Leading Local

Leading Local is a collaboration between the Winona Post and Engage Winona designed to strengthen civic participation in Winona County and beyond. The initiative brings together trusted local journalism, practical civic learning, and community conversations to help people better understand and engage with their communities.

In 2026 and 2027, Leading Local will offer workshops on how to get involved and take action, in-depth reporting on local issues, and community forums where residents can learn, ask questions, and share perspectives. These efforts are meant to make local news and civic information easier to find and easier to use. All activities are nonpartisan and open to the public.

The goal of Leading Local is to build confidence among residents to get involved in their communities, increase access to reliable civic and community information, and raise awareness of local news as a trusted resource.

A community survey to help shape the project is open through April 2026. Take the survey here!

By supporting informed and engaged residents, Leading Local builds stronger communities.

Workshops and Events

Workshops

Join us for free civic engagement and leadership development workshops, built to help residents get involved and make a difference in their communities.

All are free and open to all! RSVP’s appreciated, but not required. You can RSVP here.

April 14 - Local Government 101

May 12 - Government Transparency 101

June 9 - Volunteerism and Mutual Aid

June 23 - Community Power: How to co-create solutions and get things done in your community

Events

Run 4 Rural Public leadership training program

This 1.5 day program is designed for people interested in strengthening their local communities through nonpartisan elected office and other forms of public leadership. It was created by West Central Initiative Foundation and Bending the Arc Strategies.

This training is for people who want to deepen their civic participation, whether or not they have decided to run for office. It creates a nonpartisan space for participants to build practical skills needed for authentic, community-oriented leadership.

The next Run4Rural workshop will be April 24 and 25th, 2026. You can learn more and apply through the button below!

Run4Rural 2026

This initiative is supported by a grant from Press Forward Minnesota, an initiative that supports local journalism as a cornerstone of community cohesion, civic engagement, and government accountability, with a strong focus on ensuring that everyone has access to the news and civic information they need.