Community Impact Projects

Request for Proposals for 2024/2025

Thank you for your interest in collaborating with the Leadership Northeast 2025 programs. Your proposal will be submitted to the Core and/or Junior classes for consideration as a Community Impact Project. Projects must have a reasonable scope and budget and cannot include capital campaigns or raising large sums of money. They should be completed between the time frame of November, 2024 and May, 2025. There is no minimum fundraising requirement or guarantee for Leadership participants. However Core program participants are restricted to raising no more than $5,000.00/project and Junior program participants are restricted to raising no more than $3,000.00/project. In-Kind donations are not considered within that restriction. The Core Class of 2025 will choose their projects in October 2024 and the Junior Class of 2025 will choose their projects in November 2024 but there is no guarantee your RFP will be chosen. 

Please note that preference will be granted to organizations and community groups that were not project recipients in 2024.

It’s about the process…

The Community and School Impact project component of the Leadership Northeast experience is meant to serve several purposes. Classmates work together to design and execute a project that fulfills a community need. In doing so, participants utilize the leadership development skills they have learned throughout the year, while making a positive impact on their community.

Although Project Advisors provide guidance, these projects are participant-driven from beginning to end. Project groups brainstorm ideas at their first meeting and then work together to see it through.

Project groups are designed to make the process challenging. Participants must work through their differences of opinion, behavior and perspectives and find a common ground. Learning how to bring people together, despite these differences, in order accomplish something extraordinary is the true definition of Leadership.

Between the Core, Junior and Impact programs, Leadership Northeast participants complete upwards of 40 projects a year, collaborating with other nonprofits, schools, government and community organizations.  After 38 years in the business, the ripple effect of these projects is vast, and the lessons learned invaluable.

Click below to see what our current classes are up to, and browse the map below for a visual of how LNE’s alumni have worked to improve their community throughout the years.

LNE Alumni Directory

Art with a Heart: Redesigning and renovating a dedicated art space at St. Joseph’s Center Wyoming Valley Campus and market its availability for the benefit of the underserved community of individuals with intellectual disabilities in Luzerne County.

Head Start Heroes: Creating a sensory room at the Luzerne County Head Start Beekman St. facility which will provide a safe, calm experience to help children with relaxation and self-regulation.

Hearts for Hope: Raising awareness of Volunteers of America’s Give Hope program and providing our unhoused neighbors in the community with support and essential supplies to ensure their survival.

In This To-Gather: Renovating the basement area of Gather Community Center in Wilkes-Barre into a functional, multi-use educational and multimedia space.

Let Freedom Ring: Creating a new Clay Shooting Range for visitor use at Camp Freedom, as well as organizing a clean-up of the Camp’s property in Carbondale.

New Books on the Block: Assisting Dress for Success Luzerne County in establishing a library inside the Luzerne County Correctional facility.

Team Up for Transparency: Supporting the John Malvizzi Foundation’s inaugural Mental Health Awareness Week.

Hygiene Helpers: Gathered hygienic supplies in order to raise awareness for the teen unhoused community in Wilkes-Barre through partnering with the Backpack Project of Wilkes University

Art to Heart: Brought teenagers together on a day where they participated in art in order to support their mental health

Young Dinner Dream Team: Held a 5K walk/run and delivered meals to support Dinners for Kids

Story Sprouts: Organized a book drive to support the United Way of Wyoming Valley

Junior MintsRaised awareness for the children of NEPA Youth Shelter through a snack/personal hygiene drive and monetary donations

Pantry Providers: Supported the Friedman Jewish Community Center in reaching their goal of fighting hunger and poverty in our local community by collecting non-perishable food items

Safe Day: Provided support and awareness for the needs of individuals living with autism by hosting two family bowling nights

Positive for O Negative: Recognized the blood shortage in Northeastern Pennsylvania by hosting blood drives with the American Red Cross

Park PioneersCollaborated with the Riverfront Park Committee by volunteering in a local park and purchasing and planting trees

Pinwheels 4 Peace: Helped the Luzerne County Child Advocacy Center by holding a 5K race and selling pinwheels in an attempt to help spread awareness about child abuse and neglect

How much of an impact has Leadership Northeast had on NEPA? Take a look at our interactive Project Map to see!

Points on a map