Attending executive education courses at NLC’s Congressional City Conference is the perfect opportunity to gain the tools you need and enhance your leadership skills. NLC University (NLCU) offers executive education specifically designed for local leaders and municipal staff to address the unique challenges and issues they face. Add NLCU to your Congressional City Conference registration and grow your leadership skills.
Courses may be purchased individually for $150 each or as a package of five for $600. Select any of the five courses for your package.
Racial Equity for Municipal Leaders
Saturday, March 9 | 8:45 – 10:00 AM OR 11:45 AM – 1:00 PM
Learn the history and basics of institutional and structural racism in the United States. This session is designed for local government leaders shepherding racial equity work in their municipalities. Participants will discuss shared language for racial equity, key racial equity leadership behaviors and government’s role in promoting racially equitable policies, practices and procedures.
Takeaways:
- Introduction to leadership behaviors that can support racial equity efforts.
- A basic understanding of racial equity terms and concepts.
- Exposure to the government’s role in promoting racially equitable or inequitable policies, practices and procedures.
Communicating Effectively About Race
Saturday, March 9 | 8:45 – 10:00 AM OR OR 11:45 AM – 1:00 PM
In this session, learn the role of communication in advancing racial equity. Participants will be exposed to tools that support them as local government leaders in unifying their cities, speaking to racial violence and tragedy and casting a vision of a better future.
Takeaways
- Leave with a basic understanding of a narrative system.
- Learn the dominant narratives about race and racial equity.
- Learn Race Forward’s Affirm, Counter, Transform (A-C-T) tactic for discussing racially sensitive topics.
Cybersecurity
Saturday, March 9 | 10:15 – 11:30 AM OR 3:45 – 5:00 PM
Industry data indicates that 2023 was the worst year on record for cyberattacks. Fifty eight percent of local governments were targeted by ransomware attacks that demanded, on average, $2.07 million in ransom. Learn about a collaborative cybersecurity capability to address this challenge that will accomplish several critical objectives for all participating municipalities. This session is best suited for your IT staff in addition to local elected officials.
Takeaways:
- Upskill, mentor, and certify city IT employees to become networked cybersecurity analysts.
- Explore a collaborative platform that will aggregate the work of analysts across all participating municipalities.
- Learn how to restore local primary control and responsibility for cybersecurity.
Municipal Leadership to Reengage Opportunity Youth and Young Adults
Saturday, March 9 | 10:15 – 11:30 AM
Dive into policy solutions for reconnecting your city’s largely invisible population of out-of-school, out-of-work youth and young adults ages 16-24 with opportunities in school, work and civic life. More than five million of these “Opportunity Youth and Young Adults” exist nationwide. Learn from NLC’s decades long work supporting municipalities and city leaders with strategies to mount effective responses. Learn how Reengagement Center or the development of reengagement programs can serve as an essential piece of civic infrastructure for cities that seek to maximize the talent and contributions of these residents.
Takeaways:
- Increase understanding of the national scope and local dynamics of the Opportunity Youth population and challenge.
- Explore the basic functions of a reengagement center or program.
- Gain strategies for launching and sustaining partnerships to support reengagement efforts.
Retail as Catalyst for Economic Development
Saturday, March 9 | 2:15 – 3:30 PM
We all eat at restaurants. We all buy groceries. We all shop. Citizens in your community have strong opinions about retail. Pressure is applied to public officials and city staff to enhance the retail. Come to this session to learn the economic impact of a vibrant retail base and your role in recruiting new retail and restaurant businesses.
Takeaways:
- Learn strategies to support successful retail implementation.
- Increase understanding of diversity, equity and inclusion and incentives in retail
- Gain techniques for organizing your retail recruitment.
City Leaders Connecting Children to Nature Everywhere
Saturday, March 9 | 2:15 – 3:30 PM
Explore the ways that city leaders can provide all children with the many benefits of daily connections with nature. In its 10th year, NLC’s nationwide joint initiative with the Children & Nature Network enters is now available in 100 sites. Learn key strategies used by early adopter cities and discover what might work in your city. Get information on NLC’s technical assistance opportunities and consider if your city wants to participate in the Nature Everywhere Action Challenge to take tangible steps toward “more green, less screen” and plugging into the “wood wide web.”
Takeaways:
- Gain insights on available evidence about how connecting to nature improves children’s mental and physical health and academic performance.
- Learn strategies for establishing partnerships that support effective implementation.
- Increase understanding of cross-connections with city efforts toward sustainability and climate resilience.
Municipal Finance
Saturday, March 9 | 3:45 – 5:00 PM
Taxes, fees and rates are some of the key financial sources for local governments. Governments, at all levels, run on public monies — generated through taxes, fees and rates, intergovernmental grants and loans. For capital improvements, many municipalities depend on borrowed money from the capital markets or financial institutions. Learn about structures of municipal finance for elected officials to make critical financial decisions.
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