North Central Washington

Legislative Advocacy Fellowship

Strong leaders across NCW care deeply about community issues—but many don’t have a clear path to influence policy at the state level. This fellowship bridges that gap: from caring about local issues to shaping decisions in Olympia.

Making Advocacy More Accessible

What if shaping the future of our region was something more of us could lean into? At Thriving Together NCW we believe our community members know best when it comes to what’s working and what’s not. You see the gaps and you’re already doing the work, but most people never get the opportunity to turn that insight into influence at the state level.

The North Central Washington Legislative Advocacy Fellowship is designed to change that. This initiative will equip local leaders with the skills and confidence needed to engage in public policy advocacy in ways that are strategic, collaborative, and grounded in community priorities.

How it works:

  • Selected participants will attend cohort style sessions each month from July 2026-May 2027. Sessions will follow a hybrid formatand rage from 2-4 hours in length.

  • This is not another passive learning experience. You can expecthands-on, applied learning with opportunities to engage in real world practice.

  • The program builds toward a fully funded, advocacy trip to Olympia.

  • Community advocates who have a foundation in and want to strengthen their ability to engage effectively in policy spaces

  • Community-based organizations & nonprofit leaders

  • Coalition leaders & members

  • Leadership Institute of NCW alumni

Who should apply?

What will I walk away with?

  • A co-created legislative agenda

  • Experience messaging and storytelling with state policymakers

  • Real advocacy experience with legislators and in Olympia

  • Practical tools like one-pagers, talking points, and testimony language

  • New relationships with legislators, staff, and regional peers

Nominate a Community Leader

Know someone who should be in this space? Use the application below to put their name forward as a strong fit for this fellowship.

Planning to apply yourself? The application will go live here in early May. Subscribe to Thriving Together NCW’s email updates to be the first to know when it opens.

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