NAA's Advocacy Academy

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Advocacy is a team sport. Like any team sport, success requires good coaching and advanced training that aims to develop a diverse and deep team bench with the knowledge, capabilities and team fluidity needed to perform on gameday.

That’s where NAA’s Advocacy Academy comes into the picture. It invests resources in NAA’s most promising advocates to transform them into superstar advocates with the ability to influence policy decisions on behalf of the rental housing industry.

Overview

The Advocacy Academy program delivers 8-10 hours of education and interactive training exercises to develop and reinforce participants’ abilities to form and sustain influential relationships with their government representatives. On the program's final day, participants will put their new skills into practice by going to Capitol Hill to meet with Members of Congress and/or staff about policy issues that are important to the rental housing industry.

Advocacy Academy participants will be required to attend ALL Advocacy Academy sessions.

Event Details

• Locaton: Arlington, Virginia
• Dates – September 15-17. 2025

Fees and Expenditures:

• Registration Fees: There is no registration fee for this event.
• Hotel Fees: NAA will provide hotel accommodations (four nights)
• Travel Expenses: NAA will directly pay for selected participants' air fare through NAA's travel service. NAA will provide participants' with vouchers to cover transportation costs to and from Ronald Reagan Washington National Airport, Dulles International Airport, or Baltimore/Washington International Thurgood Marshall Airport.

Requirements and Expectations

• Attendance: Participants are required to attend ALL virtual and in-person Advocacy Academy training sessions.
• Engagement: Participants are expected to complete pre- and post-program surveys, actively engage in facilitated discussions, ask questions, participate in interactive group exercises, and satisfactorily complete independent training exercises
• Commitment: Advocacy Academy “graduates” commit to regularly participate in NAA advocacy activities, campaigns and programs that aim to facilitate building strong relationships with government representatives with the power to influence policy decisions that affect the rental housing industry.

Recruitment and Deadlines

• Nomination: Advocacy Academy candidates must be first nominated to apply by their NAA-member affiliate; OR nominated directly by NAA. (The nomination deadline is Monday, June 30, 2025.)
• Application: Advocacy Academy nominees must apply to participate. (The application deadline is Monday July 7, 2025.)
• Review and Approval: Applications will be reviewed and approved by NAA Government Affairs staff, senior leaders and members of NAA’s Advocacy Engagement Subcommittee. (Decisions will be announced by July 1, 2025.)