The Campaign Workshop Blog, is hosted by The Campaign Workshop - an advocacy and political consulting firm. We write about tactics for advocacy, membership, civic engagement, and progressive politics.  We post weekly, and also publish ebooks, host webinars, and The How to Win a Campaign Podcast. Sign up to learn more.   

Section Heading

Supply Chain

Supply Chain Problems for Nonprofits and Political Campaigns

by Joe Fuld (He/Him)

Supply chain issues are real for political campaigns and nonprofit organizations. So, if you are running any kind of campaign in 2022 or 2023 be prepared. The supply chain issues will cause stress when it comes to voter and member outreach in 2022.

close up of someone writing out  a campaign job application

Campaign Job Descriptions: Winning campaign Team = Clear Campaign Roles

by Phoebe Retta (She/Her)

Once you’ve decided to run for office, one of the first things you’ll have to do is think about campaign structure. Define your campaign roles— paid and unpaid— and write out campaign job descriptions that will help you build a winning campaign team.

Signature gathering

Why You Should Start Your Signature Gathering Effort Early

by Ben Holse (He/Him)

For groups and organizations that are interested in getting a measure on the ballot, signature gathering can be a costly, time-intensive, and pain-staking affair. You’ll need to raise the money to pay an expensive field consultant to manage the process for you. There’s a steady unease about hitting your numbers, and all of this is compounded with the stress of knowing that the success of your effort hangs in the balance.

Opposition research - green chat bubble with a thumbs down and red chat bubble with a thumbs up

Opposition Research, or How Knowledge is Power

by The Campaign Workshop

You may think opposition research is really only something Independent Expenditures need, but that isn’t the case. Opposition research can serve a purpose on every type of campaign. Although Google searches can provide some insight to an opponent’s background and any news coverage, there are entire political consulting firms that specialize in opposition work.

Political campaign budget: piggy banks from small to large

Political Campaign Budget - The Complete Guide

by Martín Diego Garcia (He/Him)

If there’s one common thread that runs through the progressive movement and Democratic political campaigns, it’s that they are very often operating with a limited budget. This fact makes having a political campaign budget critically important, because you must be strategic with how your resources are spent and get the most out of each dollar.

people sitting and reading newspapers

Political Newsletters Political Consultants Read Before Breakfast

by Joe Fuld (He/Him)

Political news moves at a breakneck pace, and while following along on social media can be a great way to keep up with the latest blips on the screen, we also like to read a handful of political newsletters before stepping into the office. Sometimes even our own.

Guide to Coalition Building

Coalition Building Guide

by Martín Diego Garcia (He/Him)

If you’re a member of an organization that has spotted a need for change but doesn’t know how to make a meaningful impact alone, coalition building may be the answer for you. Though you may know the change you want to make, the hardest part is figuring out how to get started. Do you have enough resources, money and otherwise, to make this happen?

crypto for political campaigns

Crypto for Political Campaigns and NFTs for Fundraising

by Joe Fuld (He/Him)

Is crypto for political campaigns something my campaign should spend time on? For most campaigns, the answer is no. Few folks understand crypto but there is pressure in the world of campaigning when it comes to crypto and NFTs. My focus on NFTs and crypto has mainly been on the non-profit space (501c3s and 501c4s). I think in those instances there are clearer lines on how nonprofits can benefit from them. There are real incentives for donors to donate crypto to 501c3s. You can learn more about that here.

Member Communications

Member Communications: If You Endorse a Candidate Let People Know!

by Joe Fuld (He/Him)

But, to do member communications right you need to plan way ahead. In this post we revisit an endorsement process and help define ways to promote and streamline goals for endorsements and recommendations.

Remote Company

Remote Company: Why The Campaign Workshop Became a Virtual Team

by Joe Fuld (He/Him)

Do you work at a remote company? Learn how The Campaign Workshop became a permanently remote company in April of 2020. Like many companies, the pandemic made us rethink our workplace and appreciate the benefits of a remote model.

three people holding puzzle pieces, putting them together, blue background

Facebook Campaign Strategy for Paid and Organic

by Joe Fuld (He/Him)

Facebook campaign strategy - can be frustrating,  but as you plan for elections you need a strategy to navigate and plan for paid and organic content, especially as Facebook continues to change their rules for targeting.

Advocacy Message

Advocacy Message: Know Your Advocacy Campaign Goals

by Joe Fuld (He/Him)

Advocacy message development can be challenging. Join us as we go through the basics of developing an advocacy message, as well as more advanced steps to build an advocacy message that goes the distance.

QR Codes

QR Codes for Politics: Should I Use QR Codes for Politics and Advocacy?

by Joe Fuld (He/Him)

Thinking about how to use QR codes for politics and advocacy? Whether you are in politics, membership, or advocacy spaces and do any kind of targeted communication, you need to think about how QR codes can be useful for your work and what the limitations are.

Crypto Donations

Crypto Donations: Should My Nonprofit Accept Crypto?

by Joe Fuld (He/Him)

As the use of cryptocurrency, such as bitcoin, grows, more and more nonprofits are accepting bitcoin donations, but what are the upsides and downsides of taking crypto donations? Should all nonprofits get on the crypto donation caravan? Read for our take on cryptocurrency for nonprofits.

Political Campaign Website

Political Campaign Website: Are you Ready for 2022?

by Ben Holse (He/Him)

A political campaign website is one of the most important early investments a campaign can make. Your website gives voters a place where they can learn more about your campaign and where you can spin your narrative however you want. Until recently, websites costed thousands of dollars to develop and required many months of careful planning and plenty of time to build.

advocacy strategy

Advocacy Strategies: Approach Change Holistically

by Martín Diego Garcia (He/Him)

Advocacy campaigns should be built on advocacy strategies. Simple, right? But creating a strong foundation for an advocacy campaign is sometimes easier said than done.

campaign message

Campaign Message: 7 Tips for How to Stay on Message in 2022

by The Campaign Workshop

Is Your campaign message ready for 2022?  You may be wondering how to stay on message in the new year in order to meet your goals. The new year will bring with it plenty of forums, debates, and other public speaking events that will serve as opportunities to share your campaign message with diverse audiences.

Democratic Direct Mail

Democratic Direct Mail: What Does a Political Mail Firm Do?

by Joe Fuld (He/Him)

What does a campaign mail firm do? Admit it, this is a question that a lot of people have asked but never got a clear answer. Well, never fear, after producing winning Democratic direct mail for over ten years, The Campaign Workshop is here with answers.

Virtual Training

Virtual Training, In-Person Training, and Hybrid Training: What is the Difference?

by Joe Fuld (He/Him)

Thinking about virtual training? As a company, we create and run political, campaign, and advocacy training programs for groups and organizations. Since 2009, we had done all our training in person, but Covid-19 changed that. We now do a mix of virtual and in-person training on a wide range of topics from advocacy, and candidate training, to board facilitation.

Virtual Fundraising

Virtual Fundraising Event Tips

by Joe Fuld (He/Him)

Virtual fundraising is not easy. These tips will help you build a virtual fundraising event plan. No matter the size, let us share our experience on what fundraising mistakes to avoid and how to launch and execute a successful virtual fundraiser.