Program Assistant Fellowship

Program Assistant Fellowship Overview

For more than five decades, FCNL has invested in young leaders who are passionate about advancing change. Through the Program Assistant Fellowship, participants work as full‑time staff members of FCNL from September 2026 through July 2027 and collaborate with experienced advocates to build expertise in lobbying and advocacy from a public interest perspective. Fellows work under the title “Program Assistant” and work directly with FCNL staff, gaining first‑hand knowledge of the legislative process and the organizing and communications work that is necessary for policy change.

The mission of this program is to provide young adults with an opportunity to start their careers in Washington, D.C., and in the world of policy making/advocacy. We seek candidates who have shown a marked interest in pursuing FCNL core values through their work or studies (war‑free world, Earth restored, equitable and just society, individual potential fulfilled) and who come from ethnically, religiously, and racially diverse backgrounds.

• Advocacy
  :
  Support an assigned portfolio to lobby Congress and build grassroots campaigns to encourage constituents and members of Congress to take action by providing them with information on critical issues.
• Outreach
  :
  Help build democracy by organizing campaigns and workshops that empower people around the country to engage with elected officials in Washington.
• Communication
  :
  Draft action alerts, letters, and background reports to keep constituents informed and to express FCNL’s position to Congress and the administration.
• Research
  :
  Attend congressional committee hearings and coalition meetings and analyze documents and reports.
• Connect Faith and Action
  :
  Live your values by advocating for issues of peace and justice.
• Hospitality
  :
  Program Assistants take weekly shifts at the front desk to ensure a proper welcome to all office guests and to receive any phone calls from constituents.

Program Assistants may work on one or more of seven teams:
Justice Reform, Sustainable Energy and Environment, Middle East Policy, Peace building, Nuclear Disarmament and Pentagon Spending, Native American Advocacy, and Economic Justice.

• Commit to an 11‑month fellowship (September 2026 – July 2027) and be eligible to work in the U.S. without sponsorship.
• Demonstrated research, analytical, and writing skills.
• Strong interest in a career in lobbying, public policy, or advocacy.
• Highly motivated and proven ability to manage numerous tasks and deadlines.
• Readiness to take initiative and responsibility.
• Comfortable working in an office environment that reflects the Quaker testimonies of peace, equality, simplicity, and truth, and working within the Quaker, non‑partisan process of FCNL.
• Commitment to involving, promoting, and respecting participants from various backgrounds and perspectives.

• 1–2 years of relevant experience in public policy analysis, political and social action, peace and justice education, community organizing, volunteer community service, or lobbying.
• Proficiency with Quorum or similar practice is a plus.
• Familiarity with congressional procedures.
• Collaborative and consultative approach to preventing and solving problems.
• Very well‑organized, detail‑oriented, thorough, and responsive.
• Strong organizational, problem‑solving, and analytical skills; able to manage priorities, projects, and workflow in a timely manner.

• Live within commuting distance to Washington, DC and work in person on a hybrid basis from the Washington, D.C. office, with time in the office increasing as needed.
• Commit to the entirety of the Fellowship, ending July 2027; FCNL does not cover housing costs; participants arrange their own housing.
• Available for in‑person support at the Annual Meeting/QPPI conference (Nov 12–14, 2026) and Friends Change maker Weekend conference (Mar 2027).

• Hourly pay of $24.85 on a 37.5‑hour work week.
• Relocation reimbursement within company policy.
• Employer‑paid health, dental, and vision insurance.
• Generous paid time off.
• Commuter benefits with WMATA and Capital Bikeshare.
• Monthly…