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CHW Leadership Institute

About:

The Leadership Institute is a strength-based leadership program with the intent to build and develop a cadre of CHW leaders for the state of Minnesota. The Leadership Institute was created to:

  • Serve a diverse cohort of CHWs for training
  • Provide leadership training for current CHWs
  • Provide leadership knowledge, skill, and capacity building for CHWs.
  • Engage CHWs in learning and skill building activities.
  • Assist and support CHWs to practice and advance into leadership positions
  • Connect CHWs across multiple sectors and work sites

Cost: This program is free of charge to CHWs

Learning Objectives:

  1. Develop Self-Awareness and Leadership Identity
    • Participants will explore their personal leadership style, values, and strengths to understand how these shape their role as Community Health Workers and leaders.
  2. Create and Implement a Strategic Leadership Plan
    • Participants will set clear goals, establish accountability measures, and design a practical leadership plan to guide their professional growth and community impact.
  3. Enhance Advocacy, Communication, and Resource Mobilization Skills
    • Participants will learn to leverage networks, craft effective messages, engage in advocacy, and identify funding opportunities to advance community health initiatives.

“I enjoyed making the professional connections and lifelong friendships. The leadership program is essential. I feel all CHWs should participate.”

2026 Statewide Leadership Institute Details

Dates:

  • Open Application Period: October 15-December 15, 2025
  • Applicants will be notified December 19 2025
  • Program Dates: February- June 2026
    • First and last sessions will be in-person in St. Paul (February 10th, 2026, and June 23rd, 2026)
    • Eight virtual two-hour sessions will be held on the second and fourth Tuesdays, February through June.

Apply:

Leadership Institute Alumni Network

This year, we are launching the CHW Leadership Institute Alumni Network. If you have participated in the leadership institute during past cohorts, get in touch! We will be hosting events, sending updates about your fellow CHW Leaders and creating other opportunities for mentorship and connection. Help us update our list by clicking the button below and completing our contact form! We plan to host our first Alumni Network event this summer, stay tuned!

Leadership Institute Alumni Click Here!

2025 Leadership Institute Alumni Network Gatherings:

  • Southeast Gathering: Rochester, Wednesday June 11th 4pm-6pm
  • Statewide Virtual Gathering: St. Paul, Wednesday June 25th 5pm-7pm | email Rachel@mnCHWalliance.org to get the zoom information
  • Northern Gathering: Bemidji, November 6th (in conjunction with the Statewide CHW Conference)

History

The Minnesota Community Health Worker Alliance hosted Leadership Institutes from 2016-2020. Each Leadership Institute cohort has had different core focus areas, but all cohorts have come away with a strengthened sense of their role as a leader in their context as a community health worker.

2018 MNCHWA Leadership Development Institute Cohort
2025 CHW Leadership Institute Graduates

Leadership Vision Statements from past participants:

Each participant in the Leadership Institute creates a Leadership Vision Statement. The Leadership Vision Statement is the CHW leader’s dream, rooted in their lived experience, values, strengths and leadership style. The Vision Statement is meant to be the CHW leader’s North Star, compass and mental picture of success; if gives them direction to their goals.

I plan to have a share in positive social change wherein individuals and communities will have the necessary tools to preserve themselves from generational adversities and will be empowered to maintain safety, security and prosperity with working around the inevitable disparities.

Leadership Cohort Outcomes & Achievements:

  • Recognized their individual leadership abilities and learned new tools to aid in their work.
  • Understood the roles of various partners in their work; CHWs, funders, state agencies, legislators, media, etc.
  • Developed new resources, contacts, and partners to move their priorities and those of their communities forward.
  • Learned processes to engage in high-level change through work with state agencies and policy makers.
  • Took on more leadership roles within their employers and communities.
  • Developed individual Leadership Plans.

“Having the opportunity to learn how valuable CHWs can be in our organizations and how we integrate across the continuum of care was really eye-opening.”

CHW takeaways from Leadership Institute Training

  • I am a Leader
  • If I don’t take action, who will?
  • I have great ideas
  • What I think matters

For additional information, contact: Rachel Stoll (Rachel@mnchwalliance.org)