The Advocacy Institute works to level the playing field for Black, Indigenous, people of color (BIPOC) communities, immigrants, low-income people, and other leaders who have been historically excluded and underrepresented. We believe that legislative advocacy is knowable and navigable, and we have developed a core curriculum to provide advocates with the foundational tools they need to build – and win – powerful campaigns. Our intimate trainings foster connections between social justice movement organizations, build relationships across issue areas, and demystify advocacy work for people who are too often denied a seat at the table.
Leadership Development
All trainings are led by Advocacy Institute staff with a strong commitment to social and racial justice and years of experience in government work, direct service provision, policy advocacy, and organizing. We work closely with trusted government insiders, seasoned advocates, and experienced organizers to create training spaces where participants can gain an inside perspective on legislative and budget advocacy and strategize next steps in their campaigns. Participants leave trainings with concrete skills and customized tools to support their advocacy going forward.
Advocacy Leadership Accelerator
Are you working on a New York State policy or budget advocacy campaign and want to deepen your strategy and skills?
Are you looking to build knowledge and power with other movement leaders and join a growing community of advocates?
Are you ready to level-up your leadership?
Advocacy Institute invites you to apply for the Advocacy Leadership Accelerator, a 10-month program that expands advocacy skills, strategic thinking, and peer networks for up to 20 emerging organizers and advocates across New York State. This program will be held from September 2026 through June 2027, designed to prepare advocates for the legislative session and provide support throughout. We will build on Advocacy Institute’s proven Legislative Campaign Assessment and Tracking Tool (LCATT) curriculum while digging deeper into campaign strategy.
This program centers an intersectional and racial equity lens to examine how multiple forms of oppression combine to impact advocates’ ability to affect policy change. The Advocacy Leadership Accelerator is grounded in the work of participants. Sessions will allow advocates to reflect on challenges they are facing while brainstorming strategies to address those challenges with their peers.
Deadline to apply is July 24th, 2026. Click the link below to learn more about the program and apply.
Are you a community organizer or policy advocate seeking to elevate your impact on New York State? Join the Advocacy Institute for our two-day, in-person training in Buffalo, NY. This hands-on training addresses the rapidly changing political landscape and equips you with the knowledge, skills, and networks needed to shape policy outcomes for a more equitable New York. Whether you’re new to advocacy or a seasoned advocate, this training centers on how to leverage state-level legislative advocacy to build collective power that advances equity with and across Black, Indigenous, immigrant, and people of color communities.
Over two action-packed days, you’ll deepen your understanding of the New York State legislative process, build essential advocacy skills, and create meaningful connections with peers who share a commitment to social justice and equity across New York State. Participants can expect to leave this training with a strengthened network of fellow advocates, practical tools to sharpen their strategy, and the confidence to shape policy outcomes at the state level.
Over the course of the two days, we’ll explore:
- New York State Government Processes: Learn how laws and policies are crafted and how to influence legislative and budget decisions at the state level to advance your community’s priorities and campaigns.
- Understanding the Political Landscape: Gain deeper insight into the political dynamics at the state level to position your campaigns for success
- Power-Mapping: Learn the practice of power-mapping to identify primary and secondary targets, as well as the importance of creative, expansive thinking to move stakeholders and build efficient campaigns.
- Centering BI&POC Communities: Examine how advocacy strategies can center, uplift, and advance Black, Indigenous, immigrant, and communities of color . We’ll explore the importance of partnering with and taking the lead from BI&POC communities to ensure their leadership shapes campaign goals, strategies, and tactics.
This training, held in Buffalo, NY on October 15th and 16th, will be facilitated in English with Spanish interpretation provided. Breakfast and lunch will be provided. The training will be held at the Downtown Central Library (1 Lafayette Square, Buffalo, NY 14203) in the central meeting room.
Open to advocates, organizers, community members, volunteers, and anyone working for a more just New York. The training is free for Advocacy Institute members and $80- $275 per person for non-members, depending on your organization’s budget.
The Advocacy Institute’s mission is to empower social justice organizations in New York State with the skills, knowledge, and networks needed to win transformative policy. To grow our capacity and support more groups, we are adjusting our training fees. Now, when you register, you will see 3 suggested tiers based on your organization’s budget. We ask that you select the one that best reflects your organization’s fiscal capacity.* If you are unable to pay the suggested amount for your budget size, you may pay the lower amount. If any prices remain a barrier to participation, please reach out to us. Thank you for helping us build a stronger & more equitable advocacy community.
Public Health Safety:
In the framework of Community Care, we encourage everyone to monitor their health. Please rapid-test each day before attending. An Advocacy Institute team member will ask you to verbally confirm your negative test. Masks, tests, and sanitizer will be provided. If you’re unwell, please stay home.
If you are interested in being a member or have questions about membership, please email membership@advocacy-institute.org.
These trainings are free for AI members and low-cost for all others. Details are added to the Upcoming Events tab closer to each training date.
2026 Calendar
Virtual Trainings
- Thursday, January 22, at 2:00-3:30 PM: The Real State of the State 2026
- Thursday, November 19, at 2:00-3:30 PM: Relationship Building & Power Mapping
In-Person Trainings
- Thursday, April 16 & Friday, April 17: Albany 2-Day Regional
- Wednesday, July 15 – Friday, July 17: Advocacy Institute’s NYC Summer Camp
- Thursday, October 15 & Friday, October 16: Buffalo 2-Day Regional
Core Trainings
The Advocacy Institute team has developed a core curriculum that provides the foundational tools advocates need to effectively craft campaigns and navigate the halls of power. Interactive exercises, small group discussions, real-world case studies, and strategies to support member-driven advocacy are woven into all of our trainings. We also work closely with movement groups to tailor and create trainings responsive to current campaign needs and strategic opportunities. Our current core trainings are:
- Introduction to Advocacy – define and differentiate advocacy, legislative advocacy, and lobbying.
- New York State Bill to Law – learn how a bill (really) becomes law at the state level, including how to select sponsors, strategies for moving bills through committees, and routes to get to a floor vote.
- New York State Who’s Who – get familiar with key players in the state legislative and budget processes.
- New York City Bill to Law – learn how to move a bill through the New York City Council and win over the Mayor.
- New York City Budget – explore the in’s and out’s of the budgeting process, including tips on how to impact the big picture of revenue and spending, and different types of funding you can secure to support your work.
- Coalition-Building – explore the importance of working across regions and issue areas, and learn concrete strategies to build a strong coalition.
- Building the Relationships You Need to Win – learn effective strategies to identify and connect with your targets.
Recordings of past webinars are available to AI members via our Tools portal. Not yet a member? Contact membership@advocacy-institute.org to discuss!
Fees
The Advocacy Institute’s mission is to empower social justice organizations in New York State with the skills, knowledge, and networks needed to win transformative policy. In order to grow our capacity and support more groups, we are making adjustments to our training fees. Advocacy Institute members can attend for free. For non-members, when you register, you will see 3 suggested tiers based on your organization’s budget. We ask that you select the one that best reflects your organization’s fiscal capacity.* If you are unable to pay the suggested amount for your budget size, you may pay the lower amount. If all prices are still a barrier to participation, please reach out to us. Thank you for helping us build a stronger & more equitable advocacy community.
- 2-Day In-person Trainings
- budgets under $500k: $80
- budgets $500k-$1.2M: $125
- budgets over $1.2M: $275
- Summer Camp (3-Day in-person)
- budgets under $500k: $90
- budgets $500k-$1.2M: $135
- budgets over $1.2M: $285
- Webinars
- budgets under $500k: $20
- budgets $500k-$1.2M: $50
- budgets over $1.2M: $85
Contact hello@advocacy-institute.org with any questions.