Eagan Community Foundation Launches New 10-Session Community Academy
Published: August 19, 2026
EAGAN, MINNESOTA – Eagan residents will have a new opportunity this fall to get a behind-the-scenes look at the people, organizations and institutions that help their community function.
The Eagan Community Foundation is accepting applications for the inaugural Eagan Community Academy, a 10-session program aimed at helping residents better understand Eagan, develop connections with community leaders and one another, and find meaningful ways to become involved.
The first Community Academy will begin on September 16, 2026, and take a broader approach than programs primarily focused on municipal government. Participants will explore how Eagan's local government, schools, nonprofit organizations, businesses, and community groups operate individually and work together to serve residents.
“Strong communities don’t just happen. They’re built when people know one another, understand their community and recognize that they have a role to play in making it stronger,” Eagan Community Foundation Executive Director Jamie Hopkins said. “We hope the Community Academy gives people a chance to learn, make connections they might not otherwise make, and discover their own way to contribute.”
Going Behind the Scenes in Eagan
Over the course of the Academy, participants will have opportunities to learn more about the people, places, and partnerships that shape Eagan and to meet leaders from across the community. The Foundation said participants will gain insight into some of the challenges and opportunities facing Eagan and learn more about how different organizations and institutions contribute to the community.
The program is also intended to help participants identify ways they can put their own interests, experiences, and talents to work locally. Those opportunities could eventually include volunteering, becoming involved in their neighborhood or schools, serving with nonprofits, joining civic organizations, participating on boards and commissions, or simply becoming more engaged with the people and organizations around them.
At its core, organizers say the Academy is intended to develop more informed and connected neighbors while showing participants how local government works alongside other sectors to serve Eagan residents.
Connection and Belonging a Focus
Eagan Community Foundation Board Member and Eagan Assistant City Administrator Sarah Alig will help lead the inaugural Academy. Alig has worked for the City of Eagan since 2022 and has been involved in efforts to engage residents in conversations about what is necessary to create a community where people can thrive.
“This work dovetails nicely with the conversations we’ve been having across Eagan about what helps people thrive,” Alig said. “We know that connection and belonging matter. The Community Academy gives people another way to get to know their community and one another—and to find ways to get involved that are meaningful to them.”
The Academy will ultimately move beyond learning about the community and ask participants to apply some of what they have discovered.
Participants will complete small capstone projects focused on “cultivating neighborliness” in Eagan, providing members of the inaugural class with an opportunity to put ideas developed during the program into action.
Foundation Seeking Diverse Inaugural Class
The Eagan Community Foundation plans to select 15 adult participants and up to two youth participants for the first Community Academy. Organizers are seeking applicants representing a range of ages, neighborhoods, professions, backgrounds, experiences and perspectives.
The goal is to bring together people who might not otherwise have the opportunity to meet while exposing participants to different parts of the community and the organizations that serve it.
The inaugural Eagan Community Academy begins September 16th, 2026, and will consist of 10 sessions.
Applications are currently open and must be submitted by September 1st.
Residents can learn more about the program and submit an application through the Eagan Community Foundation’s Community Academy webpage at eaganfoundation.org/community-academy.
About the Eagan Community Foundation
The Eagan Community Foundation works to support efforts that make Eagan a better place to live, learn, work and play.
Its work includes scholarships, community grants, charitable funds, community initiatives and programs designed to bring people together. The Foundation describes its role as connecting generosity with the people and ideas working to strengthen the Eagan community.
Written by: Will Wight
Images Provided by the Eagan Community Foundation.
Applications are open for the inaugural Eagan Community Academy, a 10-session program that helps residents learn about Eagan, build connections, and get involved.