Capitol Hill Day

Thank you for another great Capitol Hill Day!

View Photo Highlights from Capitol Hill Day

Each year during the National Mentoring Summit, MENTOR brings together mentoring advocates from across the country for Capitol Hill Day – a coordinated day of meetings with members of Congress and their staff.

Together, we elevate the voices of young people, share the proven impact of mentoring, and advocate for federal policies and funding that expand opportunities for youth nationwide.

Capitol Hill Day (CHD) is a powerful opportunity to turn your passion for mentoring into action alongside peers who share your commitment to young people.

What Is Capitol Hill Day?

CHD is a guided advocacy experience designed for mentoring leaders, practitioners, and champions at all levels. Participants meet directly with Congressional offices to:

Share real-world mentoring stories and impact
Advocate for MENTOR’s key federal policy and funding priorities
Help lawmakers understand how mentoring strengthens communities across the country

No prior advocacy experience is required – MENTOR provides all training, materials, and meeting coordination.

Key Days & Requirements:

Mandatory In-Person Training
Tuesday, February 3, 2026
2 – 5 PM Eastern
Summit hotel (Ballroom level)

This required training will prepare you for your meetings, review key legislation, and walk through what to expect on Capitol Hill. Please plan travel and lodging accordingly.

Capitol Hill Day
Wednesday, February 4, 2026
Capitol Hill, Washington, DC

What MENTOR Provides

All Congressional meetings scheduled for registered CHD participants
A folder of materials to share with Congressional offices
Preparation on priority legislation and federal funding issues
A free CHD T-shirt (to wear over business attire during meetings)

Cost: Free for registered National Mentoring Summit attendees (Summit registration will be confirmed)

Key Resources:

Missed the virtual Capitol Hill Day training on January 20? Review the slides from that training here.
Want to preview the issues we’ll be advocating for on Capitol Hill? Explore MENTOR’s Congressional priorities and federal funding requests here. All participants will receive full preparation on these issues during the February 3 training.

Questions? Please contact Abbie Evans with any questions about CHD preparation or logistics. As registration for 2026 is closed, we will not be entertaining any additional participants at this time.

About Capitol Hill Day

MENTOR’s Capitol Hill Day brings together stakeholders from across the youth mentoring movement, including mentoring program staff, volunteer mentors, funders, researchers and public officials who have seen firsthand the positive impact a caring adult mentor can have in the life of a young person.

Advocates participating in Capitol Hill Day must travel to DC for an in-person training and meeting and networking with peers from across the country on Tuesday, February 3. This year, advocates will hear from young people, elected leaders and a panel of Congressional staff about the impact they will have while participating in this critical advocacy event.

Capitol Hill Day Resources

What can I do before Capitol Hill Day to support mentoring policy efforts?
There are a number of ways you can get involved and take positive, effective action throughout the calendar year to support expanding youth mentoring opportunities and invest in quality, evidence-based practices that support young people:
- Take action by easily sending a message to your members of Congress through our Action Center.
- Sign up to receive MENTOR’s monthly government relations newsletter. We spotlight practices, tools and resources to support your policy and advocacy efforts. By signing up, you will also receive periodic calls to action, offering quick and effective ways to alert your federal elected officials about opportunities to support mentoring.
- Participate in MENTOR’s Advocacy August campaign! Every August, MENTOR, the Affiliate Network and other youth mentoring advocates spend the month taking weekly actions to spotlight the value of and need for public investment in quality mentoring and expanded mentoring opportunities for young people. This campaign supports efforts by mentoring advocates at the state and local level where so much opportunity to support youth and expand mentoring opportunities reside. By signing up to receive MENTOR’s monthly newsletter, you’ll receive notice of the activities recommended throughout the month and make a real difference in your community.
- Follow your elected leaders on social media and/or by signing up to receive their e-newsletters. There is no better way to understand the views and priorities of an elected official (at all levels of government) than by seeing what they elevate and celebrate.
Once I have registered for Capitol Hill Day, when can I expect my first communication about the event’s details?

The CHD state captain for your state will contact you weekly in January with updates and helpful information. You may hear from your state captain as early as mid-December, but certainly by the week of January 6. If you have not heard from anyone by Friday, January 10, please contact MENTOR. Keep an eye on this page or updates and information.
How is Capitol Hill Day organized? Will I have to schedule my Congressional meetings?

MENTOR National manages the Capitol Hill Day event with the critical support of our Affiliates across the country. MENTOR will schedule all Congressional meetings for Hill Day participants. We will also provide updates in December and throughout January with reminders, resources and updates. When you arrive in DC or the required in-person training, Capitol Hill Day participants will receive additional training on key bills and issues, practice effective meeting strategies, and receive information to leave with each Congressional meeting schedule for you. Interested in learning more about Capitol Hill Day? Watch this Q&A.
Is there a cost to participating in Capitol Hill Day?

No, participation in Capitol Hill Day is free to any National Mentoring Summit registrant. However, please note the requirement to attend an in-person training in Washington, DC will likely require an additional night’s hotel stay.

Past Capitol Hill Days

Since its start in 2014, the annual Capitol Hill Day event has brought together thousands of grassroots advocates to educate Members of Congress about the positive, evidence-backed impact that quality mentoring can offer the nation’s youth and young adults.

In the past decade, because of the work of Capitol Hill Day advocates, the federal government has increased investment in youth mentoring activities by more than 20 percent.

Thousands of advocates have met with their Congressional leaders on key bills and funding opportunities for mentoring and to educate them about their impact back home.

The Capitol Hill Day event attracts new advocates every year. MENTOR estimates training more than 2,800 first-time youth mentoring champions in the past decade.

Join MENTOR and hundreds of your National Mentoring Summit peers at the 2025 Capitol Hill Day. Registration will open on November 1, 2024.

Testimonial

Have you ever wondered whether Capitol Hill Day is worth the time and effort? Hear from past Hill Day advocate Syd Stewart, Founding Member and Executive Director of Better Youth, Inc. in Los Angeles, about her Hill Day experience.