APPLICATION DEADLINE Extended: Wednesday, January 7, 2026 at 4 PM

CRITERIA

• Demonstrated commitment to, and interest in, serving the Berkshires in a leadership role
• Willingness to commit time and energy to completing the program
• Resident of the Berkshires or ability to demonstrate significant current community involvement in the region
• Show demonstrated leadership skills/qualities
• Applicants are evaluated by their leadership potential, commitment to community engagement, motivation, and thoughtfulness of their responses.

 

INSTRUCTIONS

• Application must be completed in full and signed by the applicant and the applicant’s employer, if employer is sponsoring the applicant. Incomplete and/or late applications will not be considered.
• One professional letter of recommendation must be submitted electronically with this application form.
  
• At the bottom of each page of the application, you will have the option to Save or Continue to the Next Page.  If you hit Save, you will be emailed a unique url in order to complete this application.  Every time you wish to make changes or add to your application, prior to submitting it, you will have to use that same unique url that is emailed to you.
• As a back up, we recommend copying and pasting your application answers into a Microsoft Word or Google Doc as a precaution in case the unique url does not work properly.  This will insure you have your information in one place until you are ready to submit your application.

 

APPLICATION INFORMATION 

This application will ask you to complete your contact information, employment history, education and training, and community involvement.  Additionally, you will be asked to describe:

• one significant opportunity for Berkshire County;
• one signficiant challenge facing Berkshire County;
• the characteristics of a leader;
• your greatest personal or professional achievement; and
• your expectations of the program and reasons for applying.

PERSONAL DATA

Section 1 of 9

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EMPLOYMENT

Section 2 of 9

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EDUCATION

Section 3 of 9

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COMMUNITY

Section 4 of 9

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ACCOMPLISHMENTS

Section 5 of 9

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REFERENCE

Application must be accompanied by one professional letter of recommendation, preferably by a current or most recent employer that has knowledge of your qualifications as a potential Berkshire Leadership Program participant. Please drag and drop your letter of recommendation below or email separately to blp@1berkshire.com .

Section 6 of 9

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ACCEPTANCE & TUITION

Notification of selection into the BLP Class of 2026 will be made by Friday, February 27, 2026. Upon acceptance into the Berkshire Leadership Program a deposit of $100 will be due no later than Friday, March 27, 2026 to reserve your slot. The tuition of $800.00, minus the $100 deposit, must be paid in full to 1Berkshire no later than April 17, 2026.

 

DEPOSIT AND TUITION ARE NON-REFUNDABLE

Total Tuition for the Program is $800.
Thanks to the generosity of many, applicants may apply for tuition assistance. Assistance amounts and availability may vary depending on the available funds in a given year and how many participants request assistance.
 
Please check the box below and complete the two additional questions if you require assistance. 

Section 7 of 9

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COMMITMENT

Attendance Policy: Your full attendance at the retreat, economic development bus tour, and commencement, as well as full participation in the class project, which will require additional time outside of the weekly sessions, is mandatory. 

Weekly sessions are held at various locations throughout Berkshire County from 5:00-9:00pm on Thursday evenings. You are expected to attend all of the weekly sessions. Missing more than 15 minutes of a session is considered a ½ absence. Participants who have more than two absences will be withdrawn from the program and will forfeit their tuition.

*Retreat

Friday & Saturday, April 24 and 25 (8:00am - 6:00pm each day)

*Kick-off Session

Thursday, April 30 – Economic Development - Berkshire County Bus Tour (10:00am-6pm)

Weekly Sessions (5:00 - 9:00 PM)

Thursday, May 7
Thursday, May 14
Thursday, May 21
Thursday, May 28
Thursday, June 4
Thursday, June 11
Thursday, June 18

Thursday, June 25 - *Commencement

* Denotes mandatory attendance.

 

If selected as a Berkshire Leadership Program participant, I understand that I am committing myself to attending the retreat, commencement, bus tour, and seven weekly sessions. This includes fully involving myself in the activities at each event and participating fully in the class project, which will require additional time outside of the weekly sessions. I understand that completing feedback surveys in a timely manner after each session is part of my committment to the program.

I also commit to involving myself in the community upon graduation from the program and allowing my name to be given out to community service organizations seeking volunteers.

Also, upon acceptance, I will remit $100 (non-refundable) of the tuition to secure my place in the Program. I will submit a digital headshot via email.  

 

EMPLOYER SPONSORSHIP

If your employer will be sponsoring your participation, this application must be accompanied by a signed letter from your employer including the employer's contact information and mailing address. The letter must state the following:

"I understand the time commitment required for participation in the Berkshire Leadership Program, and I support his/her involvement. I agree to the deposit and tuition payment amount and schedule."

Please drag and drop your sponsorship letter below.

Section 8 of 9

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SUBMIT:

• Completed 2026 Application
• One Professional Letter of Recommendation
• Employer Sponsorship Letter, if applicable
• Tuition Assistance Request, if applicable 

APPLICATION DEADLINE: Wednesday, January 7 - 4 PM

Berkshire Leadership Program Coordinator

c/o 1Berkshire, PO Box 4829, Pittsfield, MA  01201

Tel: (413) 499-1600 ** blp@1berkshire.com

The information in this application is used solely for the Berkshire Leadership Program’s selection process and will be limited to such use. All applications will be judged on a competitive basis, and the class should represent a cross-section of businesses, professions, organizations, government, education, socio-economic backgrounds, and geographical areas throughout the Berkshires. Due to the strength of applicant pool and the limit of 30 participants, some applicants who might otherwise meet the selection criteria may not be chosen. Such applicants are strongly encouraged to apply for the program again.

Section 9 of 9

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