Online Political Candidate Training Programs

If you are considering a run for local or state office, you may not know where to start. From planning your campaign to getting out the vote, there is a lot to learn.

There is more help than ever available for political candidates and potential candidates. If you are new to politics, as a candidate or staffer, you are probably overwhelmed with questions. So, it’s a good idea to become educated about the election process, what it takes to win, and how to effectively lead.

Below is a list of organizations that help you run for office. Their online programs are packed with essential skills and insights that are crucial for any aspiring political candidate or campaign worker.

Political Training Courses and Programs

American Majority: Non-partisan, nonprofit that continually trains, organizes, mobilizes, and equips new grassroots conservative leaders. Offers in person and online.

Arena: Provides training to aspiring campaign staff, with a focus on recruiting and supporting women, people of color, and members of the LGBTQ+ community. Offers Arena Academies, a five-day intensive web program.

Asian Pacific American Institute for Congressional Studies (APAICS):  A national non-partisan, nonprofit organization dedicated to promoting Asian Pacific American participation and representation at all levels of the political process, from community service to elected office. The focus is on developing leadership, building public policy knowledge, and filling the political pipeline for Asian Pacific Americans to pursue public office at the local, state, and federal levels.

Blue Institute: Focusing on the South and Southwest, the Blue Institute works to bring more young people of color to become leaders, strategists, and key staff members of progressive electoral campaigns and organizations.

Collective PAC: Mission is to build Black political power through educating and equipping voters, donors, and candidates with instruction, technical assistance, advertising, and fundraising. Working to fix the challenge of under-representation of the Black community and help candidates run for office throughout the nation.

Dare to Run: Offers women candidates the chance to participate in a one-year certificate program in pursuit of a career path in public service. Dare to Run gives women the opportunity to be a voice for their communities by committing to run campaigns for elected office within two years of graduation.

Democracy for America (DFA): Building and empowering a broad coalition of grassroots organizers to elect the New American Majority—people of color and white progressives—to fight for inclusive populism at all levels of government in all 50 states. Offers online and in-person coaching. Founded by Howard Dean in 2004.

Elevate: Campaign Training for People with Disabilities: Helps people with disabilities learn how they can run for office to represent their community. Offers a series of webinars that teach core campaigning skills.

Emerge America: Recruits, instructs, and provides a powerful network to Democratic women who want to run for political office. Offers a number of boot camp and longer educational opportunities.

Emily’s List:  Helps train Democratic women. The Ignite Change Fellowship is an eight-week virtual instruction initiative. It’s designed for community leaders, organizers, and advocates to develop their political skills and confidence.

Federal Election Commission: Each year, the FEC hosts two-day regional conferences where commissioners and staff conduct a variety of technical workshops on the law. Discussion topics include fundraising, reporting, and communications. Paid.

Higher Heights for America: National organization 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.

IGNITE: Launched in 2010 to address the lack of women in elected positions. Hosts online events and schooling to accelerate young women’s path to political power.

National Democratic Training Committee: Free, in-depth training for Democrats who want to run, work, or volunteer on campaigns.

National Women’s Political Caucus: Supports pro-choice women running for elected and appointed office.  Chapters include audio modules along with downloadable materials and worksheets. A fee is required for non-members.

Online Candidate Resources – Provides an article series, resources, and tools focusing on digital campaigning. Non-partisan, free access for Online Candidate website clients.

Ready to Run: A national network of non-partisan programs to encourage women to run for elective office, position themselves for appointive office, work on a campaign, or get involved in public life in other ways. The national network of Ready to Run® programs includes partners in more than 20 states around the country.

Re:Power: Originally Wellstone Action. Provides coaching, facilitation, campaigning, and capacity building. Offers long-term technology skills building, support, and guidance around digital organizing, engineering, digital security, and data and analytics for campaigns and grassroots movements. Applicants must be approved.

Running Start: Nonpartisan nonprofit that trains young women to run for government. With over 100 programs across the country, they’ve trained over 20,000 women. For high school and college-level students.

She Should Run: Road to Run is a virtual event series that provides women with a starting place for considering and exploring a future run as well as a baseline knowledge of what goes into campaigning.

Women’s Public Leadership Network: With an online network of state-based partners, their mission is to educate, organize, and inspire women to seek public office.

The Campaign School at Yale: Mission is to increase the number and influence of women in elected and appointed offices in the United States and around the globe. Provides nonpartisan, issue-neutral political campaign-training courses. Tuition is required for the live online session.

Resources for teachers: Selected articles for educators.

Partisan or Non-Partisan

While most of the programs above have a non-partisan curriculum, others are designed only for Republican or Democratic party candidates. They may also be geared toward conservatives or progressives. Some even offer certificates of completion.

Most of these training courses for candidates are free. A few require payment. Check the requirements before you register.

Please note that we do not endorse any of the materials or organizations. This list is provided for informational purposes.

Online opportunities are not the only way to get political trainings. There are many other opportunities for in-person education. Check with your local political party.

Related: What Are Easiest Political Offices To Run For?

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