The Elected Officials Academy is a voluntary continuing education program established to encourage and recognize the effort local elected officials put into becoming more effective leaders.

The Challenge and The Solution

The Elected Officials Academy understands the issues its members encounter and offers educational and experiential opportunities to grow the knowledge, skills, and expertise needed to successfully take them on.

Today’s municipal officials face serious challenges in their leadership roles: how to do more with less money, how to govern through turbulent social and economic conditions, and how to encourage civil discourse in times of division – all while sustaining a positive outlook. The state of Michigan has struggled economically for years, primarily due to the decline in traditional manufacturing, and local governments have been hit hard by cutbacks in state revenue sharing.

Yet the League believes that local communities are the key to Michigan’s economic turnaround. As we put our collective efforts toward developing a “sense of place,” our cities and villages will become destinations where more people want to live and stay, providing our state with the kind of top-notch workforce that draws and sustains business investment.

A new kind of skill set is needed to face these challenges and lead your citizens in the 21st century. The EOA offers the opportunity to learn and develop these skills.