Building Nonprofit Advocacy Capacity is a part-time, free, and virtual program designed to support US-based organizations working in the public interest – such as nonprofits, direct services providers, or university and research centers – who want to grow the policy and advocacy capabilities of their organization.
Donor Name: Aspen Policy Academy
State: All States
County: All Counties
Type of Grant: Grant
Deadline: 04/05/2026
Size of the Grant: Not Available
Grant Duration: Grant Duration Not Mentioned
Details:
Participants will learn how to educate and persuade potential partners on policy issues that impact the communities your organization serves, and how to obtain the resources – including staffing – to support having impact in the policy space. This course will include an overview of how to be strategic in advocating for policy changes at your organization with its current staff; and how to bring on additional staff to work on policy change.
Strong applicants will currently work at a US-based nonprofit that is new to thinking about policy impact and advocacy. This course will introduce less experienced policy advocates to a framework for engaging in advocacy, and develop the skills they need to build a policy-focused arm of their organization. They will prioritize admitting registered nonprofit organizations (or individual programs within larger such organizations). If space allows, they will also consider other public interest organizations such as public benefit corporations and unions.
Eligibility Criteria
- They are looking for representatives of US-based organizations working in the public interest – such as nonprofits, direct services providers, or university and research centers – with limited prior policy experience that show potential to affect policy and social change. This course is for individuals who want to build their organization’s capacity to do policy and advocacy work.
- Because this program is for people who want to impact US policymaking, you must either live or be able to work in the United States. Applicants must be at least 21 years of age and able to commit to 5 daily 2-hour virtual sessions during the course dates.
- Organizations that already have full-time policy or advocacy staff will very likely have too much experience for this course. You must be part of a public interest organization to participate. If you are an individual with nonprofit experience but do not currently work at an organization, they encourage you to keep an eye out for future opportunities. If you participated in the December 2025 Building Advocacy Capacity Course, you are not eligible to apply again.
For more information, visit Aspen Policy Academy.
