HOPE Regional Leadership Institute

Building on HOPE’s statewide and national leadership development success, our Regional Leadership Institutes create multi-generational pipelines and centers of local advocacy to grow Latina leadership in government, nonprofits, and business. Focused on Los Angeles, the Inland Empire, the Bay Area, Central Valley, San Diego, and Imperial Counties, these Institutes empower regional leaders to advance education, healthcare, and economic development, uplifting Latinas and removing barriers to our communities’ success.

From 2024–2027, we will train over 300 Latinas to step into key leadership roles and drive meaningful change across California. Central Valley and Imperial County applications will open in Summer 2025. Applications for the 2026 San Diego and Los Angeles cohorts will open in the fall of 2025. Future cohorts will launch in the Inland Empire and Bay Area.

About the HOPE Regional Leadership Institute

The HOPE Regional Leadership Institute is designed for local leaders who want to build their skills and network to influence public policy. The ideal applicant will be a civically engaged resident of one of the target regions and demonstrate a record of readiness for an increasing leadership role in their respective community. As part of the Regional Institute, participants will learn how to identify structural causes of inequity in public institutions and acquire the knowledge and skills to remedy inequities to improve the status of Latinas, women and all communities. Each session will include the opportunity for community building and access to immediate opportunities for local advocacy.

Session topics include:

Education – K-12 and Community College
City Governance
County Governance
Special Districts

We consider all applicants without regard to race, gender identity or expression.

Access the HOPE Regional Leadership Institute Fact Sheet Frequently Asked Questions

The HOPE Regional Leadership Institute - Central Valley 2025 Application is Open!

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Explore the HOPE Regional Leadership Institute Areas

Applicants must reside within one of the designated HOPE Regional Leadership Institute areas: Los Angeles, the Inland Empire, the Bay Area, Central Valley, San Diego, or Imperial Counties (including incorporated cities and unincorporated communities within each county). This residency requirement ensures participants are rooted in the local communities where HOPE aims to build civic leadership and drive regional impact. Inland Empire, Bay Area and Imperial County Programs coming soon!

Explore your region of interest below to learn more about the cohorts and program details.

Los Angeles San Diego Central Valley

Application

To be considered for the HOPE Regional Leadership Institute, please submit an online application that includes the following:

A Memorandum of Understanding (MOU)
A headshot (preferably high-resolution .png or.jpeg). No selfies, please.
A $25 nonrefundable Application Fee
One letter of recommendation. Recommendations from HLI alumnae are encouraged but not required.

You may only apply to one Regional Leadership Insitute, and it must be within your area of residence.

Required Qualifications

This is a multigenerational cohort intended for entry-level and mid-career professionals, as well as senior and executive-level professionals, who are seeking to launch their skills and knowledge in local advocacy. This program is best suited for those who want to explore the basic mechanics of local processes including how local school boards, cities, counties and special districts work and the internal and external influences that determine outcomes.

HOPE Regional Leadership Institute Participants must:

Reside in a designated HOPE Regional Leadership Institute area.
Be a civically engaged resident with at least 3 years of local activism — for example, community education, public speaking at government meetings/townhalls, voter engagement.
Have a demonstrated record of readiness for an increasing leadership role in your community.
Be over the age of 20

The HOPE Regional Leadership Institute does not require a college degree or previous engagement with HOPE to participate.

We consider all applicants without regard to race, gender identity or expression. The Program is designed to train female or female-identifying Latinas with leadership and advocacy skills, with an emphasis on policy analysis through this lens.

Program Costs

The HOPE Regional Leadership Institute is a tuition-free program, however, participants are expected to incur certain expenses such as but not limited to:

Travel costs to and from sessions, including any parking fees
Personal Contribution to the Friends of HOPE Network ($100+)- payment plan available
$25 Application Fee

Ongoing Involvement through the HOPE Regional Hubs

Upon graduation from the HOPE Regional Leadership Institute, participants are invited to join a HOPE Regional Hub. These hubs will serve as a convening space for local HOPE program alumnae, including graduates of the Regional Leadership Institute, to regularly coordinate advocacy efforts in education, healthcare, and economic development. The hubs will also strengthen local HOPE networks and work to increase Latina representation in government, nonprofit leadership, and business.

Stay tuned for session dates for the Central Valley, Bay Area, Inland Empire, and Imperial Valley.

Frequently Asked Questions

Application

The HOPE Regional Leadership Institute is designed for local Latina leaders who want to build their skills and network to influence public policy. The ideal applicant will be a civically engaged resident of one of the target regions and demonstrate a record of readiness for an increasing leadership role in their respective community. We consider all applicants without regard to race, gender identity or expression. The Program is designed to train female or female-identifying Latinas with leadership and advocacy skills, with an emphasis on policy analysis through this lens.

Local Latina leaders who want to build their skills and network to influence public policy at the regional level. The ideal applicant will be a civically engaged resident of one of the target regions and demonstrate a record of readiness for an increasing leadership role in their respective community.

The cost to submit an application is $25. Upon acceptance to the program, participants are asked to make a $100 personal, one-time contribution to the Friends of HOPE Network. Participants are also responsible for travel costs to and from sessions, including any parking fees.

Yes, you can apply for a fee waiver in the application. The fee waiver will cover the mandatory $25 application cost and $100 personal contribution.

Eligibility

No, you must attend and participate in all four sessions.

No.

No, you must live and/or work in the region to which you are applying.

Yes. However, you can only be accepted to and participate in one program in the same cycle.

No, you may only apply to one and it must be where you are currently residing.

Senior Manager, Lauren Salaiz, lsalaiz@latinas.org.

Program Experience

As part of the Regional Institute, participants will learn how to identify structural causes of inequity in public institutions and acquire the knowledge and skills to remedy inequities to improve the status of Latinas, women and all communities. Each session will include the opportunity for community building and access to immediate opportunities for local advocacy.

Participants will learn how to examine and use data to inform public policy, understand how public budgets get made, analyze the flow of power and influence, and explore immediate opportunities for local advocacy, appointments, and networking in the region. Each session will include the opportunity to practice these skills with experiential learning projects and case studies.

The program aims to equip participants with skills to create lasting change as leaders in education, healthcare, and economic development. This includes skills in inquiry, power mapping, data and policy analysis, budgeting, messaging and self-branding, organizing, getting appointed, unconscious bias training, and personal and team leadership development.

Program sessions will be conducted in English.

20-25 individuals.

Participants should expect approximately 60 hours of instruction time across the four training sessions and four hours in between sessions for completion of prep assignments and readings.

We hope to continue to grow our HOPE Regional Leadership Institute locations. Please fill out our interest form to stay connected!

HOPE Regional Leadership Institute Sponsors

HOPE Programming is Made Possible by a Grant From

Contact

To learn more about the HOPE Regional Institute, please contact Diana Amaya, Senior Director of Programs.
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