Frequently Asked Questions

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National Democratic Training Committee
910 17th Street, NW Suite 925
Washington, DC 20006

We are thrilled that you want to make a valuable contribution to a Democratic organization like NDTC. We all have a unique mix of time, talents, and resources. You can see our list of open roles on our careers page, if you’d like to make a donation, please visit our donations page, or email us at [email protected]traindemocrats.org.

Thanks for your interest in joining our organization! Check out our careers page to see a list of open positions. You can also send your resume to [email protected] and let us know what unique talents and skills you bring to the table and how you see yourself supporting NDTC.

Our events page has a list of all upcoming events, you can also visit our past events page for information on events that have already happened.

Yes, NDTC empowers all Democrats compete for every office. We offer valuable tools and training—online and in-person—through our Blue Bench trainings, partner-hosted trainings, and via our Online Academy

And best of all, our training is always free.

Please send your comments to [email protected]. Thank you for taking the time to contact us!

Sign up for our newsletter or create an account to receive information on our tools and training. By creating an account and filling out your profile, you’ll also get information from partner organizations who provide additional support for people like you.

Yes, permanent residents can work or volunteer on campaigns and/or donate to campaigns.

Yes, our organization supports the Democratic party and we train candidates who identify as Democrats.

There are a myriad of ways you can help out candidates training in your state or community. Many times campaigns need volunteers to make calls or support administrative work that can be done from a home computer. Reach out to the Democratic Party in your state, or one of the partners listed here.

We hold trainings every year in all 50 states. If you miss your state’s training this year, you can still find all the training, tools, and templates online. Just register for an account and log into the Online Academy. There are dozens of courses for you to explore. You are also welcome to attend a training in another state, all our upcoming events are listed on our events page.

We’re sad to see you go, but completely understand. You can easily unsubscribe from our emails here. If you would like to unsubscribe from our fundraising emails, you may do so here.

NDTC has dozens of online trainings available 24/7. You can see our full course catalog to see which of our trainings might best meet your needs.

Or you can take our quiz and we’ll help you find the right online trainings for you based on what type of work you’re currently doing to build Democratic power.

Sorry for the confusion! We’re hard at work building specific online trainings for organizational leaders like you. We expect those to be available in the Summer of 2020. But in the meantime, many of the trainings that we created for campaign staff and even candidates will be relevant to the work you’re doing. So we’ve put those on your roadmap in the Online Academy.

If you’re only interested in content specifically designed for local leaders like yourself, our In-Person Trainings include a track just for local leaders, and we’re probably coming to your state soon. See if we’re coming to your state soon or sign up for our newsletter to receive emails about upcoming in-person trainings near you.

We wish our trainings could cover every nuance that may affect the general best practices we share. But where that’s not the case, we’re happy to answer your questions. Just email us at [email protected].

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We will be back soon! In the meantime, you can take additional courses in our free, on-demand Online Academy. Additionally, here are some of our partners who also provide resources.

Nothing but yourself, a positive attitude, and a readiness to learn! During a full day of Blue Bench training, a light breakfast and lunch are provided for free during the training day.

We would love for you to stay the whole day in order to learn as much as possible across all content areas, but we understand if you have other obligations on training day. Please stay for as many sessions as your schedule permits.

Of course! We do ask that they register for the event, even if it’s at the last minute.

All of our trainings are free!

Check out our upcoming events page for more Blue Bench Training information. Make sure to sign up for our email newsletter so that we can share when we are coming to your state next. We also encourage you to sign up for the Online Academy to continue learning ahead of the next in-person training.

Absolutely! We can help you navigate which training track would be the best fit for you during the in-person training day. For more information on the hard and essential skills that are covered during a training day for a training track, learn more here.

While each track teaches different essential skills during each session, they are often complementary across tracks.

The NDTC Staff Academy is a program designed to recruit, train, and connect new staff to paid career opportunities in Democratic politics across the country. When inviting applicants to join our program, we prioritize leaders who are women, people of color, and trans/transgender and nonbinary people. These communities drive the Democratic party but are historically underrepresented on Democratic campaigns relative to their vote share. We want to ensure we, as a party, are representative of our voters.

Any Democrat fully committed to pursuing a paid career in Democratic politics.

NDTC’s Staff Academy was created to address the critical shortage of qualified campaign staff in Democratic politics. We believe this staff shortage is, in part, because campaign jobs are not open to everyone. Often jobs are only shared with those who already have an “in” with people involved with politics.

Additionally, many people who would make great campaign staffers—especially women, people of color, and trans/transgender and nonbinary people—are often pigeon-holed into field organizer positions. This prevents them from getting the entry-level experience needed to serve in other capacities, and nonfield leadership positions.

Staff Academy recruitment is only open once a year. Our 2020 cohorts have already been chosen and applications won’t re-open until fall 2020.

Applications will reopen for our 2021 Staff Academy Cohort in fall of 2020.

Sign-up for our Staff Academy waitlist to receive information about how to get involved in politics or campaigns right away (even if you aren’t paid staff), tips for your application when 2021 Staff Academy recruitment opens, and resources for anyone who wants to support their community and Democratic candidates.

Want to get started right away?

Don’t worry, your career in Democratic politics doesn’t have to wait. Start taking our on-demand campaign staff training courses right now on your own schedule. No application required. If you take on-demand courses you will not be able to apply for future Staff Academies in the same area of career concentration.

We also offer in-person training programs across the country where you practice hard and essential skills; learn from political professionals across digital strategy, field, fundraising, and digital; and build community with local leaders and fellow, passionate Democrats during the training day. Check-out our events page to find a training near you.

Not sure which program is right for you? Check out this blog post to help you decide.

The program is completely free for trainees.

NDTC also pays for travel to and from Washington, D.C. for the in-person training. This includes lodging at the event and meals during the in-person training.

The only expenses a cohort member will be responsible for during the program are:

• Travel to and from the airport for your flight or parking at the airport, if you choose to do that
• Meals while traveling
• Additional personal purchases, not required by the program

If you have additional accessibility needs for travel, NDTC will reasonably accommodate these.

During the 10-week online training part of our program you must be able to spend at least 10 hours each week to complete courses, weekly webinars, core skills assessments, and homework.

You also must be able to attend an evening webinar once per week for the career track you choose to apply for.

You must attend the entire duration of the four-day live training.

The 2021 program is planned for winter 2021. Exact dates will be announced. Sign up for the Staff Academy waitlist to be the first to know when dates are released.

You must also be willing and able to relocate to begin a full-time position on a Democratic campaign after the program. The goal of this program is to develop leaders who want to work on Democratic campaigns. NDTC supports program graduates in finding campaign jobs by facilitating introductions and interviews with our partners. Most often, people will relocate temporarily to work on a campaign. It is possible, but unlikely, that you will find a campaign job in your own community.

We realize this schedule might not be feasible for many passionate Democrats who wish to pursue a career in politics. Our on-demand campaign staff training courses are the best choice for those who need a more flexible schedule, want to pick and choose individual courses to supplement their current knowledge, or are interested in learning if politics is the right career for them to pursue.

Unlike Staff Academy, you can start taking classes at any time. Check out our course catalog and start today.

No. We are committed to a rigorous learning environment and setting you up to succeed in a campaign career. If you are not able to complete all program requirements or you do not successfully complete core skills assessments, you will not be able to graduate from the program.

Traditional political experience is not required. While evaluating applicants, we look broadly at political experience to include paid or unpaid campaign work, community organizing work, and advocacy work. We encourage any person to apply who is passionate about Democratic politics and committed to learning how to run a strategic campaign.

Depending on the area of concentration you choose to pursue, here are some of the basic skills you can expect to learn in each track:

Digital

• Writing and sending emails using NGP 8
• Creating effective, targeted social media content and posts
• Developing a digital content calendar
• Building a campaign website
• Writing a digital plan
• Writing in the candidate’s voice
• Creating effective calls to action
• Moving people up a ladder of engagement

Fundraising

• Creating call sheets, including researching donors and identifying new prospective donors
• Making hard donation asks
• Following campaign finance laws
• Tracking pledges and donations; following up with and thanking donors
• Throwing a fundraising event
• Using spreadsheets and NGP donor tracking software

Communications

• How to create and share a campaign message
• Distribution channels to share and promote your message

• How to tell an effective story
• Working with the media
• How to communicate effectively with voters and supporters

Management and Leadership (completed by all tracks)

• Managing volunteers, vendors, and teams
• Creating an inclusive team culture through an understanding of identity, oppression, and privilege
• How to manage your time and priorities effectively to accomplish your goals and avoid job burnout
• Job search preparedness through resume workshops, mock interviews, and professional networking guidance

These same skills are taught in our on-demand campaign staff training program, which you can start right now. If you don’t want to wait for next year’s Staff Academy (recruitment will reopen in Fall of 2020), sign up for our Online Academy and start taking courses today. Check-out our course catalog to see which courses we offer. Please note: If you take on-demand courses, you will not be able to apply for future Staff Academies in the same area of career concentration.

We also offer in-person training programs across the country where you practice hard and essential skills; learn from political professionals across digital strategy, field, fundraising, and digital; and build community with local leaders and fellow, passionate Democrats during the training day. Check-out our events page to find a training near you.

Not sure which program is right for you? Check out this blog post to help you decide.

The in-person training program is four full training days, including track-specific content as well as essential skills for managing and leading on campaigns.

Our training content is designed to be highly participatory and action-oriented through simulation-based activities, scenarios, and professional development sessions. Additionally, live training is a chance for you to interact in-person with other cohort members, build community, and meet and network with our job placement partners.

2020 Staff Academy Cohort members will choose to pursue one of three training tracks: digital, fundraising, or communications.

Fundraising staffers research donors, ask for money and plan fundraising events. If you like to build relationships and interact with others, fundraising might be right for you.

Common job titles in the fundraising field include finance assistant, call time manager, and finance director.

Digital staffers manage a campaign’s social media accounts, write and send emails, and maintain the website to help raise money, recruit volunteers, and communicate with voters. If you like to post on social media and think creatively, digital may be for you.

Common job titles in the digital field include digital director, email strategist, social media strategist, and digital director.

Communications staffers help craft the campaign’s message and ensure it is spread far and wide. If you like to build relationships and to write, communications may be for you.

Common job titles in the communications field include communications assistant, press secretary, and communications director.

This program is only appropriate for people who are fully committed to pursuing a paid career in Democratic campaigns upon graduation. For that reason, one of our big priorities is to help every Staff Academy graduate find a campaign job after graduating.

Unfortunately, we cannot promise employment. Here’s what we can promise. We will:

• Prepare you to find a job, coach you on your resume, and help you build effective interview skills
• Use our network to ensure grads are informed about open jobs and that their applications are highlighted to employers as appropriate
• Ensure potential employers know grads are trained and backed by NDTC

Too often campaigns only share jobs within their network. Staff Academy will be your new network and give you access to opportunities you won’t always find elsewhere.

Our program is designed to recruit, train, and connect new staff to full-time, paid career opportunities in Democratic politics across the country. Many previous Staff Academy grads are people looking to make a career shift. If you already have a job outside of politics, you should only apply if:

1. You can fully commit to fulfilling the time requirements of the program.
2. You are 100% committed to leaving your current job to pursue a new career in politics upon graduation

Already on a campaign?

If you already have a campaign job and want to sharpen or expand your skill sets or fill in gaps using our knowledge base, our online campaign staff training courses are right for you.

Check out our on-demand course catalog and pick and choose what you need.

Not quite ready to leave your current job?

If you aren’t ready to leave your current job and want to learn more about a political career and build skills needed to serve on a campaign staff, our on-demand campaign staff training is right for you.

If you aren’t ready to leave your current job and want to learn more about a political career and build skills needed to serve on campaign staff, our on-demand campaign staff training is right for you.

If you complete the program and are offered a job, it will most likely not be in your area. You should plan on relocating to a new city or state after graduation. Relocating temporarily for a campaign job is a very common and often necessary part of a career in campaigns.

If you aren’t prepared to relocate and want to learn more about a political career and build skills needed to serve on campaign staff, our on-demand campaign staff training is right for you.

We also suggest you look for an in-person training near you. We offer in-person training programs across the country where you practice hard and essential skills; learn from political professionals across digital strategy, field, fundraising, and digital; and build community with local leaders and fellow, passionate Democrats during the training day. Check-out our events page to find a training near you.

Staff Academy is a community of people who invest in each other. NDTC is fully committed to supporting cohort members in their learning, in meeting program expectations, and in searching for a paid campaign position upon graduation.

This support includes: 1:1 support from a NDTC program associate, weekly office hours with industry experts for coaching and questions about your course work, a deep commitment to a strong, collaborative, and inclusive learning environment with ongoing feedback to support cohort member’s growth, and job search support through facilitated interviews and introductions.

In 2019, nearly 600 people applied for our program. Sixty people were chosen to participate in our inaugural cohort. These cohort members were trained in fundraising or digital tracks. Our 2019 cohort was 62 percent people of color, 62 percent women, and 5 percent non-binary.

Our 2019 cohort developed a strong collaborative community, sharing their knowledge and experiences to help each other succeed in the program. Many of them have stayed in touch with each other even after the program, keeping our communication channels active with job opportunities and advice.

Here are a few examples of roles currently held:

• Campaign manager for a city council race
• Political coordinator for a local SEIU chapter
• Finance director for a state assembly race
• Director of Latinx outreach for a Presidential campaign
• Finance director for a state congressional race
• Call time manager for a state senate race

The purpose of NDTC’s Staff Academy is to connect well-qualified staff to paid positions on Democratic campaigns. The program is specifically designed to train leaders who are fully committed to working on Democratic campaigns in 2020. In order to accomplish this goal, NDTC deeply supports Staff Academy graduates and alumni during their job search.

NDTC will facilitate networking interviews at the in-person training in March 2020 for Staff Academy graduates. Networking interviews are with partners who are actively looking to hire staff or work with candidates and campaigns to recruit applicants for paid positions. All Staff Academy graduates who have not already secured a campaign role during the training phase of the program are eligible to participate in this process. In 2019, NDTC coordinated 126 interviews at our in-person training between our partners and NDTC Staff Academy graduates. Numerous 2019 graduates accepted positions with partners they met through these networking interviews.

In addition to formal job postings, many political campaigns and committees reach out to their network looking for resumes of well-qualified staff who may be interested in joining a campaign as paid staff. NDTC maintains an up-to-date folder of Staff Academy graduates and alumni who are job searching which we share with our partners. This type of resume promotion has resulted in a number of job interviews and secured positions for 2019 graduates.

Additionally, the Staff Academy network is strong and actively committed to supporting each other. We maintain an ongoing job board where NDTC staff and other Staff Academy graduates and alumni post job opportunities. Graduates often share information and learnings to support each other through interview and job offer negotiation processes. Graduates continue to work directly with NDTC staff during the job search for coaching and support.

We do all that we can to support your personal goals and help you find the right campaign position for you!

Like candidate courses in NDTC’s Online Academy, on-demand campaign staff training courses are interactive and available online 24/7. Unlike participating in the Staff Academy cohort, there is no application or interview process to access the courses. You can take as many or as few as you’d like on your own schedule.

Staff Academy is an intensive, multi-week program. While it also includes online learning, Staff Academy builds upon online courses using homework assignments with deadlines, interactive practice opportunities, personalized feedback and coaching, access to industry leaders at an in-person training, and job search support.

Cohort members also benefit from a strong collaborative community of peers, sharing their knowledge and experiences to help each other succeed in the program and in their future careers.

To participate in Staff Academy you must be able to commit at least 10 hours each week during the training period (January 13 to March 26, 2020) to complete required work and attend trainings. You also must attend the live training in Washington, D.C. from March 27 to March 30, 2020.

If you are interested in learning more about what it is like to work on a campaign or enhance your knowledge of a particular topic, then the on-demand campaign staff training courses are right for you. If you want a paid position on campaigns in 2020 and are committed to completing all program requirements between January and March 2020, then you are strongly encouraged to apply to NDTC’s Staff Academy!

Please note, you cannot participate in both Staff Academy and take on-demand staff courses. If you apply to Staff Academy, please do not take any on-demand staff courses until after you’ve been notified about the status of your application. Should you not be accepted, then we will be thrilled to have you join us in the on-demand campaign staff training courses.

Not sure which program is right for you? Check out this blog post to help you decide.