Why This Matters

Effective organizing requires organizers to continuously refine their skills and capacities. Consequences of failing to consistently support the growth of entry through senior-level organizers are staff burnout and ineffective campaign strategies. Most troubling, it contributes to the underrepresentation of marginalized people in leadership positions within the community development and social justice movement overall by making success and advancement more difficult to obtain. The Center for Community Leadership helps organizers to build both their abilities and their resilience so they can stay productive in this work for the long-term.

The Academy

Introductory Course

The Introductory Course offers participants an overview of community change and organizing. During the course, participants deepen their understanding of social conditions as the context for organizing; explore different models of organizing historically and currently; develop their understanding of how to engage community in improving their own conditions; develop skills for building the leaders of community; and increase capacity for organizers to lead successful campaigns that win concrete changes for people. The course meets from 10 am to 1 pm, two Fridays each month starting in September and runs through the end of June of the following year.

Session Topics include: base building, leadership development, work planning/time management, meeting facilitation, campaigns strategy, and more.

2021-2022 Tuition: $2,000 ANHD members $2,500 non-members.

Advanced Course

The Advanced Course is for experienced organizers to read, reflect, and explore ways to deepen their analysis and practice of community organizing. We designed the course to help organizers elevate and deepen their institutional and individual opportunities for growth. It is structured by five topics that all look at developing staff and creating a culture of excellence; the five topics include Base Building, Leadership Development, Political Education, Coalitions and Campaigns, and Institutional Growth.  For each topic, the class explores theoretical frameworks, reflects on current practices for their strengths and challenges, identifies new practices to try, and then reflects on implementing them. The class is participatory and discussion-oriented, rather than lecture-style. Participants, the instructor, and additional advisers all contribute to the on-going development of the course. The course meets from 10 am to 1 pm, two Fridays each month starting in September and through the end of June of the following year.

2021-2022 Tuition: $2,000 ANHD members / $2,500 non-members.

Academy Bundle

If an ANHD member organization enrolls 1 organizer in the Intro class and 1 in the Advanced course, their tuition rate will be $3,500 for both seats, rather than the typical $4,000. We are limiting Academy Bundle seats to 4 organizations for the coming year, and this rate is only available to ANHD member organizations.

Supplemental Workshops & Trainings 

All participants in either course of the Organizing Academy have free access to all ANHD trainings for the duration of their class (September-June).

*Given the current public health situation in New York City, we will be monitoring to see the feasibility of holding in-person classes as the fall approaches. However, if the situation worsens at any point, we are prepared to hold classes digitally over the course of the year. If you have any needs or questions relating to class format, there is space to disclose that in the application.

Our Alumni

Post-graduation, we continue supporting CCLers and the organizing movement with ongoing educational and networking opportunities. Alumni stay connected through our LinkedIn page and through our Facebook Group. If you'd like to be added, please contact Armando Moritz-Chapelliquen.