Ways to Support
Leadership Winston-Salem, a 501(c)(3) tax-exempt charitable organization, relies on community partners such as local organizations, corporations, and individuals for funding on an annual basis. Approximately 50% of the budget is covered by tuition fees. The remainder must be obtained through fundraising efforts which are a critical component to ensure Leadership Winston-Salem’s success and sustainability. Leadership Winston-Salem ensures each class represents a cross-section of the community, including business, government, health care, arts, nonprofit, and community organizations, as well as diversity in gender, age, race, and ethnicity.
There are a variety of ways to help us with our mission of educating, connecting, and energizing leaders to serve and improve the community.
General Support
As we look beyond our 40th anniversary, Leadership Winston-Salem remains deeply committed to equipping, connecting, and inspiring leaders who are shaping a stronger, more inclusive community.
Each year, we engage professionals from across sectors through transformative programming — from our Flagship and INSIGHT programs to community forums and networking events — all designed to foster understanding, collaboration, and bold civic leadership. This impact is only possible because of you.
We are grateful to everyone who helped us celebrate our 40th anniversary. That milestone may be behind us, but our mission continues. Your ongoing support ensures we can expand access, sustain meaningful programming, and keep our growing network of alumni connected and empowered to lead real change in Winston-Salem.
Individual donations remain one of the most impactful ways to support our work. Whether you're an alumnus, a board member, or a community champion who believes in our mission, your gift strengthens a legacy of leadership our city needs now more than ever.
Click the Donate Today button below to make a difference. Or tap the Wine Down Wednesdays button to help us continue hosting inclusive events that bring leaders together and spark new connections.
Thank you for investing in the future of Winston-Salem — one informed, engaged, and connected leader at a time.
Scholarships
At Leadership Winston-Salem, most Flagship program participants receive employer funding, but self-employed individuals and small non-profit employees often struggle to afford such programs. Our scholarships provide partial tuition assistance to eligible class members who could not otherwise afford to participate. In the past three years, we've awarded around $17,000 total each year, helping over a dozen people annually. On average, each person received about $1,384.
Annual Scholarship Fund
When you contribute to the Annual Scholarship Fund, your donation is immediately available to help defray the cost of tuition for participants in the current or upcoming year’s Flagship program who are in need of financial support.
Thomas K. Hearn, Jr. Endowment Fund
A very special endowment fund has been established in memory of one of Leadership Winston-Salem’s founders, Dr. Thomas K. Hearn, Jr. Your contribution to our perpetual-growth fund will sustainably support program participants well into the future. This fund was established in 2010 and is maintained at The Winston-Salem Foundation.
Your contribution helps ensure that financial barriers do not prevent deserving individuals from taking part. Please consider donating today.
