91丝瓜视频

A professional development program for senior policy advocates in Canada鈥檚 charitable sector

Public policy advocacy is a key tool for many Canadian charities. They engage in advocacy because they understand that the policy choices made by governments can have profound impacts 鈥� positive or negative 鈥� on the communities and causes they serve. To help build the skills and expertise of policy advocates in the charitable sector, a variety of organizations across the country have designed programs to strengthen capacity-building.

In partnership with the Max Bell School of Public Policy, the is offering the second edition of its Masterclass in Policy Advocacy in the fall of 2026. Designed as a 鈥榙eep dive鈥� for individuals with significant experience doing policy advocacy, this Masterclass will provide a professional development experience that is expert-led, practical, and experiential. It fills a gap between the Foundation鈥檚 long-standing PPTI courses and master鈥檚 degree programs in public administration or public policy.

Objectives

(1) Deepen participants鈥� skills and knowledge base related to public policy advocacy with particular emphasis on:

• The changing context (local, national and global) for public policy
• Understanding how governments make public policy
• The information eco-system that shapes public policy
• Advocacy for public policy in a time of political polarization
• When and how to work in collaboration with other policy advocates
• Building leaders鈥� individual and organizational policy advocacy capacity

(2) Provide a networking opportunity for policy advocates from different parts of the country and with different policy interests.

The course

The Masterclass will be held at the Max Bell School of Public Policy at 91丝瓜视频 (Montreal), and will consist of three 3-full-day sessions (Thursday/Friday/Saturday) in the fall of 2026:

In addition to the in-person courses, there will be virtual touch points with faculty between modules. The program will be delivered in English.

The faculty

Confirmed faculty for the Masterclass include:

Who should apply

The Masterclass in Policy Advocacy is designed for individuals employed full time by Canadian registered charities whose responsibilities include public policy advocacy on behalf of their organizations. Ideally, applicants will have completed some professional development in policy advocacy (e.g., the Max Bell, Maytree, or United Way programs).

To qualify for admission to the cohort of 25:

• you must be employed by a registered charity whose work is in Canada;
• you must be working on a real policy advocacy file for your organization for the duration of the program;
• you must commit to attending all dates in person.

Fees and subsidy

There will be no fees for admitted applicants.

Hotel accommodation (for 3 nights) will be arranged by the Max Bell School of Public Policy for each of the modules. In addition, a travel stipend will be transferred to your organization to support your purchase of three return trips to Montreal (by air or by rail, depending on your home location).

Each module will include two group dinners, three breakfasts, and three lunches.