APSA Advocacy Program
The American Political Science Association (APSA) Advocacy Program advances the discipline of political science by educating policy makers and the citizenry about political science scholarship and education. APSA seeks to increase federal support for basic and applied political science research, to promote independent peer review, and to advocate for academic freedom.
APSA’s advocacy activities address funding priorities across the discipline. APSA also advocates on behalf of political scientists and political science departments through letters, statements, and direct advocacy. To inquire about the possibility of APSA performing advocacy on your behalf, please submit information about your situation to advocacy@apsanet.org.
APSA Advocacy Program Latest News
Latest Webinar Highlights
Guiding Principles for Advocating for Political Science | October 23, 2025
On October 23, 2025, APSA organized a teaching webinar titled “Guiding Principles for Advocating for Political Science.” The webinar, which featured a presentation from Executive Director of the Consortium of Social Science Associations’ (COSSA) Wendy Naus, centered upon teaching strategies for how APSA’s members can be effective advocates for research and education in support of the discipline of political science, dispelling common misconceptions about advocacy, and demystifying the process of communicating with legislators and other decision-makers. Following the presentation, APSA’s Associate Director of Government Relations & Public Engagement Ben Goodrich moderated a Q&A session and provided a brief overview about APSA’s Advocacy Program and opportunities for members to get more involved in advocacy.
Apply for an Advocacy Travel Grant
APSA is pleased to provide travel grants to members for attendance at annual advocacy days in Washington, DC!
Each year, advocacy organizations such as the Consortium of Social Science Associations (COSSA) and National Humanities Alliance (NHA) host advocacy events that address conditions for federal funding in the social sciences and humanities, provide advocacy training, and feature meetings with congressional staffers on Capitol Hill. These organizations’ advocacy days are opportunities for APSA members to learn how to effectively advocate for political science at home and in the nation’s capital and to educate congressional representatives and staff about the need for robust federal funding for political science research and education.
APSA Advocacy Updates
Get the latest updates on federal policy updates, events, and advocacy opportunities from APSA’s Advocacy Program!
APSA’s advocacy addresses research funding and academic freedom, with more information about how members can engage in action alerts and other at-home advocacy. APSA’s Advocacy Program advances the discipline of political science by educating policy makers and the citizenry about political science scholarship and education, and advocates on behalf of political scientists and political science departments through letters, statements, and direct advocacy in Washington.
Read APSA Letters and Statements
- Read APSA’s letters and public statements.
- Read community and advocacy letters APSA has signed.
Advocacy Newsletter
Partner Organizations
The APSA is a member of several advocacy coalitions and partnerships including the Consortium of Social Science Associations (COSSA), the National Humanities Alliance (NHA), the Coalition for International Education (CIE), the Coalition for National Science Funding (CNSF), and the CivXNow Coalition. APSA Members are invited to participate in advocacy through our partner organizations, linked below. Members may also contact APSA at advocacy@apsanet.org to learn more about how to be an advocate for political science.
Federal Agencies and Programs
Learn more about federal funding for political science at the below federal agencies and programs.
How to Get involved
APSA members play a key role in informing policymakers and the public about political science research and education. APSA provides a variety of resources to assist our members in their outreach activities.
- Do you need financial support to participate in advocacy in Washington? Apply for APSA’s Advocacy Travel Grants here.
- Advocate for state-level higher education funding now. Use APSA’s state-level talking points to make your ask.
- Are you the recipient of NSF or NEH funding? Let your representatives know! See APSA’s template here.
- Sign up for action alerts from COSSA and the NHA, and join their annual advocacy days. APSA members may be eligible for discounts on registration. Contact advocacy@apsanet.org for more information.
- Use the CivXNow coalition resources to advocate on behalf of the bipartisan Civics Secures Democracy Act.
- Need institutional support to advocate for political science in Washington? Check out this resource from COSSA.
- Learn other ways to advocate for political science and respond to current action alerts on our Member Action page.
NHA News
- On Thursday, May 1, 2025, the American Council of Learned Societies (ACLS), the American Historical Association (AHA), and the Modern […]
- For Immediate Release On Monday, March 31, 2025 we learned that the Department of Government Efficiency (DOGE) is targeting the […]
- On Friday night, the Trump administration issued an executive order targeting the Institute for Museum and Library Services (IMLS). The […]
- By Kassandra Wahlstrom Ford The Federation of State Humanities Councils (Federation) and the National Humanities Alliance (NHA) are pleased to […]
- By Beatrice Gurwitz On May 6, 2024, NHA began a pilot of the Four Day Work Week (4DWW). The 4DWW […]
COSSA News
- The House Appropriations Committee has begun consideration of its fiscal year (FY) 2027 appropriations bills. The Committee is working to […]
- In early April, the Trump Administration released its budget request for fiscal year (FY) 2027. In it, the Administration states […]
- Following a week-long May recess, Congress has turned their attention toward the fiscal year (FY) 2027 appropriations process. As previously reported, […]
- It has been a particularly challenging few months for the National Science Foundation (NSF), between a massive, proposed budget cut, […]
- The Office of Behavioral and Social Sciences Research (OBSSR) at the National Institutes of Health (NIH) is now accepting nominations […]
Political Science Now News
- The 2026 APSA Graduate Student Survey, conducted from February to April 2026, gathered responses from 207 graduate students in political science and closely related fields (e.g. public administration). The survey collected information about respondents’ field […] The post APSA Graduate Student Survey: Participant Characteristics and Finances | Data on the Profession appeared first on .
- Nicolas Cardenas-Miller is a Ph.D. student at the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill studying political economy with a regional focus on Latin America using causal inference applied to observational data. He completed undergraduate degrees […] The post Meet DFP Spring Fellow, Nicolás Cárdenas-Miller, University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill appeared first on .