SCAG Launches ‘Future Leaders Initiative’—Applications Now Open

SCAG has launched the Future Leaders Initiative, a new six-month civic leadership pilot program for young Southern Californians interested in learning how regional and local governments collaborate for long-term change. The Future Leaders Initiative is designed to prepare the next generation to shape the future of the region.

Once a month, participants will attend interactive online sessions—led by regional experts, thought leaders, and SCAG staff—to explore planning, policy, collaboration, and advocacy. The final session will be held in person at SCAG’s downtown Los Angeles office.

Participants will also contribute to the development of the region’s next long-term plan: Connect SoCal 2050.

Curriculum will include the following topics: 

• Community Planning 101: The role of cities and local jurisdictions in Connect SoCal and regional planning.
• Where does regional planning fit into the national planning and policy landscape?
• Connections between long-range planning and local communities and neighborhoods.
• Intersectional issues: The relationship between land use, transportation, public health, sustainable development, equity, and justice.
• Policy development and advocacy: Knowledge and skill-building
• Changemaking: From planning to implementation

The application process for the Future Leaders Initiative is now open. Individuals between 18-26 who live in one of the six-county in the SCAG region— Imperial, Los Angeles, Orange, Riverside, San Bernardino, and Ventura counties—are invited to apply. The application will be open through Tuesday, Nov. 25, 2025, by 11:59pm.

The program is free to participate in, and participants will receive a $500 stipend. 

For more information on the program visit https://scag.ca.gov/future-leaders. If you have any questions, please contact Alisha James at james@scag.ca.gov.