Apply for Tallahassee’s 2025 Neighborhood Leadership Academy

Program Offers Residents a Behind-the-Scenes Look at City Operations

July 16, 2025

Founded in 1824 as Florida's Capital City, Tallahassee has grown over the past 201 years into a vibrant, diverse community of nearly 200,000 residents. The City of Tallahassee, a proud three-time All-America City, supports its neighbors in all facets of life, work and recreation. Through the 2025 Neighborhood Leadership Academy (NLA), residents will go behind-the-scenes to learn about how the City operates. This program offers an in-depth look at the essential services that power Tallahassee, including infrastructure, clean energy, public safety, parks, utilities and more. Participants will gain insight into how these services support thriving neighborhoods, protect natural resources and preserve the community's unique character.

Applications are now open, and space is limited.

The NLA will begin Tuesday, Sept. 2, and continue every Tuesday evening through Nov. 4. Interested applicants must be at least 18 years of age, a resident of the City of Tallahassee and willing commit to one night per week for 10 weeks.

Each session is designed to increase participants' understanding of the diverse and complex services provided by the City. Activities include tours of City facilities, hands-on demonstrations and multi-media presentations. The academy is an instructional and interactive program that empowers neighbors with in-depth knowledge about how the City's devoted team of nearly 4,000 people delivers critical services that residents rely on every day.

Did you know the City owns and manages more than 100 parks, 4,000 acres of parkland, nearly 80 miles of trails and numerous community centers and recreational facilities, or that it operates a nationally accredited water quality lab certified to analyze nearly 300 chemical components and that processes approximately 10,000 samples annually? The City also provides a variety of programs and energy efficiency grants, rebates and loans to help utility customers save time, energy and money while supporting a more sustainable future. Ranked No. 1 in the nation, the City's Fleet department maintains nearly 3,000 vehicles and equipment that log over 1.1 million miles each month. This is just a sampling of the insight to be gained through the NLA.

All City residents, especially those who serve on their homeowners/neighborhood association boards and/or who are active in their neighborhoods, are invited to apply online at Talgov.com/NLA. The application deadline is Friday, August 1, at 5 p.m.

Residents can also learn more about how the City's strategic priorities enhance quality of life and foster a stronger, safer and more resilient community by exploring the 2024 Year in Review at Talgov.com/yearinreview. For more information about the Neighborhood Leadership Academy, visit Talgov.com/NLA or contact the City's Neighborhood Affairs division at 850-891-8795.