Boston offers scholarships to immigrants for community organizing training

The City of Boston is offering a $575 scholarship to immigrants, including undocumented individuals, to complete a city-sponsored course in community organizing and advocacy. Managed through Mayor Michelle Wu’s Office for Immigrant Advancement, the program, titled ‘Immigrants Lead Boston’, aims to teach participants how to engage government officials, build coalitions, and mobilize communities.

The fall 2026 session runs from September 21 through December 5. To receive the payment, participants must attend sessions and complete specific civic activities. The curriculum includes instruction on ‘the art of politics’, power analysis, and networking with individuals in positions of power.

Previous cohorts have engaged in drafting testimony regarding housing and access to services. To expand the program's reach, the city partnered with re:power in 2023 to develop a ‘train the trainer’ curriculum, allowing graduates to facilitate further training in public speaking, conflict management, and meeting facilitation.