We're Not Just Training Candidates. We're Building Entire Teams That Win Races.
NDTC takes your campaign from dream team to victory.
TL;DR
You can’t win a campaign alone. You need a team, that's where NDTC comes in.
Training campaign staff matters just as much as candidates, and doing it simultaneously creates a multiplier effect.
NDTC has free, professional resources to develop your campaign staff skills without needing a political degree or insider connections.
Even the most prepared candidates can lose elections if they don’t have the right team around them. No one can do this thing alone. If you don’t have someone who knows how to build a field plan, manage volunteers, or navigate compliance requirements, you’re fighting with one hand tied behind your back.
But most first-time candidates running for local office can’t afford to hire experienced political consultants or seasoned campaign staff. We know that.
They’re teachers, small business owners, organizers, and working parents who are stepping up because they care — not because they have a war chest or political connections.
So what happens? They either run barebones campaigns and hope passion carries them through, or they don’t run at all because the barrier to entry feels too high.
That’s the gap we’re working to close. And we’re doing it successfully. Exhibit A: last year alone — in a so-called “off-year” — over 960 winning candidates got their start with NDTC, learning how to build a strong team from the ground up.
The Campaign Staff Problem
Every election cycle, Democratic candidates across the country face the same challenge: finding qualified people to run their campaigns.
Field directors who understand voter contact strategy. Finance staff who can build sustainable fundraising operations. Communications directors who can craft messages that actually resonate with voters. Volunteer coordinators who can turn enthusiasm into organized action.
These roles require real skills — not just political passion. And demand far outpaces supply.
Competitive races attract experienced staff. But down-ballot campaigns, first-time candidates, and races in underestimated districts? They’re often left scrambling. They tap friends and family members with zero campaign experience. They piece together advice from Google and hope for the best. Or they go it alone and burn out long before Election Day.
This isn’t sustainable. And it’s certainly not how we build the bench of Democratic leaders our communities need.
NDTC’s Role in Building Campaign Teams
When we launched NDTC in 2016, the focus was clear: train Democrats to run for office. And we’ve done that — over 125,000 people have gone through our programs.
But as we’ve grown, something else has become equally clear: candidates don’t just need to know how to run. They need teams who know how to win.
That’s why we’re not just training candidates. We’re training the field organizers, campaign managers, communications staff, and volunteer coordinators who turn strong campaigns into winning ones.
Our courses teach the same skills that professional consultants charge thousands of dollars to provide — except we provide them freely to anyone who wants to learn.
Want to understand how to build a field plan that actually drives results? We’ve got a course for that.
Need to learn how to manage volunteers without burning them out? We teach that.
Trying to figure out campaign finance compliance so you don’t accidentally break the law? We cover it.
These aren’t theoretical lessons. They’re practical, tactical skills that you can take directly into campaigns, whether you’re the candidate or joining someone else’s team.
The Multiplier Effect
Here’s where it gets powerful: when we train both candidates and campaign staff, there’s a multiplier effect.
If you’re a first-time candidate who takes our “So You Think You Want To Run“ course, you suddenly know what questions to ask when building your team. You understand what a field plan should look like. You recognize when you need help with compliance. You’re not starting from zero.
And when you connect with a volunteer who took our “Intro to Field“ course, you’re getting someone with applicable skills who can hit the ground running. Not just a supportive friend who doesn’t actually know what they’re signing up for.
The network we’re building is a pipeline where trained candidates can find trained staff, and where people who want to lead can develop real expertise without needing a political degree or insider connections.
Real People, Real Impact
The NDTC learners who’ve gone through our programs are out there winning races.
We’ve trained field organizers who managed voter contact operations that flipped county boards. Campaign managers who ran winning state legislative races on small budgets. Communications directors who crafted messages that broke through in crowded primaries. Many of them started as volunteers who took one training, then another, then found themselves with the skills and confidence to apply for and take on paid campaign roles.
The point is that there’s no single path. But there is a clear need, and NDTC is meeting it by making professional-level campaign staff training available to anyone who wants it.
What This Means for 2026
The stakes in 2026 are enormous: we’re fighting to flip the House, state legislatures will be won or lost, and local elections in thousands of communities will shape people’s lives for years to come.
Those races will be decided by the candidate with the better ground game, by who builds stronger volunteer operations, who communicates more effectively, and who organizes smarter.
In other words, they’ll be decided by the quality of the teams running these campaigns.
That’s why we’re scaling up with more courses focused on campaign staff roles, new resources for people looking to break into political work, and fresh ways to connect trained candidates with trained staff.
Because winning in 2026 isn’t just about finding good candidates. It’s about making sure those candidates have the staff and teams they need to win.
You’re Part of This Pipeline
If you’ve ever thought about working on a campaign but didn’t know where to start, this is your invitation.
If you’ve volunteered on campaigns and wondered how to turn that into paid work, we can help you build those skills.
If you’re a candidate trying to figure out how to staff your campaign without breaking the bank, our trained learners are out there ready to help.
This isn’t just about 2026. It’s about building the long-term infrastructure that makes Democratic organizing stronger, more professional, and more accessible.
We’re not just training candidates. We’re building the teams that win their races.
And we’re doing it together.
Ready to build your campaign skills? Explore our free courses and find the training that fits where you want to go.
Running for office and need to build your team? Check out our resources on hiring and managing campaign staff.
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