The Institute for Civic Leadership is an experiential, eight month, inward journey that enables a leader to develop the skills to lead in a collaborative and facilitative way.
Leadership Maine is a powerful, nine month, outward journey that takes a leader beyond their day-to-day experience and expands their capacity to shape our state’s future.
Policy Leaders Academy is a non-partisan experiential immersion for legislators in the fundamentals of the Maine economy, the factors that drive long-term growth, and how public policy decisions affect investment.
The Realize Maine Network connects regional groups, business, organizations and policymakers to share best practices for attracting and retaining young people to live, work and thrive in Maine.
MDF offers professional development, networking, community service and impactful engagement opportunities to the 1800+ alumni of Leadership Maine and ICL.
MDF is a lead partner in FOR/Maine (Forest Opportunity Roadmap) a cross-sector coalition working to diversify the state’s wood products businesses, attract capital investments, and develop greater economic prosperity for Maine’s rural communities.
MDF is a lead partner in MaineSpark, a 10-year initiative by Maine’s education and business leaders to ensure by 2025, 60% of Mainers hold the education and workforce credentials they need to succeed.
MDF is a key partner in the Maine Alliance for Health and Prosperity which seeks to address and eliminate systemic inequities in health and economic outcomes.
Leadership Maine is a powerful, nine-month, experiential cohort that takes a leader beyond their day-to-day experience and expands their capacity to shape our state’s future.
We have filled our 30th Anniversary 2023-2024 Class.
Email Jan Kearcefor information about next year’s class.
The Leadership Maine curriculum is designed for leaders from all sectors and all regions of Maine to learn individually and as a cohort. Participants travel together to different regions of the state to learn from each other and from host businesses/communities in real-time through on-the-ground sessions. In the process, they also hone relationship/team-building and collaboration skills. Each Leadership Maine class is given real-life challenges to address. Participants work in teams to address the assigned issue, connect with key stakeholders, organizations and groups, and develop a solution-oriented path with the goal of improving the economy.
Leadership Maine has graduated over 1,100 leaders who are leading the way in driving economic growth throughout Maine.
Through carefully designed exercises, leaders:
Learn first-hand about critical issues facing our state by exploring Maine’s diverse regions, assets, economies, issues, and people through direct interaction
Uncover and build upon their personal leadership strengths and opportunities for growth, and the skills to build effective teams through experience
Gain an increased commitment to making a difference in Maine communities
Develop important and lasting relationships with a diverse community of business, community, government and educational leaders.
Financial Information
MDF is dedicated to making the Leadership Maine experience accessible to all Mainers.
“In order to succeed in today’s world, it is important to have a tool kit filled with the right tools. Leadership Maine enables you to do that. I learned that there is indeed only one Maine, even though we may be miles apart. Coming together as a class, we shared our leadership experiences, worked on projects and traveled the state as we saw up close some of the wonderful success stories. I returned to my career healthy, creative, and passionate with my priorities clearly in the right order.” – Karen Arel, Eta Class Alum
2019 Leadership Maine Graduation Keynote – Mike Gawtry, Fmr. Dir., Sporting Goods & Travel, L.L Bean & Tau Class Alum
