Young Leaders
Civic Action Program
A program for Democracy House alumni to put their leadership into action.
Applications for YLCAP 2026 are OPEN now - make sure to submit your application by October 26th!
About The Program
The Young Leaders Civic Action Program (YLCAP) is meant for young changemakers who use organizing practices to build their leadership skills and strengthen democracy in their communities.
YLCAP welcomes Democracy House program (YLSI, YEP, internship, etc) alumni and builds on those experiences to deepen their leadership and organizing skills in service of a stronger democracy. YLCAP is a small, cohort-based program.
PROGRAM STRUCTURE
YLCAP runs from January to April, with applications opening in the fall and a virtual orientation for Fellows held in December. See below for a typical program timeline:
December: The program begins with a virtual orientation and welcome meeting.
January: The cohort gathers for a multiple-day, in-person organizing training.
January through mid-April: The full cohort meets virtually twice per month, and teams have weekly virtual coaching sessions.
Late April: The program concludes with a virtual gathering to share and celebrate Fellows’ accomplishments!
Each part of the program outlined above is required. Specific dates and times for each piece will be given in the application; it’s an applicant’s responsibility to ensure their ability to commit to the program in its entirety.
Successful applicants will be notified of their acceptance by late fall.
PROGRAM BENEFITS
Fellows will join an active learning community with resources to support their development as organizing leaders, including:
In-person training: The cost of meals and lodging during the training will be covered by Democracy House, as well as travel expenses up to $400.
Regular cohort-building sessions.
Weekly meetings with professional coaches to ensure project progress and build leadership skills.
Certificate of completion and stipend awarded upon successful completion of the program.
Eligibility + Expectations
Apply as a team of 2-5 people (teams of 3-4 preferred). At least one team member must have completed a Democracy House program (YLSI, YEP, internship, etc.).
Each team will submit one application through SurveyMonkey. We recommend that the Democracy House alum starts the application and adds their team members as collaborators. The form will allow each team member to contribute to the application.
Each team member should be 18-25 years old.
Have an interest and/or leadership experience in taking civic action to advance democracy.
Each team must share an idea of how they are excited to create change and strengthen democracy in their community.
Your project does not need to be fully formed, and this program will support the visioning, drafting, and executing of an organizing project. This means that your idea may evolve over time, and we are looking for participants who are eager to create tangible change in their communities and who are flexible and willing to incorporate their learning over the course of the program
A team’s idea or interest area should address a challenge within their college or home community. For instance, if a team is interested in voting access, their project idea may be to establish a polling station on their campus or in their neighborhood.
Must be able to commit to the full program including:
Virtual orientation in December.
Multiple-day, in-person training (meals and lodging provided, and up to $400 in travel expenses covered).
Virtual cohort meetings held twice per month.
Weekly virtual coaching sessions.
A final virtual cohort gathering and celebration in late April.
The specific dates and times of each of these requirements will be shared in the program application.
After the initial training, participants can expect to spend 8-12 hours a week on their project and in coaching/cohort meetings.
All participants must be based in the US for the duration of the program (January to April 2026). Citizenship is not a factor in eligibility, provided that the applicant will be located in the US while participating in YLCAP.
Applicants are responsible for ensuring their ability to fully complete the program requirements. Young people of all backgrounds, ethnicities, cultures, and political experiences are encouraged to apply.
Questions? Reach out to us via email at info@democracyhouse.org.
From Alumni
Past projects and results include…
Bi-lingual voter advocacy: 600 voter registrations, multiple tablings, and local events that helped people gain courage to speak to city officials on bilingual voter representation.
Overdose prevention in campus area bars: secured funding from local health department to stock bars with a consistent Narcan supply, and having the health department provide usage training to bar staff and students.
Voter education: created new voting education module to be implemented into campus orientation curriculum and give incoming students the information necessary to vote.
What Alums are saying:
“More than anything I enjoyed being in community with everyone and supporting each other and working with each other because more than anything I wanted to know from people who were our age and going through this together.”
“I was able to learn about ways to amplify my voice and the voices of others involved in my campaign … and how to maximize my campaign's impact.”
“Through my coaching sessions, I was able to continue to make progress with my campaign as well as grow as an organizer and leader.”
