Campaign Strategy Fellowship
coaching for campaign organizers
Are you launching a new campaign, or wanting to level-up your campaign’s strategy? Looking for a coach to support campaign planning?
The Campaign Strategy Fellowship pairs campaign organizers with a strategy coach for one-on-one and small group support on campaign development, along with access to workshops and other learning opportunities.
Issue-based campaigns are key to building powerful movements for justice. Campaign strategy – including cutting an issue, identifying targets, demands, and key constituencies, sequencing tactics, and crafting a powerful narrative – is a complex craft. While any organizer can learn it, having a seasoned campaigner’s support is invaluable. Strategy coaches ask thought-provoking questions, offer tools and frameworks, and spark creativity. This Fellowship is about exploring your full range of campaign choices, sharpening your decision making, and achieving your campaign goals.
We’re accepting Fellowship partners on a rolling basis through 2024, during our pilot year of the project. Read below to learn about eligibility, expectations, and the process.
What kind of campaigns do you mean?
When we say “campaigns” we mean strategic sequences of actions that pressure targets toward achievable demands on particular social justice issues. We’re centered in community- and issue-based campaign traditions, but we’re also open to partnering with workplace- and labor-based campaigns. For this program, although important, we’re not referring to electoral campaigns or winning elections. We’re excited to partner with campaigns that aim to win material victories while also building transformative movements.
Who’s eligible?
You should apply for the Fellowship if you:
- are actively planning to launch a campaign -or- are already waging a campaign
- organize with an organization or group
- have identified a specific problem you want to address through a campaign
- are new to campaigning -or- are a seasoned campaign organizer looking to grow your skills
- think of yourself as a strategist, or not!
- are open to coaching for the sake of winning your campaign
We accept eligible Fellowship partners from across the United States on a range of social justice issues. We work with a range of organization types – from volunteer activist groups to statewide organizing departments. We encourage BIPOC, working class, and newer campaign organizers to apply.
How long is the Fellowship? When does it start?
We accept Fellowship partners on a rolling basis, based on available coaching capacity. Typical Fellowship partnerships last between 6 and 12 months, but the length is decided in collaboration with your coach.
What are the Fellowship expectations?
Each partner organization designates one individual as a point person. This person is expected to:
- Coordinate with your Coach around scheduling, work planning, etc.
- Communicate with other relevant campaign organizers and strategists
- Invite relevant group and organizational members to coaching sessions, workshops, etc.
- Commit to the duration of the Fellowship (TBD)
- Follow through on assignments and tasks
- Bring an openness to learn and your wisdom about your people, issue, and organizing context
What is the cost?
The Campaign Strategy Fellowship is no-cost for accepted partners. If accepted, coaching fees, workshop fees, and resources are all included in the partnership.
How do I apply?
If you’re interested in partnering through the Campaign Strategy Fellowship, submit an interest form, below. It asks several questions about your context, campaign status, organization, and goals. Eligible campaigns will be invited to submit a full application, on a rolling basis.
The Campaign Strategy Fellowship is a project of the Organizing Skills Institute and made possible by TFC’s grassroots donors and funding partners. Donate to support the project.