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The Civic Leadership Engagement Roadmap (CLER) is an experiential, three-month, self-paced leadership program that takes you from having general civic knowledge to becoming a civic leader.
CLER is designed to help emerging and aspiring women leaders expand their impact through civic engagement. Our innovative, action-oriented curriculum is designed to inform, prepare, and build the next generation of community leaders.
The CLER curriculum features one-on-one coaching, mastermind peer groups, networking opportunities, and curated activities designed to help you build connections with local policy leaders and decision-makers. CLER is an opportunity for you to learn how to take intentional actions to become a more impactful citizen and connect with other civic-minded women representing a diverse range of business experiences, backgrounds, and community involvement.
The three CLER courses, described in detail below, focus on different spheres of government and policy:
Spring 2025 (February 1 – April 30) – Application Deadline January 7
Summer 2025 (June 1 – August 31) – Application Deadline May 5
Fall 2025 (September 1 – November 30) – Application Deadline August 1
Space is limited.
The Policy Circle’s Civic Leadership Engagement Roadmap (CLER) is a three-month, self-paced leadership program that allows you to develop a stronger foundation of civic knowledge and build pathways for civic leadership within your community. CLER is designed to inform, prepare, and propel aspiring and emerging women leaders.
CLER features proprietary curriculum, one-on-one coaching, engagement with peer groups, and networking opportunities to allow you to connect with local policy leaders and decision-makers in your community. You will walk away with deeper civic knowledge and a curated skillset tailored to the needs of your community and your civic leadership goals.
CLER is designed for curious, civic-minded women from diverse backgrounds aged 18 or older who are looking to expand their impact through local engagement. The program embraces civic engagement rooted in free market principles and personal agency, with participants having aligned values in this philosophy.
There are currently three different CLER courses designed to equip you with the knowledge and tools needed to empower your leadership journey:
CLER is a three-month self-paced course, which includes monthly virtual meetings, and a minimum of six hours of monthly activity, resulting in an estimated 18 hours of total engagement.
The program participant fee for CLER is $300, which can be made as a one-time payment, or spread out into 3 payments of $100. Payment must be initiated in order to be enrolled in the program, prior to the first meeting. The Policy Circle wants CLER to remain accessible, so if you are unable to make this commitment, please contact Beth McQueen, The Policy Circle’s Membership Engagement Manager, at [email protected] to request an Award Application.
There are no prerequisites to participate in CLER 1.0: Founding Principles & Local Government or CLER: Education. Participation in CLER 2.0 is by invitation-only, and participants must have completed CLER 1.0 to be eligible for participation.
Once the CLER program has started, no refunds are given if there’s a need to withdraw. However, we understand that life happens, which might change your plans for finishing the CLER program. If extreme circumstances arise, we will work with you. We also allow you to postpone to a future cohort. If you need to withdraw or postpone, please reach out to us as soon as possible.
“The CLER program has helped me understand the fundamentals of the U.S. government, and instilled enough confidence to lead and influence for the betterment of my community. I recommend this program to the people who are immigrants, and have a passion for public service, but do not have a clear understanding of U.S. Constitution and the way government functions.”
Vasavi, Illinois Circle Leader and CLER Graduate
“The depth of material provided through the CLER program strengthened my political knowledge base more than I could’ve imagined. As one who desires to run for political office someday, this program built confidence, knowledge and connections that will last a lifetime.”
Lindsay, Indiana Circle Leader and CLER Graduate
“The Policy Circle’s CLER program helped me determine how to leverage my experience to effect change in my community.”
ZeNai, CLER 2021 Graduate
CLER 1.0 is designed to take you to the next level of civic engagement by guiding you through a deep dive of your local government to help you:
After completing CLER 1.0, you will be equipped with a strong foundation of how your local government operates and a deeper understanding of how you fit in as a change agent to become more active in your community.
CLER 1.0 is a three-month, self-paced course, which includes two monthly virtual meetings, and approximately six hours of monthly experiential engagement.
Spring 2025 (February 1 – April 30) – Application Deadline January 7
Summer 2025 (June 1 – August 31) – Application Deadline May 5
Fall 2025 (September 1 – November 30) – Application Deadline August 1
CLER 2.0 invites graduates of the first module of our CLER curriculum to the next level of civic engagement.
Graduation from CLER 1.0 is a prerequisite for eligibility in this program.
During CLER 2.0, you will have the opportunity to understand and experience:
After completing CLER 2.0, you will be inspired to become more engaged at the state and federal level.
Spring 2025 (February 1 – April 30)
Summer 2025 (June 1 – August 31)
Participation in CLER 2.0 is by invitation only for graduates of CLER 1.0.
The CLER: Education program is not a series of one-way webinars but rather an experiential roadmap to active engagement where you will be encouraged to interact with education stakeholders in your community.
The hot-button issues in education are just a small fraction of the responsibilities of a school board member and what you need to watch for as a parent. CLER: Education is a launchpad to prepare you to be an effective advocate with substantive knowledge, to be an informed parent armed with important questions, or to assume a leadership role in education for your community.
During CLER: Education, you will learn about:
After completing CLER: Education, you will be empowered with the tools and information you need to become an education advocate in your community and ensure that excellence in education is the top priority in your local school district.
CLER: Education is a stand-alone course with no prerequisites.
Spring 2025 (February 1 – April 30) – Application Deadline January 7
Fall 2025 (September 1 – November 30) – Application Deadline August 1