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Environmental Leadership Institute 

Cultivating Leadership to Address Alaska’s Issues

Retaining top talent has been an ongoing challenge for Alaska’s conservation community in the past two years, and is a primary objective of ACF’s Community Capacity initiative. 

ELI Training Session.

In April 2010, ACF sponsored the Environmental Leadership Institute (ELI) in Alaska.  This renowned training offered by the League of Conservation Voters Education Fund provides Executive Directors, campaign managers, and other advocacy staff an intense, hands-on training.  The “ELI framework” focuses on political strategy and leadership development, including lessons in effective communication, using external data to understand the lay of the land in developing campaigns, working productively in coalitions, and understanding personal leadership styles.  

Twenty-four Alaskans attended the Alaska ELI.  Several months later these grads are applying the “ELI framework” to Alaska’s various campaigns and coalition work.  One of the greatest benefits of this year’s ELI?  A “common language” that campaign directors are now using in their strategies to keep coal in the ground, promote renewable energy, and protect Alaska’s unique ecosystems from the impacts of mining and other unsustainable development.  

ELI Exercise.

Michael Sharp, Social Media Coordinator for Alaskans for Energy Freedom and an ELI graduate,  found the training “further reinforced my perspective that messaging is paramount to success in every endeavor.  More importantly, ELI armed me with great tools to help other conservation leaders understand the importance of clear, concise and consistent messaging discipline.” Click here to read more about Michael’s impressions of his ELI training.

To build a strong, more diverse conservation movement, ACF is committed to supporting the cultivation of conservation leaders through ELI and other high-quality trainings.