From Grassroots to Growth: Inside the Youth Incubation Academy
In the fall of 2025, Liberty Hill launched the Youth Incubation Academy to invest in the next generation of grassroots organizations advancing youth justice across Los Angeles County. Funded by the Los Angeles County Department of Youth Development, this initiative supports community-rooted organizations working in the highest-need areas, helping them deepen their impact and expand their reach.
This month marked an important milestone as grantees gathered for the program’s final in-person convening. In partnership with Cities & People Advisors, participants engaged in hands-on training in storytelling, communications, and fundraising—critical tools to strengthen their organizations and amplify their work. The convening also created space to build relationships and celebrate the growth and the meaningful impact of each organization
Combined with one-on-one coaching and peer learning, the program equips emerging leaders with the skills and infrastructure needed to grow sustainably. Program participant Marco Garza, Program Director of Conaxion, shared, “Capacity-building programs like the Youth Incubation Academy support grassroots organizations like ours giving us the training, support, and the coaching we need to scale our impact and better support the youth in our communities.”
This work does not exist in isolation. The Youth Incubation Academy is part of a broader, shared vision held by Liberty Hill and its partners: a Los Angeles where young people are free from incarceration and supported by a comprehensive, care-first, community-based youth development system.
As part of this vision, Liberty Hill and its partners are working to build a robust network of 100+ youth development organizations, strengthen their capacity to replace punitive systems with holistic, youth-centered support, and help realign $300 million in public funding toward youth development.
Through this work, Liberty Hill continues to create space for early-stage organizations to build capacity, strengthen leadership, and drive lasting change. Together, we are helping cultivate a pipeline of leaders and solutions that center care, equity, and opportunity for young people across Los Angeles.