OVERVIEW

LEAD California is a coalition of California’s leading colleges and universities that each year invests in and champions more than 500,000 students, faculty members, administrators and community members involved in diverse and ground-breaking activities that support and expand civic and community engagement throughout California.

Founded in 1988, LEAD California (formerly known as California Campus Compact) includes among its members public, private, two-year and four-year institutions across the state and the spectrum of higher education.

MEMBERSHIP BENEFITS + SERVICES PDF

For a listing of our membership benefits and services, click the button below to down as a PDF.

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Representing Higher Education Statewide and Nationally

LEAD California’s reputation as a national leader in civic and community engagement and service- learning provide many opportunities to highlight California campuses to both statewide and national audiences. LEAD California regularly communicates about higher education’s commitment to public and community service with legislators, corporations, foundations, community-based organizations, and media representatives.

Advancing the Civic Engagement Movement While Addressing Institutional Priorities

LEAD California works with members in making links between service, service-learning and civic engagement efforts and larger institutional priorities, such as retention of students, multicultural education, community relations, and workforce development. In doing so, we not only advance the civic engagement movement, but also help address other important institutional challenges.

Investing in California Campuses through Grant Funding

LEAD California provides access to grant funding for our member campuses to support new programming and initiatives, education awards, training and technical assistance, and professional development for faculty, staff, administrators, community partners, and students.

Collaborating Across Sectors

LEAD California is the only state-based membership organization that intentionally include members from all sectors of higher education. To promote collaboration across sectors, we regularly facilitate convening and networking opportunities and encourage cross-campus networking and collaboration among faculty, staff, and campus leaders.

Promoting Faculty and Staff Development

LEAD California provides a variety of professional development and technical assistance services, including on-site consultations, workshops, institutes, networking opportunities, cutting-edge publications, and our monthly membership e-newsletter. These services have reached millions of faculty, staff, administrators, students, and community partners since 1988.

Through membership, LEAD California campuses have:

Exclusive access to:

  • a network of 45+ California higher education institutions willing to share successful program information
  • special initiatives and partnership opportunities
  • institutes and other special events
  • legislative updates on issues relevant to civic engagement, service, and service-learning
  • LEAD California news, resources and updates, library and publications
  • a monthly members-only e-newsletter that includes funding, job, award, and conference opportunities along with other important news, resources and updates from the field.

Funding eligibility for:

  • institutional or departmental civic engagement, community service, and service-learning initiatives
  • travel scholarships or registrations to regional conferences
  • special events
  • specific grant programs

Technical assistance on:

  • methods for institutionalizing civic engagement and service-learning
  • curriculum development
  • methods for establishing and maintaining strong, mutually beneficial community-campus partnerships
  • program development, research and evaluation of the impacts of service-learning, liability issues and other areas

Discounted registration fees for:

  • workshops
  • conferences
  • seminars
  • institutes
  • trainings
  • publications

Representing Higher Education Statewide and Nationally

To join LEAD California, the campus must pay an annual membership fee (July 1 to June 30), based on the full-time equivalent enrollment of undergraduates at their institution. For more information about joining, click on How to Join, contact us at info@leadcalifornia.org, or call us at (650) 242-5940.