The STAND Foundation, Inc. is a nonprofit corporation that empowers individuals and organizations through leadership training that promotes economic opportunities, social progress and community development Arkansas.

The hallmark program of the organization is The STAND Foundation, Inc. Leadership Institute. Particularly, the Leadership Institute strengthens leadership characteristics of young adults through training in the areas of career, personal and leadership development.

A development committee of individuals from various backgrounds in the private and public sectors are constructing curriculum for leadership training classes for the Leadership Institute which will be conducted in each congressional district in the state. Continual training will occur between training classes through online dissemination of information and assignments. An online mentoring program, STAND-Net, and a one-year follow up are included as part of the Leadership Institute’s training process.

The committee is also developing guidelines for a community service project that individuals must complete as a participant in the Leadership Institute. The purpose of the project is:

• To provide the opportunity for the participant to apply information and demonstrate skills learned in the program

• To provide a foundation on which to continue to grow and sharpen skills to become effective leaders

• To make community leaders, supervisors, local organizations, and the community in general, aware of the participant’s idea(s) on minimizing issues that would prevent increasing the quality of life in the community

Additionally, the Leadership Institute encompasses the programs STAND Out to target high school students to improve test-taking strategies, locate financial aid resources, assist in the college application process and build self-confidence; and STAND Strong, which develops citizen-driven organizations across the state to impact public policy and economic decisions, provide advocacy training to community individuals wanting to make a lifetime commitment supporting worthy causes and engage community leaders in collaborative networking.

AmeriCorps*VISTA (Volunteers in Service to America), a service program of the Corporation for National and Community Service, is a partner of The STAND Foundation, Inc. and will provide trained volunteers in each of the state’s congressional districts to assist the foundation in recruiting participants and planning training classes.