The Virginia Natural Resources Leadership Institute (VNRLI) is a professional development program that brings together natural resource professionals from across Virginia to enhance their skills in leadership, conflict management, and collaborative problem solving.

VNRLI is for natural resource professionals in the public, private, and nonprofit sectors who live or work in Virginia. Fellows leave the program with knowledge and skills in the follow areas:

  • Emerging and significant natural resource issues in Virginia
  • Personal and professional leadership styles
  • Conflict management
  • Collaborative problem solving
  • Community engagement

VNRLI’s curriculum focuses on: natural resource issues, personal and professional leadership, and collaborative problem solving.

Natural Resource Issues: Fellows will engage with recent and emerging natural resource issues through field trips, panels, and collaborative exercises. Recent topics include biomass energy production, wetland mitigation banking, natural resource public policy development and lobbying, agriculture at all scales, and coal mining and coal mine remediation.

Leadership: Fellows will develop their own leadership skills by refining their leadership values, developing a personal mission statement, practicing techniques for having challenging conversations, and building trust. Fellows will complete leadership personality assessments and discuss how to work with personalities different from their own.

Collaborative Problem Solving: Fellows will practice conflict management and collaborative problem solving skills including active listening, consensus building, developing ground rules, leaning into dialogue versus debate, and developing opportunities for mutual gain.

VNRLI hosts six sessions per class, hosted September through June, at locations across the state.

Schedule

Six sessions are held from September to June. Each session is three days long. Sessions typically begin on Wednesday mornings and end Friday by midday. Start/end times are subject to change dependent on the session.  Please note that at Session 5 in April, Fellows arrive on Tuesday evening.

Session are held across the state to allow programming to focus on regional natural resources issues. Sessions feature a wide range of teaching methodologies, including mini-lectures, panels, and large group and small group exercises. This process emphasizes hands-on experiential learning via case studies and field trips that give participants opportunities to develop and practice skills taught in the classroom.

Program Fee

The program fee for the 2026-2027 Program Year is $3950. The program fee includes printed materials and leadership text, entrance or transport fees for field trips, and at least one lunch and one dinner at each session. It does not include additional meals, lodging, or personal travel to and from the session. The program uses the University of Virginia’s travel rate when arranging lodging and meals.

Payment for the class of 2027 is due by September 11, 2026.

Financial Aid

A limited number of need-based scholarships are available to cover the program fee. In some circumstances, VNRLI may be able to offer support for lodging and mileage. VNRLI recognizes that our society needs leaders who have a deep understanding of the impacts and opportunities of pressing natural resources, social, and economic challenges. We seek to invest in the careers of exceptional, passionate leaders from all backgrounds and ensure that our program reflects the geographic, demographic, and sector diversity of our state.

Requests for financial aid are made in the application by describing the need (250 words or less) and indicating the amount and type of assistance (tuition, lodging, mileage, etc.) being requested. All requests for assistance are confidential.

Applications require short essays and one recommendation/reference. Please visit our website to learn more and to apply: https://www.coopercenter.org/ien/vnrli-application

Questions can be directed to Blair Blanchette, VNRLI Program Manager, at brb6eb@virginia.edu.