ECL @ Illinois

University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign South Quad on a spring day

Thank you for considering United Way's ECL @ Illinois program!

Emerging Community Leaders (ECL) is a personal development program designed for professionals to learn how they can impact our community through nonprofit volunteerism. 

ECL @ Illinois brings all the content of our award-winning ECL Program to campus. Since 2005, over 800 people have graduated from ECL.

By offering the program on-campus, we are making ECL more accessible and helping you meet community-minded faculty and staff from across campus.

The ECL @ Illinois program is offered FREE OF CHARGE thanks to support from the Office of the Chancellor and the United Way Board of Directors.

Click here to read a note from Chancellor Robert J. Jones regarding the ECL @ Illinois program!

About the ECL @ Illinois Program

ECL’s structured like a class – but with no grades or tests! 

You’ll join together with other professionals for our five educational seminars:

  • Finding Your Why
  • Nonprofit Basics
  • How to be an effective Board/Committee member
  • Fundraising for Impact
  • Accountability and Leadership in the Community

Throughout the program, you will expand your knowledge of nonprofit work by participating in a team project that researches the mission and programming of a United Way nonprofit agency partner.

Volunteer opportunities will also be organized through the program. At the conclusion of the program, each team will present to the cohort and there will be a graduation celebration.

View the 2025 ECL @ Illinois Calendar

What You Will Learn

ECL graduates have a greater understanding of nonprofits in the community and can become effective volunteers, committee or board members, and leaders for promoting the work of nonprofits in the community. Plus, you’ll have made new friends with your fellow ECL members.

Read our Learning Outcomes.

Frequently Asked Questions

Click here to find answers to some common questions about the program.

How to Apply

Applications for the 2025 ECL @ Illinois program will be available in early 2025. Please fill out the interest list for more information and to be notified when the application opens.

 

For specific questions, contact Anne Clark Skuse at United Way of Champaign County.

2025 ECL@Illinois Application Open February 11 through March 10

Choose your Emerging Community Leaders program.

Which program is right for me?

Emerging Community Leaders - Open to all community members in the C-U and surrounding areas who can meet the in-person attendance requirements with many events in Champaign. Participants must be 21 years old and the suggested age range is about 21-40, which matches expectations for professional and community experience to fit the program.

ECL @ Illinois - Open only to UIUC employees and programming is offered on campus during the lunch hour. There is no suggested participant age range. At this time, employees working in an extra help or academic hourly capacity are not eligible to participate in ECL @ Illinois - we welcome you to apply for our Emerging Community Leaders program.

Both Emerging Community Leaders options offer the same core content. Regardless of which program you choose, you will have access to the same shared social events and community volunteerism events. The 2025 application period closes at noon on March 10th. 

By checking this box, you acknowledge the following:
  • You have read the 2025 ECL Program Overview or ECL @ Illinois Program Overview.
  • You either live or work in Champaign County, Illinois
  • You understand the ECL program has minimum requirements for graduation including attendance to seminars and volunteering. (In total, about 2 hours weekly.)
  • You understand that the ECL program includes participation in a group project.
  • You are excited to get more involved in the Champaign County community!
Personal Information
Workplace Information
University Information
How did you hear about Emerging Community Leaders? Choose all that apply.
Short Answers

We would love to get to know you better! Please provide brief, informational responses to the following questions. Responses must be at least 25 words, and are limited to 250 words. 
 

1

One goal of the Emerging Community Leaders is to help people connect with their community and find new ways to give back. Please share the ways you've been involved in your community or workplace over the past few years.

2

A large part of the Emerging Community Leaders program is a Team Project. We would love for you to share an example of a time you demonstrated leadership and/or worked with a team to overcome a challenge.

3

Emerging Community Leaders is an opportunity for personal and professional growth. How do you hope to grow by participating in the ECL program?
To complete your ECL application, you must submit one letter of recommendation. The letter of recommendation may be from a personal, professional, or volunteer source. 

If you do not upload a letter today, you may submit one via email to Anne Clark Skuse. The deadline to submit your letter is Monday, March 10, 2025 at 12pm.
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