State Legislative Experience

State Legislative Experience 2025

Since 2020, Your National Youth, National Junior Grange, and National Grange Legislative Departments have worked together to develop a legislative experience to teach our young members about the legislative process of our grassroots organization and worked to develop relationships with representatives and departments from around the country.

During past legislative experiences, we have taught attendees the basics of government and Grange policies. We are now working to encourage our states to provide their own legislative experience for their young members.

We want and encourage Youth, Young Adults, and Juniors to join together at their state capitol and participate in a state legislative day. The purpose of this Legislative Experience is for Junior and Youth/Young Adult age aged Grangers from across their state to come together and learn about how the Grange functions on the legislative side. Youth and Juniors should be educated in the many ways in which Grangers and citizens alike can advocate on issues they feel are important to shape public policy and communities in which they live.

We encourage states to take their members behind the scenes and look at what government is and how it operates in their own state. Junior and Youth members, along with their leaders/parents, should be invited to attend the State Legislative Experience that can be planned by the State Grange or assigned departments. Junior and Youth Leaders accompanying must adhere to the State and/or National Grange Child Protection Policy.

Grangers should make plans to attend briefings with important information pertaining to the Grange Legislative Department. Plans should also include meetings with governmental departments (such as the Department of Agriculture and Department of Education), meetings with Congressmen and Senators from your state and a tour of the State Capitol.

Just as our Grange Declaration of Purposes suggests, we will ensure that our Grange Youth, Young Adults, and Juniors “take a proper interest in the politics of one’s country” so they might become the informed and involved citizens required to move America forward and to guarantee a better society for future generations.

The purpose of getting Youth and Young Adult Grangers involved in this Legislative experience is for young members from across the state to develop an understanding about how the Grange functions on the legislative side.

Should your State make plans for a legislative day, we ask that you keep the National Grange updated on your event.

Grange Grassroots Activism Scholarship

Deadline: February 1st – Sponsored by Potomac Grange #1, Washington, DC
Grassroots Activism Scholarship Application

 

Any Youth, Young Adult, or Junior that has applied to attend a State or National Legislative Experience event is eligible to apply for the Grange Grassroots Activism Scholarship. The scholarship application with supplemental materials will be submitted to the National Grange Youth/Young Adult Team and will be passed along to the National Grange Legislative Director and Potomac Grange #1 for selection. Two travel/lodging scholarships, not to exceed $500 each, will be awarded.

Applicants must submit ALL of the following:

  1. The completed application forms.
  2. Youth and Young Adult Members:
  3. Submit an OP-ed you wrote advocating on behalf of the Grange for a specific policy issue, OR a copy of a resolution you have written and presented to your Community/Subordinate, Pomona, or State Grange, including information, the date of presentation, and outcome.
  4. An essay about what you want to gain by attending the Legislative Experience.
  5. Two letters of reference:
  6. One from your State Master/President, State, Subordinate/Community, or Pomona Legislative Director or State Youth Director, or from a National Grange Officer demonstrating your character, ability for engagement, and activism, and interest in Grange policy.
  7. The second letter can be from anyone outside of the family unit.
  8. If selected as a winner of the scholarship, the awardee will be required to submit travel expenses and a written or verbal report of their experience of why it was a valuable experience to them as a Granger and a young person. “Zoom teleconferencing will be available” These submissions must be given to Potomac Grange #1.