CCLP
Becoming A Certified Community Leadership Practitioner
With more than 1,000 Community Leadership Programs operating across the United States, Canada, and beyond, these programs serve as essential drivers of community growth and sustainability. Established primarily during the late 1970s and mid-1980s, Community Leadership Programs (CLPs) emerged as a response to the increasing recognition that an engaged citizenry is critical to a community’s long-term success. Whether in urban, suburban, or rural settings, the leadership needs of communities are distinct, yet they share fundamental principles. Community Leadership Programs challenge businesses, organizations, and individuals to develop a comprehensive understanding of their community's unique attributes and challenges, paving the way for sustainable and impactful solutions.
The evolution of CLPs as a profession underscores their role as the cornerstone of leadership development for thriving communities. To remain relevant and effective in a rapidly changing world, CLPs must prioritize innovation, collaboration, and practical, solution-oriented programming.
Expanding the Vision Through Certification
Recognizing this need, the Association of Leadership Programs (ALP) introduced the Certified Community Leadership Practitioner (CCLP) program in 2019. This initiative seeks to develop skilled, consistent professionals equipped to guide community members toward meaningful connection, collaboration, and engagement with one another and the broader community. ALP invites those affiliated with Community Leadership Programs to join the growing network of Certified Community Leadership Practitioners. This immersive training program equips professionals with the skills and knowledge necessary to elevate their community leadership efforts and foster meaningful change.
By striving to continuously evolve, Community Leadership Programs can remain pivotal forces in building vibrant, connected, and thriving communities. Together, we can create stronger networks of leaders capable of shaping the future of their communities.
Questions about the CCLP Program? Contact Director of Programs Jessie Baginski, Ph.D., CCLP.
To drive meaningful impact, CLPs must focus on the following key objectives:
Intentionally Develop Leaders to Drive Community Progress:
Leadership development must be purposeful and aligned with the unique needs of the community. CLPs should identify, empower, and inspire individuals to act as change agents capable of addressing both present and future challenges.
Analyze and Assess Community Needs:
An effective CLP conducts thorough analyses to identify the opportunities and challenges within their community. These insights inform the design of innovative, actionable, and sustainable solutions.
Engage Community Members in Defining Success:
A shared vision is fundamental to a thriving community. CLPs should actively involve residents and stakeholders in defining what success means to them, ensuring that initiatives reflect their collective aspirations and priorities.
Create Adaptive and Sustainable Programs:
Communities evolve over time, requiring programs that are flexible, forward-thinking, and designed to address emerging needs while promoting long-term sustainability.
Promote Inclusive Leadership Development:
Effective leadership thrives on diversity and inclusivity. CLPs must proactively identify and nurture leaders who represent the demographics, values, and experiences of their communities.
Excellence in Community Leadership Programs
To further elevate the effectiveness and influence of CLPs, the following strategies should be prioritized:
Leverage Technology for Greater Reach and Accessibility:
By utilizing digital platforms, CLPs can expand access to leadership training, foster broader participation, and create more inclusive communities.
Foster Cross-Sector Collaboration:
Building partnerships across businesses, non-profits, and government entities amplifies the impact of CLPs, enabling resource-sharing and collective problem-solving for complex challenges.
Measure and Share Impact:
Regularly evaluating program outcomes and sharing success stories helps build trust, secure funding, and inspire replication in other communities.
Prioritize Resilience and Adaptability:
In today’s world of rapid social, economic, and environmental change, CLPs must focus on preparing leaders to navigate uncertainty and drive innovation.
Upcoming Courses for CCLP Certification
2025 CORE TRAINING
The CCLP CORE Coursework is a foundational training designed for professionals involved in Community Leadership Programs, whether they are new to the role or seasoned practitioners seeking to align with best practices. The training provides the necessary tools to design, develop, and oversee impactful Community Leadership Programs.
CORE Training is offered virtually, once per year. 2025 CORE Training will take place over five sessions, each three hours in length.
The 2025 CORE Training will take place over three-hour sessions on the following days:
- Monday, January 13
- Monday, January 27
- Monday, February 10
- Monday, February 24
- Monday, March 10
All sessions will be held from 12:00 - 3:00 PM ET | 9:00 AM - 12:00 PM PT.
Participants must participate fully in all CORE Training sessions to successfully complete the 16 hours of coursework.
MASTERY COURSES
The CCLP Mastery Coursework builds on the foundational skills of the CORE Training, focusing on six key areas of operational excellence for Community Leadership Programs and nonprofit organizations. Each four-hour course is designed to provide specialized expertise and is open to professionals, board members, alumni, and leaders in the nonprofit sector.
These courses are led by industry experts, educators, and CCLP-certified professionals, offering deep insights into essential topics.
Each of the six Mastery courses is offered virtually once per year. Each course is four hours long, from 12:00 - 4:00 PM ET | 9:00 AM - 1:00 PM PT on the designated day.
- Monday, March 31 - Adult Learning
- Monday, April 14 - Finance, Accounting, Fundraising and Other Revenue Sources
- Monday, April 28 - Leadership Theory and Application
- Monday, May 12 - Diversity, Equity and Inclusion/ Building Cultural Competencies
- Monday, June 2 - Developing and Managing Boards and Volunteers
- Monday, June 16 - Advanced Facilitation
Registration for these courses will open in early February 2025.
Earning the CCLP Designation
The Association of Leadership Programs (ALP) administers the certification process to obtain the CCLP designation. Training includes a series of learning components covering personal, practical, and theoretical leadership. Candidates must complete sixteen hours of CORE training, twenty-four hours of Mastery coursework, plus an additional ten hours of elective coursework for a total of fifty hours before applying to sit for the CCLP exam. The final requirement is completing and passing the written exam. All steps must be completed to be eligible to obtain the CCLP designation.
The steps in the CCLP process are designed to be completed in sequential order so that you have time to take in content and time to integrate learning into your daily practice. In certain circumstances, the CORE and Mastery coursework may be completed concurrently. The goal is not speed but development of competencies. Earning the CCLP designation is contingent on each individual passing the certification exam based on the program content. Course recordings are available for review and exam preparation.
Questions about the CCLP Program? Contact Jessie Baginski, Ph. D., CCLP, Director of Programs.
The CORE Training is facilitated over five sessions, each three hours in length. There are five modules to be completed as the first step in the CCLP process.
The CCLP CORE Training process is managed by Jessie Baginski, Ph.D., CCLP, Director of Programs. Lead faculty members are Dick Hammond, Leadership on the Move (TX), and Christine Kennedy, Leadership Lynchburg (VA). Industry leaders with subject matter expertise round out our faculty presenters in the CORE courses, many of whom have earned their CCLP designation. Attendance and full participation at each of the sessions is expected.
An overview of the five CORE modules:
Module 1: Program Scope Focus: Understanding organizational mission, vision, and value to ensure relevance to the community. | Topics:
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Module 2: Program Specifics Focus: Defining and refining program offerings to serve target markets effectively. | Topics:
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Module 3: Program Strategies As Community Leadership Programs are designed to educate, enlighten, and empower participants to move from knowledge to action, module three focuses on session planning, purpose, structure, and content. Learning styles, assessments, and service projects are included as key discussion points. | Topics:
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Module 4: Program Systems Program evaluation is critical to ensure programs are relevant and pragmatic not only for participants but also for the organization to verify that it is meeting its mission and delivering value to the community. Quantitative and qualitative methods of program evaluation are explored along with methods of engaging community members in understanding and articulating the CLPs value to the community. Engaging program alumni is a critical component of program systems understanding. Module four delves into alumni strategies, measurements, and ongoing engagement in the organization and the larger community. Focus: Evaluating programs to ensure alignment with mission and community impact. | Topics:
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Module 5: Program Sustainability Community Leadership Programs are the linchpin for training and development of effective leadership in their communities. They must be deemed as reliable, credible and worthy of public trust to sustain their operations. Module five discusses the budget considerations, staffing structure, and community support needed to sustain current programming and plan for continuous growth. Focus: Building a foundation for long-term program reliability and growth. | Topics:
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The second step in the certification process is the completion of the following Mastery (pre-designated) Training Courses. Each course is offered once per year in an online format and can be taken in any order but must be completed within a 3-year period.
1 - Adult Learning (4 hours) Understanding the characteristics of adult learning and ensuring your community leadership program curriculum is set up so that your participants truly learn. Course Objectives:
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2 - Advanced Facilitation (4 hours) Beyond the basics. Learn the skills necessary to facilitate effective and powerful group discussions to help teams move past complex problems or controversial topics through dialogue, feedback, and consensus building. Course Objectives:
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3 - Diversity, Equity, Inclusion (4 hours) Achieving greater Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion (DEI) is a complex process that requires change in various dimensions—policies, practices, attitudes, and behaviors. This session will address diversity, equity, and inclusion issues and topics; information will be presented focused on unconscious bias, cultural competencies, equity audits, and building allies to create and leverage diversity.
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4 - Financials, Accounting, Fundraising, and Other Revenue Streams (4 hours) One of the leading reasons for underperformance and job loss in the nonprofit industry is poor fiscal stewardship and management. Don‘t let this area be the cause of your demise. Learn about the core financial building blocks for a fiscally strong Community Leadership Program and how to enhance sustainability and continuity.
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5 - Leadership Theories and Applications (4 hours) Every program has fundamental principles it conveys as part of their curriculum. What theory or theories best embody what you are trying to teach? How can you create activities and adult learning practices that help your participants practice those theories? Relate key learning to community leadership development responsibilities and describe the relationship between Servant Leadership and Community Leadership.
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6 - Developing and Managing Volunteers and Boards (4 hours) A key indicator of a successful community leadership program is its ability to identify, attract, and retain quality volunteer leaders. Examine leadership and succession programs through strategic volunteer development.
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Elective Coursework is the final component required to qualify to sit for the CCLP exam, focusing on personalized professional development. Candidates complete ten hours of elective credit by selecting classes or webinars that address their unique learning needs and align with the principles of the CORE CCLP framework.
Candidates are responsible for maintaining records of their elective hours.
Each candidate should select elective coursework opportunities based on their individual training needs, but credit must fall under one of the following categories:
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| Courses completed within the 12 months prior to your participation in the CORE Training Course can be considered for credit for elective coursework. Participants are responsible for tracking the completion of electives. |
Application Information
Upon completion of the training courses and all program requirements, the next step in the certification process is the submission of the application to sit for the certification exam. A score of 70 or higher must be received on the application to be approved.
Requirements
The Certified Community Leadership Practitioner (CCLP) certification designates a committed association professional who has demonstrated a wide range of knowledge essential to managing a community leadership program.
Eligibility to submit this application includes:
- Completion of 16-hour CORE Training
- Completion of 24 hours of Pre-designated Coursework
- Completion of 10 hours of Elective Coursework
- Three (3) years of continuous employment and/or involvement in the community leadership field
- Be an organizational or individual member of ALP
- All associated fees must be paid in full
Use the CCLP Application Guide link below to receive a copy of an application guide. This Application Guide provides information that you need to have available to complete the online application. There is no fee to obtain the application.
The final application must be completed online (contact programs@alpleaders.org for the link) and submitted for approval prior to obtaining the exam. A notice will be sent to the candidate within 24 hours after application submission with Exam procedure information.
Exam Information
The CCLP exam content is aligned with the required training coursework, which provides comprehensive, current, and applicable information for leadership program practitioners. The exam includes multiple choice, essay, matching, true/false, and fill-in-the-blank questions and is proctored online at a time you schedule upon the completion of all requirements.
Before sitting for the exam, please be aware of the following:
- The test covers the material contained in the CCLP program and is not specific to your Community Leadership Program.
- You should allow adequate time to complete the exam.
- 80% is a passing score. You may retest one time without an additional fee.
- Once you click Submit Form at the bottom of the page, all answered and unanswered questions are locked in and cannot be changed!
- You may temporarily skip a question and then come back to answer or change your answer at any time before clicking submit.
- Ask your Proctor any procedural questions before you begin.
For more information, contact: programs@alpleaders.org
To ensure a CCLP designee remains progressive and knowledgeable in the profession, re-certification is required every three years. Re-certification points can be achieved through professional education, contributions to the profession, service, and participation in leadership meetings, conferences, and programs. The designee is responsible for maintaining a record of all re-certification requirements. A re-certification fee of $200 must be submitted before an application for re-certification will be reviewed.
Fee Structure
| Session | Course Hours | 2025 Member Rate | Non-Member Rate | |
| CORE Community Leadership Practitioner Course | 16 hours | $600 | $1,000 | |
Adult Learning - Mastery Course | 4 hours | $150 | $300 | |
Advanced Facilitation - Mastery Course | 4 hours | $150 | $300 | |
| Diversity, Equity, Inclusion - Mastery Course | 4 hours | $150 | $300 | |
| Financial/Accounting/Fundraising Revenue Streams - Mastery Course | 4 hours | $150 | $300 | |
| Leadership Theories and Applications - Mastery Course | 4 hours | $150 | $300 | |
| Developing and Managing Volunteers and Boards - Mastery Course | 4 hours | $150 | $300 | |
| Application/Exam | $300 | |||
TOTAL: | 40 hours* | $1,800 | ||
*Completion of an additional 10 hours of elective coursework is required to meet the 50 hours of required training. The applicant bears any expenses incurred in the procurement of this requirement. **Non-Members may take courses for professional development purposes. See the registration link for pricing. |
Current Certified Community Leadership Practitioners
Since the inception of the program in 2019, 17 individuals have completed all the required coursework, sat for and passed the exam, and earned their CCLP designation.
- Jessie Baginski, Ph.D. '22 - OH
- John Cherry '23 - TN
- Jessica Hendricks '22 - NE
- Kristine Hilger '22 - IN
- Courtney Hutcheson '23 - TN
- Cheryl Johnson '23 - AL
- Carli Meurs '24 - WA
- Olympia Newman '24 - TX
- Tara Sargent '24 - MD
- Cindy Schueman '24 - TN
- Peggy Smith 24' - IA
- Sandi Swilley '22 - TN
- Lori Waltz '23 - NH
- Kristen Wells '22 - ME
- Tammy White '22 - TN
- Lynn Wood '22 - WI
- John Yeager '24 - IN