwide, that uses the 1619 Project and expert commentary to explore history, local issues, and inspire meaningful action. Accessible online via registration for work teams, faith groups, book clubs, or individuals.
• Leadership Workshop Series Year-round leadership workshops open to alumni and the broader community, focusing on timely topics and practical skills with expert facilitators. Workshops include sessions on networking, self-awareness, decision-making, and working with difficult people, with registration fees set per session.
• 1982 Society Donor Membership Tiered annual donor membership program ($75–$5,000) that provides early announcements, special opportunities, discounts, and alumni networking while funding scholarships and program operations.
• Leadership Awards Annual awards program recognizing community leaders, including the A. Arthur Davis Community Leadership Award, Workplace Community Leadership Award, Youth Impact Award, and Alumni Volunteer Award.

Quantifiable outcome

• 3,000+ leaders graduated from programs since 1982
• +4 more outcomes

Named customers7 records

Segments4 records

Ideal customer profiles4 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Partnerships

Six partnerships are on record, tiered sponsor, core and minor.

• Drake UniversitysponsorStrategic or Co-development PartnerPartner for exclusive alumni seating at the Bucksbaum Distinguished Lectureship in Business. Provides venue (Knapp Center) for community events.
• Dale CarnegiecoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerDale Carnegie principles are the foundation for the Connect with Confidence workshop on essential networking tools, facilitated by certified Dale Carnegie trainer Carissa Rainey.
• AmazonminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerAmazon provides behind-the-scenes facility tours for Lead DSM alumni, offering insight into leadership, logistics, and operations at scale.
• WesleyLife Meals on WheelsminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerWesleyLife Meals on Wheels hosts behind-the-scenes tours for Lead DSM alumni, exploring how nutrition, volunteers, and innovation support older adults in the community.
• DMACC (Des Moines Area Community College)coreStrategic or Co-development PartnerDMACC provides college credit opportunity for Youth Leadership Initiative participants who complete all program requirements (up to 4 credits).
• Grinnell CollegeminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerGrinnell College staff members (Jawanza Evans and Heather Jones-Brown) serve as workshop facilitators for the Leadership Workshop Series on bias reduction and self-awareness.

Scale indicators7 records

Recent moves7 records

Expansion highlights5 records

Others

• Greater Des Moines Partnership: Regional chamber and economic development organization that hosted YLI for eight years and is a Champion Investor sponsor of Lead DSM. Comparable as an ecosystem partner that shapes civic leadership pipeline in the same metro.

Broad incumbents

• Aspen Institute: National leadership development nonprofit running cohort-based and executive programs across civic, business, and policy domains. Comparable on the leadership-development mission though at a much larger scale and broader geographic remit.
• Association of Leadership Programs (ALP): National umbrella network representing 300+ community leadership programs, including Lead DSM. Comparable because ALP sets standards and convenes the exact peer set Lead DSM serves; Amy Jennings now sits on its board.

Regional players

• Junior Achievement of Central Iowa: Youth workforce and leadership nonprofit serving K-12 students in the same metro. Comparable as a youth-leadership development organization with overlapping school-district partnerships, but focused on financial literacy and workforce readiness rather than civic leadership.

Direct peers

• Leadership Tulsa: Mid-size metro leadership program with a long history and alumni-driven community impact. Closely comparable on mission, structure, and tuition-based cohort format.
• Coro Foundation: National nonprofit offering cohort-based civic leadership training programs for adults. Comparable because it delivers experiential leadership curricula with cross-sector cohorts in the same way Lead DSM does for Central Iowa.
• Leadership Nashville: City-specific community leadership program producing alumni who serve on local nonprofit boards. Operationally analogous to GDMLI in cohort structure, tuition model, and alumni board placement.
• Leadership Philadelphia: Long-running city-based leadership development nonprofit running multi-month cohort programs for established and emerging leaders. Comparable as a near-identical operating model anchored to a single metro.

Market position

Strengths5 records

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat4 records

Key risks6 records

Key highlights7 records

Customer concentration

• Xtwitter.com/lead_dsm
• Facebookfacebook.com/LeadDSM
• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/lead-dsm
• Instagraminstagram.com/lead_dsm

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles3 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 Lead DSM