Nominations for our 2026 Spring Mark Whisler Boards & Commissions Leadership Institute are open. ❤️. Deadline for Applications are due by March 7th!
About BCLI:
The Mark Whisler Boards & Commissions Leadership Institute (BCLI) provides public policy training for our Sacramento area community advocates. It's time that neighborhood leaders have not just a voice, but a seat on the dais.
For our training institute, we seek out and recruit people from low-income communities and communities of color who have a proven track record of leadership as social justice advocates in their neighborhoods. They’re distinguished by a passion to change systems by learning the important aspects of public policy development from the inside. We deeply invest in each cohort through our 6-week BCLI fellowship, which teaches advocates how to understand complex and intersecting policy arenas, navigate the culture and language of commissions, and build effective relationships in and outside the commission.
Public policy topics covered by the BCLI:
Power, Privilege & Structural Racialization
Land Use and Affordable Housing
Robert's/Rosenberg's Rules of Order, Ethics & Storytelling
Health Equity & Environmental Justice
Education Equity
Transportation Justice
Workplace Equity/Labor 101
Time Commitment:
(6) Consecutive Saturdays
Launch Celebration: Friday, March 20th, 6:00 - 7:00pm via Zoom w/ Keynote Speaker TBD
Saturday Sessions: 10:00am - 4:00pm (a light breakfast & coffee will be provided at 9:30am & lunch at noon)
Session Dates: March 21st * March 28th * April 4th * April 11th * April 18th * April 25th+ Graduation Ceremony in May based on Cohort’s schedules.
Each candidate should follow these steps in order to be considered as a BCLI Fellow:
1. Locate a Nominator. All BCLI Fellows must be nominated by either a BCLI alum, or by a community leader or organization with which the candidate has been affiliated.
2. Have your Nominator complete & submit the Nomination Application via this link:
QUESTIONS? Email us at: BCLI@OrganizeSacramento.org
