Training Programs for Democrats Who Want To Run for Office
The most common question we get from folks who are thinking about running for office is, “Where do I start?” While we have a lot of thoughts on that question, one suggestion we give people is to consider looking into candidate training programs before you run.
Candidate training programs can give potential candidates more context related to the work involved in running for political office – especially a state or local office where budgets are small, and an operation isn’t being run by a large staff. Whether someone is just weighing the option of running or is definitely going to file, a training program will help prepare them put their best foot forward from the beginning of a campaign.
Whether someone is looking for a non-partisan training, one specifically for Democrats, in person trainings, or online – there are many options out there to suit varying needs.
Below are some of the candidate training programs geared toward Democrats that we know about:
Arena - Arena’s main focus is to provide academies for “current and aspiring campaign staff looking to level up their skills and supercharge their careers in politics”. However, last year they offered a training program for aspiring candidates, too. Either way, we recommend folks look into connecting with them. They have incredible resources.
Emily’s List - Emily’s List trains democratic pro-choice women to run for office. Their online training center is free to use.
Emerge - Emerge bills itself as, “the nation’s premier organization that recruits and trains Democratic women to run for office”. Their trainings are primarily in-person, and you must apply to your state’s program and be accepted to the cohort.
National Democratic Training Committee - The National Democratic Training Committee offers a wide variety of trainings. They offer in person trainings all over the country, as well as virtual, live trainings. They also have a robust dashboard of resources if online and on your own time trainings are more your speed.
The Best Practices Institute (DNC) - The DNC has developed a shared training department to deliver trainings to candidates, activists, organizers, staff, etc. To access the training materials for candidates, you must apply to gain access to the BPI Victory Vault. The BPI Victory Vault’s resources are not downloadable or shareable.
Below are some of the candidate training programs that we know about that are non-partisan:
The Campaign School at Yale University – The Campaign School offers a 5 day Summer Session, as well as one day training opportunities.
LGBTQ Victory Institute - The LGBTQ Victory Institute offers an in person, 4 day training. According to their website, “Trainees learn the necessary skills and strategies by engaging in tough, realistic campaign exercises and working with peers to develop a plan to run for office and win.” Their training spots fill up quickly, so be on the lookout to apply by priority consideration dates.
She Should Run – She Should Run is a non-profit that helps women explore the possibility of a run for public office. They offer workshops, networking opportunities, and other resources for women who are interested in running, but are looking for how to get started.
Sorensen Institute’s Candidate Training Program for Political Leadership – This candidate training program comes from the Sorensen Institute that is at the University of Virginia. It is a bipartisan training program that is designed for people who are interested in running for office or who want to take on senior roles in campaigns.
Vote Run Lead – Vote Run Lead is a bipartisan organization that trains women to run for office through their RUN/51 program.
Higher Heights - Higher Heights is an organization that is focused on providing, “Black women with a political home exclusively dedicated to harnessing their power to expand Black women’s elected representation and voting participation, and advance progressive policies.” They sometimes partner with other organizations to host in-person and online trainings for potential candidates, and they also maintain a #BLACKWOMENLEAD Toolkit.
Have a training program that we missed? Reach out to us (hello@bluedotconsulting.us) and we will add it here.
Again, this is a list meant to reflect training programs that people can engage with *before* they run for office. There are many, many endorsing organizations out there that will provide support for candidates once they’re already running and have been endorsed by their organization (but, that’s another blog post!).
After reading about all of these options, does one stand out to you? Would you consider joining one of these programs? If you’re looking to talk through a potential run with someone, or if you've decided to run and are looking for partners, we would love to talk with you. You can reach out by emailing hello@bluedotconsulting.us and we will be in touch.
Blue Dot Consulting is a strategic consulting firm at the intersection of politics and advocacy. With over 25 years of combined experience, Blue Dot Consulting is aimed at helping our candidates, caucuses, and causes exceed their goals and successfully carry out their missions.