Program Costs
Selected participants for the Lead Virginia class will be billed for tuition of $8,500 in 2025 which covers program expenses including meals, meeting expenses and program materials. Lead Virginia will offer a rooming block at a preferred hotel within each region for the class; hotel fees will be the responsibility of class participants. The tuition payment is due in full by March 31 or an approved alternative payment plan must be in place by March 15. After March 31, Lead Virginia reserves the right to offer your place in the class to a wait-listed candidate. Tuition is nonrefundable after the first day of the opening session.
Limited financial aid is available for qualifying nonprofit, government and small-business leaders. Scholarship requests are reviewed after the admissions process has been completed and are not a factor in the consideration of an applicant’s merit. Awards are based on statement of need, the number of requests received and the amount of funds available. The maximum award is no more than half the amount of tuition. For additional information on scholarships, contact Susan Horne, President and CEO, at (804) 644-0039.
Completed applications are due each year by February 1.
Scholarship Grant Procedures
Lead Virginia operates as a charitable organization described in Section 501(c)(3) of the Internal Revenue Code, as amended. Pursuant to the terms of its Articles of Incorporation, as amended, as well as its disclosures to the Internal Revenue Service as expressed in its application for tax-exempt status (the “Form 1023”), Lead Virginia is a non-partisan statewide leadership organization which provides an annual, six session educational program intended to create a network of informed and active leaders with a shared vision for Virginia’s future. Each program class comprises a diverse group of approximately 50 senior-level executives from public and private businesses, economic development agencies, elected and appointed government positions, the professions, education and nonprofit agencies. Through the shared experience of six intense monthly sessions held across the state, the participants in the Lead Virginia program learn about regional differences and statewide needs. Lead Virginia has established a scholarship program to help Lead Virginia achieve the diversity it seeks in each annual program class. Lead Virginia intends that all scholarship grants will be made pursuant to a set of established, objective, non discriminatory criteria. The Scholarship Grant Procedures (the “Procedures”) described below will guide all Lead Virginia determinations as to eligibility and selection criteria governing Lead Virginia scholarships.
Scholarship Program
The Lead Virginia scholarship program provides tuition assistance to participants in the annual Lead Virginia program. Scholarships may be granted in any amount, but are generally awarded at a maximum amount of half-tuition as determined at the discretion of Lead Virginia’s Scholarship Committee. The total number and aggregate amount of scholarships may be adjusted from time to time at the discretion of the Scholarship Committee. The Scholarship Committee may, in its discretion, designate specific amounts of available scholarship funds to be used for applicants from specific geographic regions or sectors (e.g., non-profit, small business, small private colleges, local government, etc.) for the purpose of achieving geographic, professional and personal diversity in each annual program class. Lead Virginia encourages applicants to leverage Lead Virginia scholarship awards by obtaining assistance from other funding sources in the applicant’s community (e.g., community foundations, corporate sponsors, etc.).
Selection Process – Candidates for Scholarships
Lead Virginia makes potential applicants aware of the scholarship program through information on the Lead Virginia website, printed materials describing the Lead Virginia class program, the application for potential class members, and information briefings describing the Lead Virginia class program and application process. Lead Virginia also receives recommendations of individual scholarship candidates from Lead Virginia alumni and others associated with or otherwise aware of the Lead Virginia program. All candidates for scholarship assistance must submit a request in writing when submitting their full class application packet.
Recipients of Lead Virginia scholarships are selected by the Lead Virginia Scholarship Committee from the pool of eligible applicants based on the eligibility and selection criteria attached hereto as Exhibit A, which may be amended from time to time by the Lead Virginia Board of Directors.
Terms and Conditions under which Lead Virginia Grants Scholarships
The terms and conditions of the scholarships are contained in a grant letter sent to each recipient. The recipient is required to communicate his or her acceptance of the scholarship, as well as agreement to the attendant terms and conditions, by way of a written acceptance letter to Lead Virginia. The terms and conditions of each scholarship will include the amount of the scholarship; the requirement to comply with the Lead Virginia attendance policy; and the right of Lead Virginia to revoke the scholarship at any time upon a participant’s failure to satisfy the terms of the scholarship award. If, at any time, Lead Virginia deems it appropriate to terminate a scholarship, Lead Virginia will issue a written notification to the recipient of its decision to do so, and the recipient shall be entitled to an in-person meeting with a representative of Lead Virginia to request reconsideration of Lead Virginia's decision.
Scholarship funds may be used only for tuition assistance for the Lead Virginia program and will be applied directly by Lead Virginia as a credit against the participant’s tuition otherwise due to Lead Virginia. Under no circumstances will scholarship funds be disbursed by Lead Virginia directly to a participant.
All scholarship grants shall be for a specific Lead Virginia program year. If a participant does not enroll in the designated Lead Virginia program year, the participant, if allowed to defer to a subsequent program year, must re-apply as a candidate and for a scholarship for that subsequent program year.
Amendment of Procedures
These procedures may be amended, from time to time, pursuant to the vote of a majority of Lead Virginia's Board of Directors.
Exhibit A:
Eligibility and Selection Criteria
- Applicants must submit a written request for scholarship assistance when submitting their complete class application packet for the Lead Virginia program.
- The Scholarship Committee may, in its discretion, designate specific amounts of available scholarship funds to be used for applicants from specific geographic regions or sectors (e.g., non-profit, small business, small private colleges, local government, etc.) for the purpose of achieving geographic, professional and personal diversity in each annual program class. Scholarship applicants must further this diversity objective.
- Applicants who are employed by Lead Virginia shall not be eligible to receive Lead Virginia scholarships.
- The amount of funds available for scholarship assistance may change from year to year.
The Scholarship Committee will weigh all of the information and data submitted by each applicant. Applicants will be evaluated and selected on the basis of the quality of their responses to, and/or satisfaction of, the eligibility criteria stated above. All Scholarship Committee determinations of scholarship recipients shall be recorded in writing.
Under no circumstance will Lead Virginia or its Scholarship Committee make any selection decision on the basis of race, ethnicity, gender, religion, or other discriminatory criteria.