JERRY BERBERET LEADERSHIP INNOVATION FUND

Leadership development can have an even greater impact when colleagues learn together.

For 2027, NACU is introducing funding to help member institutions send campus teams to the Leadership Development Institute. Supported by the Jerry Berberet Leadership Innovation Fund, the initiative is designed to help teams build leadership capacity while addressing a real strategic priority or challenge on their campus.

$2,000 Institutional Team Grants

NACU will provide $2,000 grants to up to seven member institutions to offset the cost of sending a team to the 2027 Leadership Development Institute.

To qualify:

Teams must include at least four participants. There is no maximum team size.
All team members must be registered together and be billed on the same invoice.
Institutions will submit a brief application identifying a strategic challenge or priority the team hopes to address.
One grant is available per institution.
Awards will be made on a first-come, first-served basis until available funds are committed.
Participating teams will create a brief post-LDI artifact sharing what they learned or developed. These resources may be shared with the LDI cohort and, when relevant, the broader NACU community.

What Might Your Team Work On?

Potential areas of focus might include:

Student Success • Experiential Learning • Institutional Mission • Adult Learners • Workforce Preparation • Artificial Intelligence • Other Institutional Priorities

Before applying, please have the following information ready: a team of at least four participants identified, including their names and job titles; a 150–200 word description of the institutional challenge or strategic priority the team will address; and a 50–100 word explanation of how the team’s composition relates to that priority. You will not need to complete the individual registration form for your team members.

APPLY FOR A TEAM GRANT

About the Jerry Berberet Leadership Innovation Fund

The Jerry Berberet Leadership Innovation Fund reflects a belief that meaningful institutional change rarely happens through the work of one person alone.

The fund encourages faculty, staff and administrators to develop a shared understanding of an institutional challenge, learn together through LDI and return to campus better prepared to move the work forward.

By investing in teams, the fund is intended to build leadership capacity, encourage cross-campus collaboration and help NACU institutions translate professional development into meaningful institutional action.

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