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?
Advocacy Institute invites you to apply for the Advocacy Leadership Accelerator, a 10-month program that expands advocacy skills, capacity, and leadership for up to 20 emerging organizers and advocates across New York State. This program will be held from September 2025 through June 2026, 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 and our sessions will allow advocates to reflect on challenges they are facing while brainstorming strategies to address those challenges with their peers.
Applications for this program are now open through July 1st, please click the link below to learn more about the program and apply.
Are you a passionate community organizer or policy advocate eager to level up your legislative advocacy skills? Join the Advocacy Institute for an exciting two-day, in-person training in Rochester, NY, on May 15th and 16th, 2025! This dynamic training will equip policy advocates, organizers, and community members with the tools and knowledge to navigate local and state government systems. Our mission is to empower social justice organizations to build the advocacy skills, knowledge, and power necessary to shape government policies for a more just New York. This is an opportunity to connect, learn, and take action for a stronger, more equitable future. Whether you’re new to advocacy or looking to sharpen your skills, this training is for you!
Over the course of two full days, we’ll dive into:
- New York State & Local Government Processes: Learn how laws and policies are crafted and how to influence legislative and budget decisions at the state and local levels to advance your community’s priorities & campaigns.
- Building Strong Relationships with Elected Officials: Discover strategies for forging meaningful connections with decision-makers to elevate your advocacy efforts.
- Understanding the Political Landscape: Gain a deeper understanding of the political dynamics at the local and state levels, positioning your campaigns for success.
This training, held in Rochester, NY, on May 15th & 16th, 2025, will be facilitated in English with Spanish interpretation for accessibility. It’s a great opportunity to strengthen your advocacy skills and drive change in your community!
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 $75 per person for non-members. Lunch and coffee will be provided.
Registration Information:
- At this time, registration is limited to two people per organization to foster a diverse group (additional registrants will be waitlisted).
- Registration Deadline: Wednesday, April 30th, 2025.
- You’ll receive an email regarding your acceptance into the training by May 2nd and a calendar invite upon acceptance.
- Nonmembers will get a payment link. Payments are due by May 5th, 2025. We are not able to provide refunds, but you are welcome to transfer your event registration to a colleague or apply the fee to a future training if you’re unable to make it or pay after the deadline.
This training will take place on May 15th and May 16th from 10AM to 5:30PM at the Spiritus Christi Church / Downtown United Presbyterian Church (121 Fitzhugh St N, Rochester, NY 14614); lunch & coffee will be provided by the Advocacy Institute.
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.
Are you a passionate community organizer or policy advocate eager to level up your legislative advocacy skills? Join the Advocacy Institute for an exciting two-day, in-person training in Rochester, NY, on May 15th and 16th, 2025! This dynamic training will equip policy advocates, organizers, and community members with the tools and knowledge to navigate local and state government systems. Our mission is to empower social justice organizations to build the advocacy skills, knowledge, and power necessary to shape government policies for a more just New York. This is an opportunity to connect, learn, and take action for a stronger, more equitable future. Whether you’re new to advocacy or looking to sharpen your skills, this training is for you!
Over the course of two full days, we’ll dive into:
- New York State & Local Government Processes: Learn how laws and policies are crafted and how to influence legislative and budget decisions at the state and local levels to advance your community’s priorities & campaigns.
- Building Strong Relationships with Elected Officials: Discover strategies for forging meaningful connections with decision-makers to elevate your advocacy efforts.
- Understanding the Political Landscape: Gain a deeper understanding of the political dynamics at the local and state levels, positioning your campaigns for success.
This training, held in Rochester, NY, on May 15th & 16th, 2025, will be facilitated in English with Spanish interpretation for accessibility. It’s a great opportunity to strengthen your advocacy skills and drive change in your community!
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 $75 per person for non-members. Lunch and coffee will be provided.
Registration Information:
- At this time, registration is limited to two people per organization to foster a diverse group (additional registrants will be waitlisted).
- Registration Deadline: Wednesday, April 30th, 2025.
- You’ll receive an email regarding your acceptance into the training by May 2nd and a calendar invite upon acceptance.
- Nonmembers will get a payment link. Payments are due by May 5th, 2025. We are not able to provide refunds, but you are welcome to transfer your event registration to a colleague or apply the fee to a future training if you’re unable to make it or pay after the deadline.
This training will take place on May 15th and May 16th from 10AM to 5:30PM at the Spiritus Christi Church / Downtown United Presbyterian Church (121 Fitzhugh St N, Rochester, NY 14614); lunch & coffee will be provided by the Advocacy Institute.
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.
2025 Calendar
Virtual Trainings
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- Thursday, January 23 at 2:00-3:30 PM: The Real State of the State 2025
- Thursday, March 20 at 2:00-3:30 PM: How Policy Passes: The NYS Bill to Law Process
- Tuesdays & Thursdays, July 15-31 at 2:00-4:00 PM: 2025 NYS Virtual Summer Camp (6 Sessions)
- Thursday, October 16 at 2:00-3:30 PM: New York State Advocacy 101
- Thursday, December 4 at 2:00-3:30 PM: Power Mapping in Albany: Preparing for Legislative Session
In-Person Trainings
- Thursday, May 15 & Friday, May 16: Rochester 2-Day Training 2025
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
Webinars: free for Advocacy Institute member organizations; $15 per person for non-members, unless otherwise noted.
In-person trainings: free for Advocacy Institute member organizations, $75 per person per person for non-members.
Contact hello@advocacy-institute.org with any questions.