The Young Leadership Council (YLC) is a non-profit, non-partisan civic organization created to develop leadership through community projects. Through volunteer-created community projects, the YLC recruits and retains young professionals to New Orleans and has a positive impact on the quality of life in the region. The oldest, independent YPO (young professionals' organization) in the country, the YLC has raised more than $25 million to support community projects in and around the New Orleans area since 1986. The YLC has more than 1,700 member-volunteers, and is led by a 25-member board of directors and four staff members. Each community initiative is led by one or more volunteer project leaders.