Jugaad Leadership Program

The Jugaad Leadership Program was developed in 2015 to empower the community to assume responsibility for positive social change. “Jugaad” is a Hindi and Punjabi word that means “innovation.” The program is supported by grants from the Initiative Foundation, Central Minnesota Community Foundation, and United Way. This 7-month leadership program is designed to provide people of color and other underrepresented community members with the knowledge, skills, and resources to become effective leaders at the grassroots level. The Jugaad Leadership Program empowers participants to- Assume individual and collective responsibility for positive change in our community- Influence positive change at the city, county, state, and national levels- Increase levels of communication and understanding between program participants and mainstream leaders