Elevate Application Information
Please read below for more information regarding the application process.
In order to be considered for the 2025/2026 cohort, program, and tuition assistance, applications are due no later than April 30, 2025
- Applications submitted between May 1 and August 31 can choose to be placed on the waitlist for consideration in the upcoming cohort and/or the following cohort year.
- Submissions between September 1 and April 30 will be considered for the following cohort.
Once submission requirements are reviewed, please click the link at the bottom of this page to begin the application.
If you have any additional questions, please feel free to contact marquise.mckine@leadermont.org, or call (301) 881-3333.
Elevate Participation Info
While there is no “one-size-fits-all” approach to program acceptance, Elevate participants are:
- Recently promoted executives or professionals stepping into senior leadership positions for the first time.
- Individuals seeking guidance on navigating new roles, managing higher-level responsibilities, and building strategic leadership capacity.
- Leaders who want to accelerate community engagement and network-building in their new capacity.
Application Requirements
In order to be considered for acceptance, an applicant must:
- Either live or work in Montgomery County, MD
- Have the full support AND expressed permission to apply from the organization for whom the participant works
- Complete and submit an application for the Elevate program
- Submit two (2) letters of recommendation
Session Dates
Tuesday, September 16
Tuesday, October 21
Wednesday, November 19 (joint session with CORE and Emerging Leaders)
Tuesday, December 16
Tuesday, January 20, 2026
Tuesday, February 17, 2026
Tuesday, March 17, 2026
Tuesday, April 21 , 2026
Tuesday, May 19, 2026
Other Key Dates
Cohort Meet & Greet
Wednesday, August 20, 2025
Homecoming
TBD Fall 2025
Graduation
Friday, May 29, 2026
Financial Aid
Tuition assistance is available on a sliding scale based on personal income level. If you are interested in applying for tuition assistance, please complete the form below and submit (along with supporting tax documents) at the time of your application.
Tuition assistance applications received after the application is submitted will not be considered.
Your request for tuition assistance in no way influences the selection process and is totally confidential. Each request will be reviewed independently of the selection process and will have no effect on selection.
Tuition Assistance Applications can be found in the program application and below. Forms must be submitted with your application.
Application Components and Info
The Elevate application is comprised of the following components:
- Basic Contact Information
- Demographic Information
- Employment & Education Information (alternative option to upload resume)
- Special Awards/Honors
- Community Service Activities
- Open-Ended Questions
- Tuition Assistance Form and Supporting Documents(optional)
- Signature for Statement of Commitment
- Application Fee Payment
The time to complete the application can take 30-90 minutes, depending on the resume and open-ended question preparedness. Applications do not need to be completed in one sitting. There is an option to save your progress and return later to complete/submit.
Reference Letters
You will be required to submit 2 reference letters along with your application. Reference letters may come from your supervisor, client, colleague, or any non-relative who can speak to your leadership experience and character. Please start thinking about who you will ask to write your reference letters early, so they have ample time to submit their letters and not delay the submission of your application. Please ask the people you chose to send you their reference letters. You will then upload them directly at the end of your Elevate application. There is no reference letter form or template to fill out.
Application Fees
There is a $175 fee to apply to the Elevate Program.
Participants will submit their fees with their application
Application fees are non-refundable.
Attendance Policy
No more than 17 hours of excused absences are permitted in case of a substantiated emergency or serious illness. Any participant who has an unexcused absence or who misses more than 17 hours for whatever reason will be asked to withdraw from the program. Attendance at the Opening and Closing Retreats is mandatory. If you know in advance that you are likely to miss more than 2 of the session dates listed, you should consider postponing your application until a future year.
ElevatenApplication FAQs
All applicants will be notified whether or not they have been accepted by the end of June.
Yes, but you must hit “save and continue later” at the bottom of the page, otherwise your work will not be saved. The form does NOT auto-save.
Once you hit “save and continue later”, you will be emailed a link to come back to your application. You will want to save the link as this is your only entry to your partially completed application.