The National Conservation Leadership Institute (NCLI) is one of the most far-reaching professional development initiatives ever undertaken within the natural resource conservation community. Established in 2005, in response to growing concerns about the projected loss of senior leadership in conservation organizations nationwide, Each year 36 individuals from state and federal agencies, non-governmental organizations, industry and tribes are nominated by their organization's senior leadership to participate in this intensive, nine-month, world-class leadership development program developed around the tenants of Adaptive Leadership and guided by faculty from Harvard's Kennedy School. Seventeen years after its inception, and now more than 500 graduates strong, the increasing impact of the NCLI program is being felt across conservation. It continues to grow each year, broadening the network of individuals who share a powerful leadership language and deepening inter-organizational connections that will help those working in natural resource management to successfully navigate evolving environmental, political, and economic challenges.