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 PRESTIGIOUS FELLOWSHIP FOR CAMPAIGNERS and ADVOCATES

Express interest for an upcoming Progress Fellowship

THE PROGRESS FELLOWSHIP IS A
PROGRAM FOR LEADERS

We train and empower advocates, campaigners, organisers and changemakers across civil society with the leadership skills, cross-sector connections and winning best practices to advocate for a more inclusive, diverse and fairer world.

CELEBRATING 1,000 FELLOWS

In 2026, Australian Progress is proud to celebrate the graduation of our 1,000th Fellow since launching the first Progress Fellowship in 2013. Across 46 cohorts, we’ve brought together advocates from more than 400 organisations and movements - building powerful leadership skills and a connected network of changemakers who are shaping the future of Australia and Aotearoa.

Watch our video below to find out more about the Progress Fellowship:

THE FELLOWSHIP PROGRAM

The curriculum is anchored by key foundational concepts for effective campaigning. These include:

  • Understanding and analysing power

  • Tools for designing effective campaign strategy

  • Frameworks for thinking about and selecting tactics

  • Messaging and framing for different audiences and engaging the media

  • Community organising

  • First Nations justice

  • Movement ecosystems

  • Intersectional and inclusive movements and campaigning

  • Impact evaluation

The Fellowship will also cover a mix of tactical topics, chosen to reflect the interests and need of the cohort. These could include a combination of the following:

  • Political engagement and policy influence

  • Digital campaigning and social media

  • Corporate campaigning

  • Story-based strategy

  • Online fundraising and email campaigning

  • Civil disobedience and non-violent direct action

  • Coalitions and alliances

  • Volunteer engagement and support

MEET THE FELLOWS

 1,000+ leading change makers in Australia have taken part in the Fellowship. Meet more of the fellows here.

  • Neelu Memon — Blind Sport NZ

    Neelu has a masters degree and worked with the NZ government in disability policy. She's also keen on running, cycling and winter sports. To raise awareness about the capacity of people with disabilities, she crowdfunded her way to the World Paracycling Champs in France, climbed Mt. Aspiring, and earned the title of the first legally blind person to complete the Coast to Coast.

  • Nathan Meteoro — Black Dog Institute

    Nathan is the Senior Project Officer at the Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Lived Experience Centre and has worked at the Black Dog Institute for the past 4 years. Nathan has a background in psychology and has worked in various settings including research, disability support, and notably on LifeSpan, a systems approach to suicide prevention.

  • Rachel Deans — Market Forces

    Rachel is a former Melbourne Uni environment officer and started an internship with Market Forces in 2016. This quickly led to a campaigning position, with a particular focus on working with and empowering shareholders. She was the shareholder action campaigner for five and a half years and is now the superannuation fund campaign. She works with super fund members to hold their companies accountable to action on climate.

MEET THE FACILITATORS

A program delivered by leading Australian campaigners and non-profit experts.

Image of Anita. Anita has grey ear-length hair and is wearing a red sweater. She is standing in front of a garden.

ANITA TANG

Anita is passionate about building people power to secure public policies that benefit the community, with a particular focus on people needing care and support due to their disability or life circumstances. At Cancer Council NSW, Anita led the development of the grassroots advocacy approach that led to significant campaign wins on smoke-free legislation, cost of chemotherapy, access to treatment and policies to protect people from known cancer risks. Now her focus is on increasing the impact of the advocacy work of NGO’s by helping them unlock the potential of their grassroots supporters.

KAZ UY

Kaz is the Collective Impact Lead at Climate Action Network Australia (CANA) and is a Training Facilitator with AktivAsia. She was previously the Organising Director at GetUp. With roots in the Philippines, her approach to community organising and training draws on decolonisation, Freirean andragogy, and critical reflexivity - encouraging grassroots activists to connect with and explore their own communities' histories of resistance and actively engage in their liberation. She integrates this with intersectional, heart-centered leadership and community care practices from her home culture. She loves surfing and is currently based on unceded Waddawurrung Country in Ocean Grove.

CHRIS BEDDING

Chris firmly believes that a few people with the right mix of skills and resources can change the world. As part of the Love Makes a Way movement for refugee rights, he engaged in and led nonviolent direct action and social media campaigns. Chris was involved in the campaign for marriage equality and is currently part of a team advocating for a ban on LGBTQIA+ change and suppression practices in WA. He is currently Executive Officer of Faith Workers Alliance, a new workers collective organisation. Chris trains in a wide range of topics with Evolve WA and is an experienced media spokesperson. He completed the Progress Fellowship in 2020.

UPCOMING PROGRAMS

2026 PERTH FELLOWSHIP

Applications are now open for the 2026 Perth Fellowship. The program will be delivered in a hybrid format, featuring two four-day in-person intensives and 12 weekly online seminars. Key dates are listed below.

Apply for the Perth Fellowship here

2027 AUTUMN PROGRESS FELLOWSHIP

The 2027 Autumn Progress Fellowship will be hosted from 18 February to 18 June. You can find out more and submit your interest below.

Find out more and submit your interest here

WHAT DOES IT COST?

The cost for participation in the Fellowship program is often paid by employers, and fees are priced according to the type of organisation and the annual budget. Large non-profit organisations, social enterprises and for-profit organisations cover more of the costs of the program, providing opportunities for smaller non-profit organisations, grassroots community groups and participants eligible for scholarships who experience higher financial barriers to accessing the program.

The cost of running the program remains heavily subsidised by Australian Progress. Program fees vary across various fellowships taking into account retreats, preparation, length of the program and location.

Please note that all participant fees listed below are specific to the hybrid format of the program, and also excludes GST.

Full Price | $6,200
For government, businesses, social enterprises, B-corps, education and government bodies servicing the non-profit sector.

Large Nonprofit | $4,400
For registered nonprofits with an annual revenue in Australia of over $3 million and local government offices.

Regular Nonprofit | $3,500
For registered nonprofits with an annual revenue in Australia between $500,000 and $3 million and political offices.

Small Nonprofit | $2,200
For registered nonprofits with an annual revenue in Australia of less than $500,000.

SCHOLARSHIPS

We offer scholarships to ensure the diversity of participants in the Progress Fellowship by providing partial ($1,100+GST) or fully subsidised places for organisations and individuals facing financial barriers to participating in the program. For every fellowship progress, we offer up to five subsidised places.

We typically prioritise scholarships for First Nations people, people with disability, people of colour, people with lived experience seeking asylum and unwaged changemakers.

Apply for a scholarship here

THE FELLOWSHIP ALUMNI NETWORK

More than a program, a lifelong network.

Upon graduation, fellows join the Fellowship Alumni Network of 800+ leading changemakers and supportive peers who together provide each other with support, advice, collaborations and friendships for many years to come as they continue their careers working different roles across civil society movements.

Our alumni actively participate in closed online spaces, organise regular catch-ups, attend exclusive alumni events and share their expertise to future cohorts of the fellowship program.

See the list of alumni here

FAQ

  • Australian Progress exists to strengthen the capacity of civil society, so the fellowship program is primarily designed and curated for those working in civil society organisations. Typically, organisations pay all or most of the fee with fellows occasionally covering part of the fees themselves.

    The fee is typically priced according to your type of organisation and the annual budget of your organisation, even if you are paying for the fellowship (partially or entirely) yourself. We usually require employers to make at least some financial contribution, to demonstrate their commitment to the professional development of the participating fellow.

    If you are not employed by an organisation and don’t receive a salary, you are encouraged to apply for a scholarship. We offer limited scholarship places. In some instances if you are not offered a scholarship place we may offer you a place at an alternate fee.

  • The program is primarily designed for people in full-time roles, however it is a time-intensive program that requires a significant time commitment. The program runs over 4-5 months and includes 8 full days of intensive sessions as well as a total 30 contact hours for evening seminars. Additionally, participants are expected to commit to 2-4 hours of homework, reading and reflection each week.

    We expect participants to be available for every retreat and 80% of seminars when they participate in the program, and catch up on any content when absent.

  • The opening intensive is essential as it covers foundational content critical for participants to engage with the remainder of the program. If you cannot attend the opening retreat, we are unable to accept you into the program.

    We require at least 80% attendance. This means missing one or two seminars is acceptable, if it is absolutely necessary. If you have commitments which you know will affect your attendance, but are still interested, please get in touch to discuss ways you can still participate in the program.

  • The program is typically designed for mid-to-senior level staff as well as changemakers with experience in public advocacy and campaigning. Often participants in our program hold various roles including Coordinators, Managers and Directors from different areas of expertise including campaigning, organising, digital, policy, media and more. However if you have some experience in advocacy, we encourage you to submit an application.

    For each cohort, we aim to ensure diversity across seniority, experience, sectors and identity to offer a space for changemakers in the fellowship program to learn from a diversity of perspectives.

  • The next program will be run entirely online, with four 2-day intensives and twelve evening seminars.

  • Applications for the Progress Fellowship are now open, please submit your interest here. If you have any questions, don’t hesitate to contact us by email: info@australianprogress.org.au.

ALUMNI TESTIMONIALS

  • The breadth of the topics covered and the calibre of the facilitators and speakers reflect the thoughtfulness and care that went into designing this Fellowship. It provided a space for me to not only up-skill and connect with a new network of fellow campaigners, but more importantly feel part of a genuine community where I did not feel ‘othered’. I felt truly seen, uplifted, and supported in ways that affirmed my humanity.

    Kaz Uy, Democracy in Colour

  • The Progress Fellowship was four months of connecting with extraordinary campaigners and organisers, being challenged and tested, building and rebuilding your skills, and leaving with fresh eyes and fresh ideas. It gave me the chance to reflect on what it is I do, and try to do, and think more deeply about my work, than I have, in a long time, and I left with a clearer perspective on things, some new tools -- with more energy! The classes were all very stimulating, the readings always hit the mark, and most of all, miss the terrific companionship of an inspiring group of activists from across the country.

    Pas Forgione, Anti-Poverty Network SA

  • The Progress Fellowship offered a comprehensive program that significantly enhanced my campaigning knowledge and practices. I continue to refer back to the program's content and skillset when planning next steps within my daily work. Learning amongst fellows from across the country who are working within diverse organisations was the best part of the program as you meet driven, like minded people who have now become long-term friends and a great cohort of people in which you can exchange knowledge.

    Ashley Dobozy, NSW Nurses and Midwives' Association