Raleigh Planning Academy

The Goal of Planning Academy

To provide a basic understanding of the role planning plays in building and shaping the future of the city, while empowering residents and stakeholders to engage with the city on planning projects in their local community. 

The Raleigh Planning Academy is more than just an educational opportunity. It’s a chance to connect with planning professionals and community members to:

Access valuable connections and resources needed to advocate for neighborhood projects.

Use creative decision-making to collaborate with classmates on team activities.

Serve as community ambassadors, using the learned skills, resources, and established connections.

The Building Blocks of City Planning

The Planning Academy provides Raleigh residents with a greater understanding of community planning. In a classroom setting, students will learn:

What guides land development in the city.
How to navigate rezoning cases.
Ways they can engage in the planning process.

2025 Course Information

Dates for 2025 Planning Academy sessions will be announced in December 2024. Locations for each Academy will be shared by email when participant attendance is confirmed.

How to Apply

Don’t miss an opportunity to make an impact on the future of Raleigh! The application for the next Planning Academy will be available in early 2025.

Residents who are 18+ years old and live inside the city limits can apply. We receive over 100 applications and space is limited to 25 people per session.

Locate your Council District: This is used in the application process to help us have a good representative sample of people from across the Raleigh community.
Cost: FREE (Meals will be provided)
Location: Raleigh Community Centers (Location will be shared once participants are confirmed)

If your application is not accepted, you may reapply for future sessions.