Corporate Support

The Center has a long history of forging partnerships with institutions concerned with the effectiveness and potential of leadership. The need to identify and develop talented managers was first recognized by the late H. Smith Richardson more than six decades ago. Over the years, the grant support received by the Center from the foundation he endowed has been complemented by generous funding from major corporations and other foundations. Although from diverse backgrounds, these sponsors all have in common a shared belief in the pivotal importance of leadership in a world of inevitable change.

Today corporations contribute to the center at all levels. The major corporate donors belong to the Leadership Circle, or the Creative Leadership Council. The unrestricted funding they provide allows us to pursue fundamental research into emerging leadership issues, to offer scholarships for leaders in the nonprofit sector and to publish pioneering studies such as Breaking the Glass Ceiling, The Lessons of Experience and The CCL Handbook of Leadership Development.

The Creative Leadership Council is made up of corporate donors who come together twice a year to explore first hand issues in leadership that are key to their organizations. Interest in the Council has grown to such an extent that we are now able to offer regional chapters of the Council. Currently we have two chapters, CLC-Americas and CLC-Europe. As interest develops, we are considering creating a CLC-Asia/Pacific.We have a limited number of modified memberships available to nonprofit organizations interested in participating in the Creative Leadership Council for a reduced annual donation.

To discuss your organization's interest in becoming a part of this elite network, contact Sue Simmons, Corporate Relations Manager, +1 336 286 4014.

"In today's environment, it is essential for virtually every company to benchmark their leadership and organizational development strategies against the very best - not only in their own industry, but in the world. I attend Council meetings personally so I can learn how our thinking compares with some of today's largest and most innovative companies, and because I find the meetings stimulating, challenging ... powerful. Every Council participant is a true leader in his or her own right."
Morten Raabe
Vice President, Organization Development
Wallenius Wilhelmsen