The City recently completed its third Civic Leadership Academy (CLA) in partnership with Portland State University’s National Policy Consensus Center. Designed to prepare residents for leadership roles within the community, the six-week program provided participants with training in civic capacity, leadership development, city governance, and consensus-based decision-making.
The City also partnered with Citizens4Community (C4C), which assisted with participant recruitment and provided administrative support throughout the program.The 2026 Academy was supported by an $8,500 grant from the Oregon Capitol Foundation. C4C’s participation was made possible through a separate grant from the Roundhouse Foundation.
The cohort examined the topic of compensation for locally elected officials, exploring questions such as whether compensation can reduce barriers to public service, what unintended consequences may arise, and what forms of compensation are possible.The cohort’s report shares its findings and provides community perspectives for Council’s consideration. The report can be found at the link below:
What is the Civic Leadership Academy?
The Sisters Civic Leadership Academy is an innovative, six-week training program designed to build a strong and diverse pipeline of future civic leaders for Sisters’ boards, committees, and community organizations. The Academy provides participants with a practical, hands-on introduction to local government, civic processes, and collaborative leadership.
The first program of its kind in Central Oregon, the Academy is facilitated by staff from Portland State University’s National Policy Consensus Center (NPCC). Our first three cohorts brought together 34 community members with a wide range of lived experiences, many of whom have since stepped into new leadership roles, including service on Sisters City Council, public advisory committees, and nonprofit boards.
In partnership with the City of Sisters, Citizens4Community, and Portland State University, and with generous support from the Oregon State Capital Foundation and Roundhouse Foundation , the third Sisters Civic Leadership Academy will begin on April 13, 2026.
Sessions are led by NPCC with support from City staff and are held Monday evenings from 5:00 to 8:00 pm at City Hall. The Academy concludes with participants presenting their ideas and recommendations at a Sisters City Council meeting..
As a member of the Civic Leadership Academy, you will:
- Participate in six weekly interactive workshops led by the PSU National Policy Consensus Center
- Engage in supported, collaborative, and hands-on research focused on a topic of community importance
- Meet new people and establish community connections
- Hear enlightening talks from city staff and local elected officials
- Develop your leadership skills and learn about new ways to be involved with the City
- Present your project findings to City Council
Resources and Accommodations:
Our goal is to make the Civic Leadership Academy as accessible as possible to ALL community members. To do so, we are offering the following accommodations and services:
- Complimentary dinner for all cohort members
- Transportation stipends and ride-share coordination
- Translation and interpretation services available upon request
- ADA-accessible meeting locations
If you are accepted into the program, the City can assist with finding additional resources to help you fully and comfortably participate.
For more information on the Academy please reach out to Kerry Prosser at kprosser [at] ci.sisters.or.us (kprosser[at]ci[dot]sisters[dot]or[dot]us)