The Lake Forest Leadership Academy encourages community involvement. Residents will learn about local history, internal city operations, and future plans for the community. The Academy starts on August 26 and will meet once a week on Wednesdays for eight evenings. It is free of charge. Sessions are scheduled from 6 p.m. to 8 p.m. Refreshments and food are provided for each session.

The Lake Forest Community Emergency Response Team (CERT) program is part of a nationally supported, locally implemented initiative that teaches people how to better prepare themselves for emergencies and disasters. Since 1993, CERT trains the public in basic disaster response skills such as team organization, disaster medical operations, fire safety, and light search and rescue. The ability for CERT volunteers to perform these activities frees up professional responders to focus their efforts on more complex, essential, and critical tasks. In Lake Forest, CERT volunteers also assist the City at events such as the Fourth of July Parade and Taste of Lake Forest.