How can the Bay Area Community Health Advisory Council expand its Community Mamogram Program and help eliminate health disparities?‍

‍How can Pal Center, an organization committed to creating thriving, equitable communities, take care of their team by creating a sustainable staff wellness initiative?

These are just two of the meaningful challenges addressed by this year’s Immersion Program participants.

What's a CAP?

Community Acceleration Projects (CAPs) are a signature element of our Leadership Immersion experience, transforming civic learning into real-world impact. In small groups, participants partner with local nonprofits, public agencies, and elected officials who are facing a challenge, exploring a question, or seeking strategic insight.

Our recent Class of 2025 graduates completed CAPs for 16 County organizations, supporting everything from community wellness to workforce development, sustainability, early childhood education, and civic participation. Over five months, CAP Teams work closely with their host organization to:

• Frame the challenge or opportunity
• Conduct research, stakeholder interviews, or data analysis
• Generate innovative recommendations or deliverables
• Present findings and tools that can be immediately applied

Deliverables are presented to the organization’s leaders in the spring, and with the Emerging Leaders and Leadership CORPS cohorts at their Closing Session in June. 

‍Organizations Served by Class of 2025 Leadership CORPS Participants

• Caltrain
• Child Care Coordinating Council (4Cs) of San Mateo County
• City of South San Francisco – Economic Advancement Center
• Daly City Economic and Community Development Department
• PAL Center
• Retraining the Village
• Arriba (formerly South Coast Sustainable)
• Thrive Alliance

Organizations Served by Class of 2025 Emerging Leaders Participants

• Bay Area Community Health Advisory Council (BACHAC)
• Commission on the Status of Women
• Daly City Youth Health Center
• Leadership Council SMC
• San Mateo County Family Childcare Organization
• St. Francis Center of Redwood City
• Stanford Haas Center for Public Service
• Supervisor Noelia Corzo’s Office

Together, these projects advanced local priorities and created ripple effects in systems that serve our most vulnerable communities.

Why CAPs Matter

CAPs don’t just benefit our partner organizations—they transform our Immersion Program participants into stronger, more connected leaders. By working in community, across sectors, and on real challenges, participants leave the program with a deeper sense of responsibility and capacity to lead change—wherever they go next. They exemplify Leadership Council SMC’s mission: to connect, inspire, and educate leaders to positively impact our communities. By combining leadership development with community service, CAPs strengthen our region’s social infrastructure while deepening participants’ civic understanding. 

To learn more, check out these CAP stories:

CAP Team Advances El Concilio’s Climate Ready Ambassador Training

Making SMC Boards and Commissions Accessible to All

Community Acceleration Projects Make an Impact!

The 2025–2026 Program Is Now Open

We’re excited to launch the third year of Community Acceleration Projects. Planning has begun, and applications open on Tuesday, September 2, 2025. If your organization is a nonprofit, city, government agency, or commission in San Mateo County, it’s never too early to consider how a CAP can support your work.

CAPs are ideal for nonprofits and public agencies facing pressing issues with limited internal capacity. to do so. Whether mapping strategies, understanding community needs, or piloting a new idea, a dedicated CAP Team can help you move forward. 

Join us for a virtual Information Session on Wednesday, September 10, 2025, to learn more and have your questions. Stay tuned for further details. We can’t wait to see what our third year of CAPs brings!

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