Our government works best when people make their voices heard in the civic process. The Apiary is a cohort of community leaders, advocates, and organizers from across Nebraska. Cohort members receive direct support to tackle issues directly affecting their communities.
We’re building capacity for community advocates to make policy impact. Community leaders are empowered to fight for their own interests and for their democracy through direct support for their projects, stipends, and opportunities to connect with other leaders from across the state.
What are Apiary cohort members working on?
In our first year of the Apiary program, cohort members’ civic action plans have been as diverse as the state of Nebraska. Here are just a few examples:
- Advocacy to counteract maternal healthcare deserts.
- City-level advocacy for affordable housing.
- Continued work with community engagement and education regarding the city of Omaha’s budget process.
- Coordinating Self-Advocate Leadership Training for adults with disabilities.
Learn more about Apiary members’ civic action plans here!
Why it matters
When the advocates and organizers who truly know their communities are supported with tools, training, and networks, they’re able to sustain their work and make an impact. Their work strengthens our democracy. We’re better equipped to defend against threats to our voting rights and our elections when a diverse array of grassroots community leaders statewide know one another.
What cohort members do
The Apiary supports advocates, organizers, and community leaders through a process of participatory action research. Participatory action research is straightforward, intuitive, and community rooted. Cohort members begin by:
- Identifying common patterns in their communities through conversations with neighbors, surveys, listening sessions, and other creative methods.
- Researching those patterns to see who in their community is impacted and how.
- Developing a civic action plan to pursue organizing and advocacy opportunities based on their research.
Each civic action plan equips cohort members to work alongside their neighbors to create a positive local impact, and build skills to understand state and local policy.
Cohort members receive direct support on their planning and implementation process. They also receive support to connect within the cohort and with other advocates statewide.
What cohort members receive
- $599 stipend
- Support for their civic action plans
- $250 professional development fund
- Training on community engagement, policy advocacy, and grassroots organizing
- Travel, meals, and lodging for in-person cohort meetings covered
Program timeline and how you can get involved
Nominations for Year Two of the Apiary will open on September 1, 2026
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Questions? Reach out to ch**********@***********ka.org (*hover over link to reveal) for details.
