Public Allies Chicago

Public Allies is changing the face and practice of leadership in communities across the country. Our mission is to advance new leadership to strengthen communities, nonprofits and civic participation.

Why change the face and practice of leadership?

Because the next generation of American leaders needs to look like America will look, connect across cultures, facilitate collaborative action, recognize a community's assets, commit to self-development, and be accountable to the people they work with and the community they serve. We believe a new approach to leadership is necessary to live these values. We believe that through these values, we will create a more just society.

How do we make it happen?

Through our signature AmeriCorps program, Public Allies identifies talented young adults from diverse backgrounds and prepares them for careers working for community and social change. Allies serve 10-month, paid apprenticeships at local nonprofits and participate in a rigorous and rewarding leadership development program with a diverse group of peers who are also of and working within their home community.

In addition to our signature program, Public Allies supports the continued leadership of our Alumni through an active network. We also offer training and consulting through The Leadership Practice, which helps groups better engage and strengthen communities and support diverse young leaders.

Our social impact:

Public Allies is a premier pipeline for developing diverse young nonprofit and community leaders, and we prepare leaders and organizations to lead more effectively for our changing times.

We serve communities today, while developing better leaders for tomorrow. By cultivating new leaders and a new kind of leadership, Public Allies invigorates the public life of our communities. When citizens learn, practice, and share these values, they engage more community members, unite people across social boundaries to work for the common good, create more effective and responsive solutions to social problems, and ultimately build a more just society for all.

Everyone leads… and we walk the talk. Our Allies are ages 18 to 30, and about 67% are people of color,15% are LGBT, and 50% are college graduates. And 95% of Allies have met or exceeded the expectations of the nonprofit organizations they serve, with 95% of Alumni reporting they would participate again if they could. Over 80% of Alumni have continued careers in nonprofit and public service and they volunteer and engage in civic and political activities at more than twice the rate of their age cohort.