Coro is an organization begun in San Francisco in 1942 by W. Donald Fletcher, an attorney, and Van Duyn Dodge, an investment counselor, to train young veterans in the leadership skills necessary to assure that our democratic system of government could more effectively meet the needs of its citizens.

Since 1947, when the first Coro program was delivered, Coro has grown to include Coro Centers in six cities, including San Francisco, Los Angeles (1957), St. Louis (1972), Kansas City (1975), New York (1980), Pittsburgh (1999), and a new Executive Fellows program in Cleveland, funded in partnership with The Cleveland Foundation (2005).

1000-1200 participants a year go through Coro programs nationwide. At least 10,000 program alumni are currently serving as leaders in local, regional and national/global businesses, non-profit organizations, governmental agencies and elected public office.

The six Centers, Program, and an alumni service organization--Coro National Alumni Association--are connected, supported and leveraged as a system by Coro National, a 501(c) 3 governing body that serves as the national voice and partner for the regional centers and alumni participants, and works to build capacity for the system and enhance program quality standards and innovation. Coro National is part of the Coro system of stakeholders of non-profit, non-partisan educational institutes supported by foundations, corporations and individuals.

Coro National has understood its role in the Coro system and the value that we seek to add as the following:

• Value Proposition #1 -- Conceptualizing national vision of Coro as a leadership program system and a thought leader on leadership in the civic arena
• Value Proposition #2 -- Working to enhance the intellectual property of Coro, Coro methodology and programs. Coro National aims at supporting continual improvement and best practices throughout the system.
• Value Proposition #3 -- National entry point to and national voice for Coro system
• Value Proposition #4 -- Works to secure strategic funding to support the Coro system
• Value Proposition #5 -- Protects and enhances Coro’s brand
• Value Proposition #6 -- Supports expansion of Coro programs and partnerships