Linking Theory to Practice: A Theory of Change Model of the Natural Resources Leadership Institute

The Natural Resources Leadership Institute (NRLI), a leadership development program for capacity building in environmental decision making, cultivates a cadre of leaders who address environmental problems collaboratively and creatively. Describing our theory of change model, this article introduces why and how the NRLI works, the theoretical perspectives that support the NRLI, and the outcomes that result when these theories are put into practice in North Carolina and Virginia.