Nominate Candidates for NAA's Advocacy Academy!

Nominate a Candidate

What is the Advocacy Academy?

NAA's 'Advocacy Academy is NAA's most significant investment in the multi-family industry's most promising advocates.

Advocacy Academies deliver 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.

"The content was great and the delivery was executed well… The academy has motivated me to begin something similar at my local affiliate… I'm beyond excited to utilize the skills I learned and feel much more empowered now."

Crystal Moya, LUMA Residential; Vice President of Operations
- Advocacy Academy Graduate (2024)
- NAA Advocate of the Year (2025)

NAA Academy

• Location: Arlington, Virginia
• Dates: September 21-23, 2026
• Nomination Deadline: Nominations are due no later than May 21, 2026; however, NAA urges you to submit nominations as soon as possible to maximize your nominees' time to submit their applications by the May 22, 2026 application deadline.
• Application Deadline: Advocacy Academy nominees must apply to participate. (The application deadline is May 22, 2026.) 

NAA's Investment

• 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. Vouchers will be provided to cover transportation costs to and from airports servicing the DC Metropolitan area.

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.

Training Curriculum

Advocacy Academy participants will be required to attend ALL Advocacy Academy sessions.Training will be interactive and will cover topics such as the following:

• Effective strategies for building influential relationships with policymakers
• Information policymakers want constituents to provide
• Developing and leveraging legislator profiles to increase your influence with policymakers
• Building a local advocacy network and prioritizing your legislative agenda
• Crafting effective advocacy stories that will resonate with policymakers
• Interactive activities including roll-playing activities for participants to practice using new skills and concepts
• Meetings with Members of Congress and/or staff on the program's final day