Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs)

Anyone who submits an application will receive consideration.

Our intention is to reduce barriers to the application process, hence a three-minute video addressing two prompts rather than multiple essays as in the past. We are aware of the bias that can creep into resumes and CVs through educational institutions, which is why we have asked applicants to focus on leadership, not degree-granting institutions.

We do not have statistics for previous Institutes. Anecdotally, the program has received a high of 75 applicants one year, which would have resulted in an acceptance rate of 1/3 (33 percent) of the applicants.

Like these four previous programs, ALI@Virginia is sponsored by the NHPRC and maintains an emphasis on a strong cohort relationship, a residential setting, and the development of leadership skills within the context of the archival profession. We will have some programmatic differences and use UVA’s particular historical context as a backdrop for the Institute. It will have its own flavor and personality, as did all of the preceding instances.

Those topics may come up in conversation and discussion, but they are not core themes in this leadership institute. Anyone wanting to focus on these fundamental archival activities may be better served with other courses or professional development opportunities.

• Responsible stewardship and partnerships
• Self-knowledge and individual growth
• Organizational leadership

We will also incorporate current topics and professional interests, such as:

• Community archives and collaborations
• Ethics of care and mutual aid
• Social justice and intercultural relations

All in all, we believe that part of ALI’s mandate is to incorporate real-world issues and scenarios, weaving leadership topics into those discussions.

Past projects have centered on strategic planning and visioning, digitization project planning, and assessments of various kinds. The projects tend to be focused on a cohort member’s institution.

Yes, as long as the position is within an archival institution.

Yes, a candidate may!

Think about your leadership experiences and develop your leadership resume to express and promote that experience. Previous cohorts have had consultants as members, so we say, “Go for it!”

Yes, they have!

This program is designed for archivists currently working in the field.

Unfortunately, we do not have profiles of past participants. Announcements and news releases of previous cohorts can be found through a Google search, but profiles have not been gathered from alumni. However, several alumni testimonials are posted on the homepage.

Our evaluation rubric is built directly from the questions we have asked in the video, statement, and resume.

Archivists and memory workers from museums, libraries, archives, and from a variety of settings and situations. Additionally, we believe it is important to have representation from a wide variety of life experiences and backgrounds, as well as geographical and intergenerational diversity. We do not have formal educational requirements, but do expect that candidates are currently working in the field.

We are looking for archivists who have an appetite for moving the profession forward, who want to refine their social justice lens, who want to be aware of the environment in which they work and be responsive to their communities, who desire to lead their organizations with empathy and compassion, and to be skilled in developing strong relationships as well as repairing fractured and broken ones.

2024 Archive Leadership Institute (ALI) Application

Minimum requirements to apply:

• A memory worker in any archival setting
• 5-15 years of management, program, project lead, or team experience OR a combination of these
  • NOTE: Applicants with less or more experience may also be considered.

Your leadership resume should be reflective of any leadership work you have done.

The most important information about the grant would be your leadership role in the grant.

Yes, that is okay!

ALI is a week-long, in-person, immersive, intensive, and interactive program. The cohort arrives in Charlottesville on Sunday and marks the beginning of the ALI experience with a reception and dinner. The cohort begins their work in earnest on Monday morning. Sessions will continue through Friday night with an end-of-institute capstone event. Cohort members depart Charlottesville on Saturday. It does not end there though! Following the in-person experience, the cohort will continue to learn together on a quarterly basis through Virtual Convenings until they officially become alumni, when the next cohort is selected.

ALI@Virginia aims to have 25 in each cohort over the course of the three-year term grant. At the end of the grant term, ALI@Virginia will add 75 new members to the ALI alumni community.

ALI will be hosted by the University of Virginia Library in 2024, 2025, and 2026. UVA is located in Charlottesville, in central Virginia. Charlottesville and the University of Virginia are on the ancestral homeland and territory of the Monacan Indian Nation.

ALI@Virginia 2024 took place from June 16-22, 2024. ALI@Virginia 2025 is scheduled for June 8-14, 2025. Dates are yet to be determined for 2026.

Primary housing will be in Brown College on the University of Virginia campus, or “Grounds.” Lawn Rooms will also be available to cohort members who want the experience of living on UVA’s Lawn.

The cost is $500 per individual. Grant funds cover transportation to and from Charlottesville, lodging, breakfast, lunch, and most dinners. The only out-of-pocket expenses for the cohort will be any sundries the cohort member wishes to purchase while at ALI and several evening dinners. Each cohort member will receive a $600 stipend to help defray any costs they accrue while attending the Institute.

Grant funds will cover transportation to and from Charlottesville. It is possible to fly into Dulles or Richmond, and in some cases that may be the most cost-effective way to go. If that is the case, then we would work out a way to transport cohort member(s) to Charlottesville. Unfortunately, we cannot support car rentals for cohort members. If individuals are close enough to drive their own cars, then we can reimburse for mileage. Also, Amtrak has a station in Charlottesville and is an option for cohort members.

UVA has a strong commitment to leadership development and training, and the UVA Library has excellent facilities that can be used for in-person portions of the program. These buildings are just across the street from the West Lawn, part of the Academical Village which is a UNESCO World Heritage Site. The locations will be replete with history and symbolism, supporting the Institute’s concept of power of place. The ALI@Virginia experience will be grounded in place and our landscape, so the cohort will explore leadership through the lens of the unique emotional and historical landscape that UVA offers.

Brenda Gunn will be the administrative director of UVA. Steering Committee members include Steven Booth, Petrina Jackson, and Audra Eagle Yun. Mary Brackett will facilitate the cohort learning experience. Learn more about them and their work on the ALI Faculty and ALI Staff pages.

You can contact any ALI leadership by emailing: ali_staff@archivesleadershipinstitute.org.

Stay tuned! We have many ideas for alumni involvement, such as serving as mentors, communications liaisons to regional associations, application reviewers, spreading the word at SAA and other conferences, and sharing your expertise in after-institute virtual meetings. To get involved, email ALI Director Brenda Gunn: brenda@archivesleadershipinstitute.org.