Neighborhood Leadership Fellows St. Louis

Neighborhood Leadership Fellows St. Louis 2026
January 16 - September 19, 2026

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Click the 'Application' tab at the top for further information.
Applications due November 14, 2025


The mission of Neighborhood Leadership Fellows (NLF) St. Louis is to increase and amplify the voices of St. Louis City and North County residents at the civic decision-making tables in order to produce stronger regional policies for neighborhoods.


Eligibility & Focus Areas

The Neighborhood Leadership Fellows St. Louis program is for individuals residing or working in St. Louis City and parts of North St. Louis County. NLF St. Louis is now open to an increased set of neighborhoods, beyond the Promise Zone. If you reside or work in any of the following zip codes, you may apply to NLF.

63138, 63137, 63136, 63135, 63121, 63140, 63134, 63114, 63133, 63120, 63147, 63115, 63112, 63113, 63108, 63107, 63106, 63110, 63139, 63109, 63116, 63118, 63104, 63155, 63111, 63102, 63101

The NLF footprint zip codes were determined by looking at data indicators associated with the social determinants of health, such as unemployment, poverty, high school graduation, housing cost burden, violent crime, and life expectancy factors. NLF will select residents that live or work extensively within these zip codes that have poorer indicators relative to the state of Missouri in four of the seven indicators.

 MO SE Map

Neighborhood Leadership Fellows is a highly selective program for individuals residing or working in STL City and parts of North STL County. If you reside or work in any of the zip codes highlighted in this map, you may apply to NLF.

Neighborhood Leadership Fellows was awarded the 2025 ECOP Innovative Programming Award, recognizing its creative approach to engaging new and traditionally underrepresented audiences in Extension education.

Selected fellows will receive a stipend and earn the UMSL Chancellor’s Certificate in Civic Leadership.

More than 175 leaders have graduated from the NLF St. Louis Program — click here to see our alumni community.

Neighborhood Leadership Fellows is an advanced leadership training program of  UMSL  &  MU Extension. Neighborhood Leadership Fellows is generously supported by Missouri Foundation for Health.
If you are a resident of Scott, Dunklin, New Madrid, Pemiscot, Butler, and Stoddard counties, consider applying to the Neighborhood Leadership Fellows Southeast-Bootheel program.

If you are interested in NLF but do not reside in or work in the applicable zip codes, we welcome your registration for Neighborhood Leadership Academy, our flagship leadership program for the entire Missouri region.

For questions, contact Tasnim Haq at tfhktb@umsystem.edu.  

The Neighborhood Leadership Fellows runs from January - September 2026. NLF meets one weekend (Friday & Saturday) a month in-person and one Wednesday evening of each month virtually.

We understand that fellows may be employed while applying for the NLF program. If you are employed during the sessions for NLF, we will do all that we can to contact your employer and discuss participation in the program. 

Neighborhood Leadership Fellows expects a high level of commitment to program sessions in order to establish a successful foundational knowledge of learning outcomes. Participants should expect to spend 10 hours a month in addition to scheduled sessions, attending community events, and completing homework assignments.

View the NLF program outcomes and FAQs page. 

2026 Schedule for NLF

All Friday sessions are held from 1:00 pm – 6:00 pm in-person.
All Saturday sessions are held from 9:00 am – 3:00 pm in-person.
All Wednesday sessions are held from 6:00 - 7:30 pm virtually.

 Friday and Saturday sessions will be held in-person on the following dates:

  • Jan 16: Introduction and Welcome
  • Jan 17: Introduction to Policy
  • Feb 20: Introduction of Strengths-Based Leadership
  • Feb 21: Understanding the Pillars of the Promise Zone 
  • Mar 13: Project Focused Strategic Doing
  • Mar 14: Team Building, Collaboration, and Conflict 
  • Apr 17: Understanding and Using Data 
  • Apr 18: Communication & Telling Your Story 
  • May 22: Advocacy 
  • May 23:  Community Organizing & Campaigns   
  • June 26: Boards and Commissions 
  • June 27: Show Me the Money
  • July 17: Understanding St. Louis Development – Part 1 
  • July 18: Understanding St. Louis Development – Part 2 
  • Aug 21: Local and State Government
  • Aug 22: Sharing Your Vision & Story
  • Sept 18: Leadership: What / So What / Now What
  • Sept 19: Group Presentations & Graduation

One Wednesday evening of each month from 6-7:30p (all sessions are virtual):

  • Feb 4
  • March 4
  • April 1
  • May 6
  • June 3
  • July 1
  • Aug 5
  • Sept 2
  • Oct 7  

NLF3

The NLF program is for individuals residing or working in St. Louis City and parts of North St. Louis County. NLF is now open to an increased set of neighborhoods, beyond the Promise Zone. If you reside or work in any of the zip codes highlighted in this map, you may apply to NLF.

Complete the NLF St. Louis 2026 Application by Friday, November 14, 11:59 pm. 

CLICK HERE TO APPLY

Applicants will be informed of whether they qualify for an interview in the 3rd week of November.


If you have any questions regarding the NLF St. Louis program or application process, please contact Tasnim Haq at tfhktb@umsystem.edu.