CORE Application Information

Please read below for more information regarding the application process. Once viewed, 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.

CORE Participation Requirements

  1. Currently serve in a senior executive role in the public, private, or nonprofit sector
  2. Either live or work in Montgomery County, MD
  3. Have the full support AND expressed permission to apply from the organization for whom the participant works
  4. Complete and submit an application for the CORE Program
  5. Submit two (2) letters of recommendation 

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 have chosen to send their reference letters to you. You will then upload them directly to your CORE application. There is no reference letter form or template to fill out.

Session Dates

  • Thursday-Friday, Sept. 21-22, 2023*
  • Wednesday, Oct. 18, 2023
  • Wednesday, Nov. 15, 2023
  • Wednesday, Dec. 13, 2023
  • Wednesday, Jan. 17, 2024
  • Wednesday, Feb. 21, 2024
  • Wednesday, Mar. 20, 2024
  • Wednesday, Apr. 17, 2024
  • Thursday- Friday, May 23-24, 2024*

*Opening and closing retreats are overnight, mandatory retreats.

Attendance Policy

No more than 16 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 16 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 below, you should consider postponing your application until a future year.

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 it along with the required tax forms. 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 independent 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.

Download Tuition Assistance Form

Application Fees

There is a $150 fee to apply to the CORE Program.
If you’ve applied for the CORE Program in the past, the fee is $50.
Participants will submit their fees with their application

Application fees are non-refundable. 

Sample Application

Want to print and view the application questions ahead of time?

Download SAMPLE Application

Ready to apply?

Start CORE application

CORE Application FAQs

All applicants will be notified whether or not they have been accepted by the end of June 2023

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.