The Park City Community Foundation has opened applications for a new leadership development program designed to prepare and empower underrepresented community members for nonprofit board service, directly addressing the “critical need for diverse representation on boards, committees, and other leadership bodies across Park City and Summit County,” according to the organization.
The seven-month program will commence Nov. 3 with its first cohort limited to a group of up to 10 individuals who demonstrate commitment to the community and live or work in Summit County. Applications are due Oct. 12, and acceptance notifications are expected mid-October.
The program is free for participants, who are expected to commit fully to the monthly evening sessions and to take part in mentorship opportunities.
The initiative combines training, mentorship and networking for emerging community leaders within underrepresented minority groups who may lack the financial means or traditional networks to access board positions. The program is focused on giving participants the skills, connections and confidence to step into leadership roles in the community.
“There’s a desire from young members of our community, from Latino members of our community, from folks that are early in their career and perhaps do not have the wherewithal to contribute large donations to nonprofits but want to bring their lived experience to the table, want to bring their unique perspective about growing up in Park City, about what it means to be Latino in a ski town,” said Diego Zegarra, the Community Foundation’s vice president of impact.
The idea has been years in the making, said Zegarra, adding that nonprofits in the area have often reached out to the foundation in particular asking how they can connect with Latino residents who are interested in board service.
For too long, he said, the answer was simply, “go make your own relationships,” a process that takes time and trust. This new program is meant to bridge that gap, giving nonprofits direct access to emerging leaders while offering participants the skills and networks to succeed.
“This isn’t just about filling seats on boards,” explained Joel Zarrow, CEO of the Community Foundation. “It’s about ensuring that the people making decisions about our community’s future truly represent and understand the needs of all residents.”
Zegarra explained that diverse perspectives consistently lead to stronger outcomes in the nonprofit sector. He noted that program design and funding decisions are more effective when the views are diverse and informed by those with lived experience.
He said that while nonprofits have made progress in broadening representation at the decision-making table, though not intentional, barriers to participation still exist. Some boards require members to contribute or fundraise thousands of dollars annually, which excludes people without significant wealth or access to affluent networks. Meeting schedules, often set during traditional work hours, also limited participation from individuals working full time.
Nonprofits are increasingly motivated to include more voices but have not always had the tools or relationships to make that happen, Zegarra said. The new program is designed to address both of those needs.
The program’s curriculum is spread across seven modules — one per month of the program. The first several sessions focus on board basics, such as reading budgets, understanding governance rules and navigating Robert’s Rules of Order, a standardized way for groups to conduct fair, orderly and efficient meetings. Later sessions emphasize personal storytelling and leadership development.
The second half of the program leans heavily into mentorship, with participants paired with board members, donors and community partners in the Foundation’s network that can provide focused mentorship to each program participant. Those relationships, the foundation hopes, will extend well beyond the program’s official end date in May 2026.
“I have gotten to where I’ve gotten in my career in large part because of the people that helped open doors for me,” Zegarra said, emphasizing that mentorship is a cornerstone of the program.
“Were it not for mentors and their shoulders that I’m standing on, I don’t think I’d be running for office right now. I don’t think I would be VP of impact at the Community Foundation.”
As part of the program, participants will also receive a fully funded professional development certificate from the Harvard Business School’s online curriculum. Normally valued at around $1,800, the leadership program removes a major financial barrier and provides a credential that can help advance careers beyond the nonprofit sector.
“Getting involved locally is where you can make so much change happen, and it’s really empowering to be able to do that,” said Megan Fleming Hytjan, the foundation’s director of marketing and communications. “Especially in a time where things feel a little out of control on a larger national and global level, too.”
For those on the fence or hesitant on applying, Zegarra offered a reminder:
“You are ready. And if not you, then whom?”
For more information about the Leader Lab, including application details, mentorship and partnership opportunities, contact Diego Zegarra at [email protected].
To apply for the program, visit tinyurl.com/yyem6dk6.