Advocacy Leaders Program

The Advocacy Leaders Program strengthens the knowledge and skills of nonprofit public policy advocates while fostering the development and growth of an actively networked community of nonprofit advocacy leaders. Now in its seventh year, ALP first and foremost enables active and interested nonprofit advocates to gain new skills and build professional networks. The program includes a four day opening retreat, monthly seminars and a four day closing retreat, in which participants come together to increase their knowledge and understanding of government policymaking while expanding their capacity, competence and confidence in advocating for their causes. Over the past six years, almost 90 participants have successfully completed the Advocacy Leaders Program and are engaged in a wide range of nonprofit policy issues at virtually every level and from almost every sub-sector within the statewide nonprofit community.

The 2008-2009 Program

Opening four-day retreat in Ocean City, December 1-4, 2008
Monthly one-day programs from January-October 2009
Closing four-day retreat in November 2009

Below, is more information on:

The Curriculum

Who Should Apply

Selection Process

Past Participant Feedback

How to Apply

The Curriculum

The program seeks to build the advocacy knowledge and skills of individual participants, and to strengthen the capacity of the organizations they lead or represent to influence policy change and outcomes. Topics are selected for seminars and retreats based on four objectives: preparing for policy advocacy, understanding the policy-making process, utilizing effective tools to influence the process, and applying advocacy strategically to achieve policy goals. Subjects covered include:

• The Maryland Budget Process
• Working in Coalitions
• Advocacy and Election-Related Rules for Nonprofits
• Litigation as an Advocacy Tool
• Dynamics of Legislative Bodies
• Lobbying
• Media Advocacy and Strategies
• Mobilizing and Organizing
• Grassroots Advocacy
• Administrative Policy Makers
• Organizational Capacity
• Local Government in Maryland

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Who Should Apply

The Advocacy Leaders Program will benefit individuals with varying degrees of experience participating in advocacy on behalf of their respective nonprofit organizations. Participants might include:

• Current policy advocates and community activists looking to broaden and deepen the scope of their knowledge, skills and expertise.
• An executive director who participates in advocacy as part of his/her job responsibilities.
• A board member who, on a voluntary basis, monitors policy developments of importance for their organization.
• A program staff member who has taken on advocacy leadership responsibilities.

The expectation is that participants and their organizations will be able to contribute to strengthening the culture of advocacy in Maryland's nonprofit sector and appreciate the growing importance for individual nonprofits to advocate on behalf of their organization as well as the communities and people they serve.

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Selection Process

Through an evaluative process, Maryland Nonprofits will select up to 20 participants. The process includes completion of an application and submission of related information. The selection process will strive to include participants representing diversity with regard to geographic location, advocacy activity (lobbying, litigation, organizing, public education), personal background (race, ethnicity, gender, education, sexual orientation, etc.), and organization size, type and subject area. Groups of advocates working collaboratively in a particular geographic or subject area are encouraged to apply jointly.

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Past Participant Feedback

Click here to read some testimonials from Advocacy Leaders Program graduates.

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How to Apply

We are now accepting applications for the 2008-2009 class.  Please submit application along with your resume by September 15, 2008 to:

Maryland Association of Nonprofit Organizations
Advocacy Leaders Program
190 West Ostend Street, Suite 201

Baltimore, MD 21230
Fax: 877-565-0942 (toll-free)

Fees

$3500 tuition required for full one-year program.  Partial scholarships are available to members of Maryland Nonprofits. *A minimum payment of $500 is required for all scholarship participants.

Contact Henry Bogdan for more information.