Frequently Asked Questions

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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.

For general comments, questions, or suggestions, please email us at [email protected].

Please email us at [email protected] if you encounter any accessibility barriers on traindemocrats.org or in any of our resources. You can read our full accessibility statement here.

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.

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.

NDTC’s Staff Academy is an 10 week program designed to recruit, train, and connect new staff to paid career opportunities in Democratic politics across the country. We offer intensive training in two different track areas: fundraising and digital. When inviting applicants to join our program, we prioritize leaders who are women, people of color, and transgender (trans) and non-binary people. We want to ensure we, as a party, are representative of our voters. These communities drive the Democratic party but are historically underrepresented on campaigns.

We believe campaign leadership and staffers should be representative of our voters. Many people who want to work in politics are prevented from gaining entry-level experience on campaigns or are pigeon-holed into field organizer positions cycle after cycle without other opportunities to move into desired campaign roles. This disproportionately affects women, people of color, and trans and non-binary people. There are strong leaders in these communities that should be at the forefront of electoral work. Staff Academy is a resource for these leaders to sharpen their leadership skills, learn campaign strategy, and broaden their political networks.
While deeply intentional about recruiting leaders who are women, people of color, and trans and non-binary people, we know people of all backgrounds and identities make for fantastic Staff Academy cohort members. We recognize people hold multiple identities and our different experiences bring a richness to our community. All applications are evaluated on their own merit. We look for applicants who are committed to learning from others and are ready to grow their allyship of leaders who have different experiences than their own. 

The application for the 2023 cohort opens on October 12, 2022. The last day to submit an application is November 13th, 2022. All applications must be in by 11:59 pm ET/10:59 CT/9:59 MT/8:59 PT on November 13.
All final decisions will be sent no later than December 9, 2022 via email.

The program is completely free to all cohort members. Additionally, we offer a assistance for learning materials through our Accessibility Support Fund to help reduce barriers to program participation. 

We look for highly motivated and passionate Democrats committed to pursuing a paid career in Democratic politics on 2023 campaigns and beyond. You must be willing to begin work on a campaign as early as April 2023, which may require you to relocate.
We also look for people who aren’t already highly experienced in the fields of digital or fundraising. If you already have experience in one of these areas and want to continue to hone your skills, we recommend you look at the campaign staff courses in our Online Academy. If you are looking to transition from one area of campaign work to another, then Staff Academy can help you achieve your goals.

NDTC’s DSI Field Director Program and Staff Academy programs are both small cohort-based programs designed to train campaign staffers, but they differ in a couple of key ways.

Staff Academy is an intensive, 10-week experience that prioritizes connecting community leaders with little to no formal political experience into meaningful entry-level roles on Democratic campaigns. Cohort members are split between fundraising and digital tracks & benefit from a strong collaborative community of peers, sharing their knowledge and experiences to help each other succeed in the program and in their careers beyond. No professional political experience is required to be part of Staff Academy. Cohort members come from a wide range of backgrounds and professional histories.

The Democratic Strategy Institute Field Director Program is a 9-week program designed to recruit and train experienced field staffers and organizers to become strong and effective Field Directors. Unlike Staff Academy, applicants must have 2 years or cycles of field work or equivalent experience. If this interests you, sign up for our waitlist here. Ultimately, if you have previous experience in field and would like to continue developing your field leadership, DSI might be a better fit for you than Staff Academy. Regardless of what program appeals to you, the long-term, collaborative learning environment that NDTC fosters is bound to set you up for success.

NDTC’s Online Academy has many on-demand courses aimed at a campaign staff audience that are interactive and available online 24/7. Unlike participating in the Staff Academy or Field Director cohort programs, 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.
If you are interested in simply learning more about what it is like to work on a campaign or enhance your knowledge of a particular topic, then the on-demand courses are right for you. If you actively want a paid position on campaigns and are committed to completing the program then we strongly encourage you to apply for the 2023 Staff Academy Cohort.

To graduate from Staff Academy, you need to commit an estimated minimum of 10 hours a week to attend weekly live webinars, take online courses, participate in a mock interview, complete homework, and pass the skills assessments.  You also must attend the entirety of Staff Academy Live Training, a three day multi-hour training session held from March 24 to March 26, 2023. To attend the weekly live webinars and Staff Academy Live Training, you need access to a computer with consistent internet access and video conferencing capabilities (speakers, a microphone, and a camera). If this is a barrier to your participation in the program, our Accessibility Support Fund may be able to help.
You must also be willing and able to relocate to begin a full-time position on a Democratic campaign as early as April 2023. One of the realities of campaign work is that you might need to relocate temporarily to find paid, full-time work on a Democratic campaign. While COVID-19 has increased the availability of remote work opportunities, NDTC cannot guarantee potential employers will allow remote work. Temporarily relocating to work on a campaign is common and  searching for a campaign job only in your current community may limit the job opportunities available to you.

For each week of the program you will be required to attend a weekly live webinar that lasts around 90 minutes.  Both tracks will have their webinar on Tuesdays at 8:00 pm ET/7:00 pm CT/6:00 pm MT/5:00 pm PT. Additionally, most weeks you will be required to complete courses and submit assignments. You can complete courses and assignments at a time and pace that works best for your schedule before that week’s deadline. We estimate that cohort members will spend at least 10 hours a week on their Staff Academy work. Finally, Staff Academy Live Training is from Friday, March 24 to Sunday, March 26. You must be available to attend the entirety of the training. Upon acceptance to the program, cohort members will receive an extensive handbook that outlines the full program expectations regarding attendance, assignments, and program norms. Should you have any questions about program requirements during the application process, please contact us at [email protected]

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:

• Individual support and regular communication from an NDTC program associate
• Weekly Q&A sessions with industry experts for coaching and questions about coursework
• A strong, collaborative, and inclusive learning environment with ongoing feedback to support cohort members’ growth
• Job search support with NDTC partners, campaigns, and political organizations

In 2023 we will offer training in two campaign tracks: fundraising and digital. Depending on what track you decide to pursue, here are some of the core skills you learn during Staff Academy as well as some common job titles associated with each track:

Fundraising

• Making hard donation asks
• Researching donors, identifying new prospective donors, and creating call sheets
• Tracking pledges and donations, following up with and thanking donors
• Using spreadsheets and donor tracking software like NGP
• Throwing fundraising events
• Following campaign finance laws
• Developing a campaign fundraising plan

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

Digital

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

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

Management and Leadership (both tracks)

• Creating an inclusive team culture through an understanding of identity, oppression, and privilege
• Pitching your campaign plan to various campaign stakeholders
• Managing up and laterally with teams, vendors, and volunteers
• Preparing for the job search with coaching on resumes, interviewing, and networking skills
• Managing your time and priorities effectively to accomplish your goals and avoid burnout

Each of the three tracks will teach the core skills needed to succeed in those roles on a campaign.

• Fundraising staffers focus on bringing in the money so that the campaign can operate smoothly. They are the team that raises the money a campaign needs to win. The fundraising team researches and contacts potential donors to raise money, and keeps track of those donations. They also plan and execute fundraising events. Customer service, field organizing, and sales experience are all highly transferable to fundraising work. Fundraising staffers are often the first people to be hired on a campaign. Therefore, you would succeed in this track if you enjoy building a project from the ground up. A good fundraiser has an eye for detail, a talent for planning, and enjoys connecting with people. Experience with accounting or budgeting is not required to work in this field, so don’t let that fear dissuade you from applying!
• Digital staffers focus on managing a campaign’s digital presence. They are the team that manages the online presence of the campaign, including engaging with voters and supporters online. The digital team writes and designs emails and social media posts to influence potential voters, volunteers, and donors. Examples of some transferable experiences for this track include creative design, writing, or marketing. You would excel in digital if you are a creative person, you are comfortable simplifying complex ideas for the benefit of others, and you enjoy interacting with people with different backgrounds and perspectives.

We will not be including a communications track in the 2023 cycle of Staff Academy, focusing instead on our digital and fundraising tracks. The mission of Staff Academy includes training new campaign staff for the most-needed roles in the political world, and currently those needs point to digital and fundraising roles. We would encourage you to consider a different track of Staff Academy. If you are interested in developing relationships with external stakeholders, the fundraising track might be a good fit for you. The digital track could be a good option if you are more interested in writing and creating content.

If you are committed to building your communications skills, NDTC’s Online Academy has many on-demand communications courses aimed at a campaign staff audience that are interactive and available online 24/7.

The application for Staff Academy includes several short answer questions that ask about your motivations and experiences. Beyond short answers, we provide an overview of the program requirements and ask you to confirm if you would be able to meet them. We also require a resume to be submitted in order to complete your Staff Academy application. Resumes should not be longer than 2 pages and should be submitted in PDF form. We anticipate that the application will take approximately one hour to complete. You will be able to save your progress and return to the page if you do not complete the application in one sitting.

Create one! It doesn’t have to be perfect, but you do need to submit one with your application. If accepted into the program, we’ll help you improve your resume. Resumes should not be longer than 2 pages and should be submitted in PDF form.

If you’d like guidance while putting together your resume, we have a Mini Lesson about how to write a political resume that can help you out.

All of your experiences are valuable. You can include more than your paid jobs. Volunteer, internship, or other leadership roles you’ve held in your community are also great. We know that a variety of experiences shape who we are, our professional interests, and our skills. And the skills learned from seemingly unrelated jobs can transfer incredibly well to roles in politics. For example, the customer service skills you gain while working in the service industry can prepare you for a career in fundraising.

No, you do not need to have any political experience. 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.

No, we do not require any references or letters of recommendation.

No, we do not ask for a writing sample for any applicants. Your answers to the application questions will demonstrate your writing ability.

All cohort members must be 18 years old by March 27, 2023. Whether you are early career or looking to change career paths, we encourage adults of all ages to apply for our program. It’s never too late to join Democratic campaigns. Last year, 43% of our program applicants were over the age of 35.

We encourage any highly motivated individual to apply to our program, regardless of their immigration status. NDTC does not ask about citizenship or immigration status on the Staff Academy application. We will support you, regardless of immigration status, through the successful completion of our program. While work authorization is required for paid positions on campaigns, we are committed to supporting you in your professional development.

Yes, formerly incarcerated people are encouraged to apply for Staff Academy. The Staff Academy application does not ask about criminal records. We’re here to support you the entire way through our program so you can successfully graduate and get a paid job in Democratic politics. We acknowledge that there are some employers, including some campaigns and political organizations, that may not hire people with a criminal record. However, we at NDTC are committed to coaching you throughout the job search process and helping you find a job in Democratic politics.

Yes, we want you to apply to our program! NDTC provides reasonable accommodation to any person who needs it to participate in the application process or the program. We support and work with you to help you successfully graduate from our program. Additionally, we have an Accessibility Support Fund to provide resources you may need to succeed in the program. After graduation, we continue to support and coach you through the job search process to help you find a paid position in Democratic politics. 

Please send us an email at [email protected] if you require accommodation for submitting your application or have any follow-up questions.

Yes, if you have already taken some of our Online Academy courses you can still apply for the Staff Academy cohort. The online courses are just one part of the overall Staff Academy experience. You will also complete homework assignments, attend weekly virtual live training webinars, receive personalized feedback and coaching, have access to industry experts, and receive job search support as a member of the 2023 Cohort. Cohort members also have a community of peers to turn to for additional support during the program and beyond.

If you already have a job outside of politics, you should only apply if you can commit to the time requirements of the program and are willing to leave your current job to pursue a career in politics as early as April 2023. If you can’t commit to those requirements, we recommend that you look into NDTC’s On-Demand Courses and Virtual Live Trainings.

If you already have a paid job on a Democratic campaign and are looking to transition into a new area of work, you are still welcome to apply. Please tell us in your application so we can ensure there are no legal implications.

Not yet! We only recommend applying to Staff Academy if you are certain you want to work on a Democratic campaign in 2023. 

If you’re not quite ready for that commitment, that’s okay! There’s still plenty you can do to get involved and decide if this is a career path you want to pursue. A great place to start is by taking some courses in our Online Academy and volunteering for a local campaign. These courses will help you develop and sharpen skills that will make you a valuable volunteer to any campaign. This will give you firsthand campaign experience that can help you decide if a career in electoral politics is right for you!

No. Staff Academy is exclusively a program for campaign staffers, not candidates. If you are planning to run for office in the next two years then Staff Academy is not likely to be a good fit. You can see more about the ways that NDTC trains and supports candidates on our website.

The Staff Academy Accessibility Support Fund is a resource available to all Staff Academy cohort members. NDTC established this to cut down as many barriers as possible for qualified applicants who want to take part in Staff Academy and work on campaigns. Tools purchased in the past include: laptops, webcams, internet hotspots, and headphones. You are not limited to that list of materials. When submitting a request we encourage you to share whatever resource you may need but please note, we do NOT offer stipends or reimbursements. 

If you are interested in the Accessibility Support Fund, there will be an opportunity later on in the application process for you to share your needs with the Staff Academy team. You may submit a request before the program starts if you have an initial need, or at any time during the program if a new need arises. We’re here to support you and will do what we can to ensure you have access to the technology and resources you need to complete the program!

The Staff Academy program is not designed to be an internship and so it is unlikely that we can offer credit. If this is a specific concern for you please reach out to us at [email protected]

At this time, our training materials are only offered in English.

Below is the tentative schedule for the 2023 Staff Academy Cohort:

• October 12 to November 13, 2022 – Application is open
• December 9, 2022 – Final decisions are sent
• January 9 to March 19, 2023 – Online training 
• March 24 to 26, 2023 – Staff Academy Live Training and Graduation

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.

We are planning to invite over 100 cohort members to join Staff Academy in 2023.

Staff Academy culminates with a three-day training event. Each training day includes content on both track-specific skills as well as essential skills for managing and leading on campaigns. Our training content is highly participatory and action-oriented in its design through simulation-based activities and professional development sessions. For that reason, attendance is mandatory for all three days. At the end of the training, we celebrate our cohort members’ successful completion of the program with a graduation ceremony.

Throughout the program, our cohort members developed a strong collaborative community, sharing their knowledge and experiences to help each other succeed in the program. Many of them have continued to stay in touch with each other even after the program concluded. Our alumni community remains active with our 2019, 2020, 2021, & 2022 cohorts supporting each other by sharing job opportunities and advice. In 2022, our cohort members were 56 percent women, 52 percent people of color, and 3 percent trans and non-binary people. We continuously strive to create diverse and inclusive Staff Academy cohorts.

Here are a few examples of roles currently held by Staff Academy Graduates:

• Call Time Manager for a Congressional race
• Digital Associate for a local level race
• Director of Finance for a state legislature race
• Campaign Manager for a local level race
• Regional Political Manager for a state party

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 2023 and beyond. In order to accomplish this goal, NDTC provides individualized and long-term support for our graduates during their job search.
In addition to formal job postings, it is a general practice for many political campaigns and committees to reach out to their network and ask 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 who are job searching which we regularly share with our partners.
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 post job opportunities. Alumni of the program often share information and learnings to support each other through the interview and job offer negotiation processes. Graduates can also continue to work directly with NDTC staff during the job search for individualized coaching and support.
We do all that we can to support your personal goals and help you find the right campaign position for you!

This program is 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. 
That said, 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 graduates are informed about open jobs and that their applications are highlighted to employers as appropriate
• Ensure potential employers know graduates 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.

COVID-19 continues to be an evolving situation, and while we can’t predict what the effects will be on 2023 races, NDTC will do everything we can to support you in your job search. Remote work opportunities continue to be available for many campaign staffer positions, although that is not guaranteed, and we ask our applicants to be prepared to relocate upon graduation from the program.

While COVID-19 has increased the availability of remote work opportunities, NDTC cannot guarantee potential employers will allow remote work. Campaign work generally requires relocation to a new community for the duration of the campaign. Staff Academy applicants should be prepared and willing to relocate in order to build a career in Democratic politics as early as April 2023.

Campaigns may or may not offer relocation expense support, but it is something you can discuss and negotiate with prospective employers.

NDTC’s Democratic Strategy Institute is a 9-week completely virtual program designed to recruit and train experienced field staffers and organizers to become strong and effective Field Directors in the 2022 election cycle. Organizers are the true foundation of campaigns, and DSI is here to support them as they continue in their careers. For DSI, we are looking for passionate and highly motivated leaders who have 2 years or cycles of field work or equivalent experience. When inviting applicants to join our program, we prioritize leaders who are women, people of color, and transgender (trans). These communities drive the Democratic party but are historically underrepresented on campaigns. We want to ensure we, as a party, are representative of our voters.

NDTC’s DSI and Staff Academy programs are both designed to train campaign staffers, but they differ in a couple of key ways.

Applicants for DSI should have some previous field or organizing experience, ideally 2 cycles or years. DSI’s curriculum builds upon cohort members’ previous campaign experiences. Staff Academy, on the other hand, does not require any political experience to apply, and its curriculum covers the foundations of campaign work. Staff Academy is designed for folks newer to campaign work or looking to transition into a new area of campaign work.

The subject areas covered in each program also differ. DSI focuses on training cohort members to become Field Directors, with curriculum tailored to developing field plans and being an effective campaign leader. Staff Academy cohort members are in one of three tracks with curriculum tailored to their track: digital, fundraising, and communications. Both DSI and Staff Academy contain management and leadership curriculum as well.

We believe campaign leadership and staffers should be representative of our voters. Many potential staffers are prevented from moving into leadership roles on campaigns or are pigeon-holed into organizer positions cycle after cycle. This disproportionately affects women, people of color, and trans and non-binary people. There are strong leaders in these communities that should be at the forefront of electoral work. DSI is a resource for these leaders to sharpen their leadership skills, learn campaign strategy, and broaden their political networks.

While deeply intentional about recruiting leaders who are women, people of color, and trans and non-binary people, we know people of all backgrounds and identities make for fantastic DSI cohort members. We recognize people hold multiple identities and our different experiences bring a richness to our community. All applications are evaluated on their own merit. We look for applicants who are committed to learning from others and are ready to grow their allyship of leaders who have different experiences than their own.

The application for the 2021 cohort opens on June 14th, 2021. The last day to submit an application is June 27th, 2021. All applications must be in by 11:59 pm ET/10:59 CT/9:59 MT/8:59 PT on June 27th.

All final decisions will be sent on July 21, 2021.

The program is free to all cohort members.

We look for highly motivated and passionate Democrats committed to pursuing Field Director positions (or the equivalent) within Democratic politics for 2022 campaigns. You must be willing to begin work on a campaign as early as October 2021, which may require you to relocate.

More specifically, we are looking for people who have 2 cycles of field or organizing experience under their belt and are ready to grow their experience into a leadership role on a field team.

NDTC’s Online Academy has many on-demand courses aimed at a campaign staff audience that are interactive and available online 24/7. Unlike participating in the DSI 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.

DSI is an intensive, 9-week experience involving weekly online courses, webinars, and homework assignments and assessments. Cohort members will receive personalized feedback and coaching, access to industry experts, 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 careers beyond.

If you are interested in simply learning more about what it is like to work on a campaign or enhance your knowledge of a particular topic, then the on-demand courses are right for you. If you actively want to become a Field Director and are committed to completing the program then we strongly encourage you to apply for the DSI Cohort.

Create one! It doesn’t have to be perfect, but you do need to submit one with your application. If accepted into the program, we’ll help you improve your resume. Resumes should not be longer than 2 pages and should be submitted in PDF form.

If you’d like guidance while putting together your resume, we have a Mini Lesson about how to write a political resume that can help you out.

All of your experiences are valuable. You should definitely talk about your field or organizing experience, but you can include more than your paid jobs. Volunteer, internship, or other leadership roles you’ve held in your community are also great. We know that a variety of experiences shape who we are, our professional interests, and our skills. And the skills learned from seemingly unrelated jobs can transfer incredibly well to roles in politics.

Yes, for DSI we are looking for individuals who have a minimum of 2 cycles of field or organizing experience. This can be anything from ballot initiatives to presidential campaigns and everything in between. Field experience would include being a field organizer, deputy field director, or regional organizing director, among many other titles.

If you are interested in a training program that is designed to include those with little or no political experience, check out our Staff Academy program.

No, we do not require any references or letters of recommendation.

No, we do not ask for a writing sample for any applicants. Your answers to the application questions will demonstrate your writing ability.

All cohort members must be 18 years old by October 4, 2021. We encourage applicants of all ages to apply!

We encourage any highly motivated individual to apply to our program, regardless of their immigration status. NDTC does not ask about citizenship or immigration status on the DSI application. We will support you, regardless of immigration status, through the successful completion of our program. While work authorization is required for paid positions on campaigns, we are committed to supporting you in your professional development.

Formerly incarcerated people are encouraged to apply for DSI. The DSI application does not ask about criminal records. We’re here to support you the entire way through our program so you can successfully graduate and get a paid job in Democratic politics. We acknowledge that there are some employers, including some campaigns and political organizations, that may not hire people with a criminal record. However, we at NDTC are committed to coaching you throughout the job search process and helping you find a job in Democratic politics.

Yes, we want you to apply to our program! NDTC provides reasonable accommodation to any person who needs it to participate in the application process or the program. We support and work with you to help you successfully graduate from our program. After graduation, we continue to support and coach you through the job search process to help you find a paid position in Democratic politics.

Please send us an email at [email protected] if you require accommodation for submitting your application or have any follow-up questions.

Below is the tentative schedule for the 2021 DSI Field Director Program:

• June 14 to June 27, 2021 – Application is open
• July 21, 2021 – Final decisions are sent
• August 2 to October 1, 2021 – Online training
• September 11, 2021 – DSI Virtual Live Training – Part 1
• October 2 to 4, 2021 – DSI Virtual Live Training – Part 2 and Graduation
• October 5, 2021 – Graduates begin their job search

To graduate from DSI, you need to commit at least 10 hours a week to attend the weekly live webinars, take all the online courses, participate in a mock interview, complete homework, and pass the skills assessments. You also must attend the DSI Virtual Live Training days on September 11 and October 2 to October 4, 2021 for the full duration of the sessions. These sessions will be several hours long during the day.

To attend the weekly live webinars and the DSI Virtual Live Training days, you need access to a computer with consistent internet access and video conferencing capabilities (speakers, a microphone, and a camera). If this is a barrier to your participation in the program, our Accessibility Support Fund may be able to help. More information about the Accessibility Support Fund can be found in these FAQs.

You must also be willing and able to relocate to begin a full-time position on a Democratic campaign as early as October 2021. While COVID-19 has increased the availability of remote work opportunities, we cannot guarantee potential employers will allow remote work. Temporarily relocating to work on a campaign is common. The goal of this program is to develop leaders who want to work on Democratic campaigns. NDTC will support program graduates in finding campaign jobs by facilitating introductions with our partners.

The Staff Academy Accessibility Support Fund is a resource available to all Staff Academy cohort members. NDTC established this to cut down as many barriers as possible for qualified applicants who want to take part in Staff Academy and work on campaigns. Tools purchased in the past include: laptops, webcams, internet hotspots, and headphones. You are not limited to that list of materials. When submitting a request we encourage you to share whatever resource you may need but please note, we do NOT offer stipends or reimbursements. 

If you are interested in the Accessibility Support Fund, there will be an opportunity later on in the application process for you to share your needs with the Staff Academy team. You may submit a request before the program starts if you have an initial need, or at any time during the program if a new need arises. We’re here to support you and will do what we can to ensure you have access to the technology and resources you need to complete the program!

The Staff Academy program is not designed to be an internship and so it is unlikely that we can offer credit. If this is a specific concern for you please reach out to us at [email protected]

All cohort members should expect to spend at least 10 hours a week completing their DSI work. Most of the program during the online training portion is self-directed and will allow you complete work in the week assigned at the time that works best for your schedule.

Each week, you will attend a weekly webinar that lasts 90 minutes. These webinars will be on Tuesdays at 8:00 pm ET/7:00 pm CT/6:00 pm MT/5:00 pm PT.

There are also optional weekly Q&A sessions on Thursdays at 8:00 pm ET/7:00 pm CT/6:00 pm MT/5:00 pm PT that will be an hour long.

DSI Live Training is on September 11, 2021 and from October 2 to October 4, 2021. You must be available during these days to attend the entirety of the trainings.

DSI’s curriculum will teach cohort members how to develop, plan, and adjust a field plan as well as critical management and leadership skills needed to be a successful and impactful Field Director.

Some of the topics that will be covered include…

• How to create your field plan and get it off the ground
• Best tactics and strategies for targeting voters
• Running various programs including:
  • Ballot access programs
  • Voter registration programs
  • Persuasion field programs
  • Get Out the Vote (GOTV) programs
  • Distributed organizing programs
  • Digital organizing programs
  • Constituency organizing programs
• Learning about data management and tools like Votebuider, NGP VAN, and MiniVAN
• Creating an inclusive team culture through an understanding of identity, oppression, and privilege
• Hiring staff, leading your team, and managing consultants

At this time, our training materials are only offered in English.

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

Cohort members will have two opportunities for live training outside of the weekly webinars during DSI. Midway through the program on September 11, cohort members will have a half day training session where they will participate in activities and scenarios using key campaign tools and will collaborate with fellow cohort members.

DSI then culminates with a 3-day training event. Each training day includes content on both field skills as well as essential skills for managing and leading on campaigns. Our training content is highly participatory and action-oriented in its design through simulation-based activities and professional development sessions. Cohort members will learn and spend time with experts from the field, NDTC staff, and their peers. At the end of the training, we celebrate our cohort members’ successful completion of the program with a graduation ceremony.

NDTC has always been a virtual-first organization that specializes in providing high-quality training materials, available at any time for any Democrat across the country. Our virtual-first approach is an important principle we carried over into the design of the Democratic Strategy Institute program. All components of DSI are virtual.

DSI 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 and regular communication from a NDTC program associate
• Weekly Q&A sessions with industry experts for coaching and questions about coursework
• A strong, collaborative, and inclusive learning environment with ongoing feedback to support cohort members’ growth
• Job search support and networking opportunities with NDTC partners

Yes, if you have already taken some of our Online Academy courses you can still apply for the DSI Cohort. The online courses are just one part of the overall DSI experience. You will also complete homework assignments, attend weekly webinars, receive personalized feedback and coaching, have access to industry experts, and receive job search support. Cohort members also have a community of peers to turn to for additional support during the program and beyond.

The purpose of the Democratic Strategy Institute Field Director Program 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 for the 2022 cycle. In order to accomplish this goal, NDTC deeply supports graduates during their job search.

NDTC will facilitate introductory networking sessions with our partners who are actively looking to connect with campaign staff for candidates and campaigns they work with or hire staff for their organization. Graduates who have not already secured a campaign role during the training phase of the program are eligible to participate in this process.

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 will maintain an up-to-date folder of DSI graduates who are job searching which we share with our partners.

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

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

This program is 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 DSI graduate find a campaign job.

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 graduates are informed about open jobs and that their applications are highlighted to employers as appropriate
• Ensure potential employers know graduates are trained and backed by NDTC

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

COVID-19 will continue to be an evolving situation, and while we can’t predict what the effects will be on 2021 and 2022 races, NDTC will do everything we can to keep you aware of all potential job opportunities and support you in your job search.

If you already have a job outside of politics, you should only apply if you can commit to the time requirements of the program and are willing to leave your current job to pursue a career in politics as early as October 2021. If you can’t commit to those requirements, we recommend that you look into NDTC’s On-Demand Courses and Virtual Live Trainings.

If you currently have a paid job on a Democratic campaign, you can check out our On-Demand Courses to help you level-up your skills.

Not yet! We only recommend applying to DSI if you are certain you want to work on a Democratic campaign for the 2022 cycle.

If you’re not quite ready for that commitment, that’s okay! We would encourage you to check out NDTC’s other resources in our Online Academy which will help you develop and sharpen your skills at your own pace.

While COVID-19 has increased the availability of remote work opportunities, NDTC cannot guarantee potential employers will allow remote work. Campaign work generally requires relocation to a new community for the duration of the campaign. DSI applicants should be prepared and willing to relocate in order to build a career in Democratic politics as early as October 2021.

Campaigns may or may not offer relocation expense support, but it is something you can discuss and negotiate with prospective employers.