People For the American Way’s Front Line Leaders Academy (FLLA), founded in 2005, provides values-based training and leadership development to individuals seeking to be part of positive social change in their communities.
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FLLA's vision is to equip young community leaders with the skills to participate in truly representative government that gives voice to youth and marginalized communities.
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In our resistance against historic attacks on freedom, justice, and democracy, creating a young, progressive, civic-minded leaders with the skills to participate in our democracy couldn’t be more important. In 2025, we’re relaunching this critical program for a new cohort of young leaders who will be equipped to organize their communities, run campaigns, and defend our values.
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Fellows from across the nation selected for the program participate in training conferences, covering a wide range of organizing skills and tactics, including how to be an effective campaign manager, finance director, communications director, field organizer, and candidate.
By graduation, FLLA fellows will have developed a wide range of political skills and compiled a resources workbook that will help them to be effective local leaders.
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We are scheduled to launch Spring/Summer 2025.
We’re in the process of planning our 2025 Program and will announce more information soon.
Want to learn more? Check out these Frequently Asked Questions about FLLA
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Frequently asked questions
Who should apply to the FLLA program?
The purpose of FLLA is to prepare young progressive individuals who are looking to take their next step in civic leadership, including working on or managing a campaign, building a grassroots movement, starting a political organization, and/or running for office. The ideal FLLA fellow is someone who is looking to build a foundation of knowledge and develop a network of like-minded, progressive individuals to support, encourage, and inspire each other.
What is the age range of participants?
Our focus is on progressive young leaders aged 18 to 40.
How long does the FLLA program last? What are the time commitments of FLLA?
From acceptance to graduation, FLLA lasts just over three months. During this time, FLLA fellows attend in-person weekend conferences, supplemented by group and individual assignments between the trainings. After FLLA concludes, graduates are encouraged to stay connected with People For the American Way Foundation to further nurture their development and support their work in the progressive movement.
How much does FLLA cost?
There is a one-time tuition fee of $250 to be paid before graduation weekend. Scholarships are available on an individual basis as needed. Provided that you are not a paid-campaign staff member and/or do not become a declared candidate for public office during the term of the Academy, you will not be charged any fees in addition to the tuition fee listed above.