A training and resource hub for social justice organizers
TFC’s Organizing Skills Institute helps organizers develop the fundamental skills of base-building, waging campaigns, and contesting for power. We offer cross-movement spaces where community, labor, and electoral organizers can learn together across organizing traditions and experience levels.
The program is for groups building power where they live and work; resisting racism, patriarchy, and ecological collapse; expanding multiracial democracy; and winning a just economy beyond capitalism. The OSI doesn’t offer one-size-fits-all solutions or magic potions. We believe popularizing fundamental skills, with an emphasis on the ‘learning curve’ – the capacities to experiment, reflect, assess, and apply lessons – can help fuel the hope, solidarity, and creativity this moment demands.
Public Workshops
Campaign Strategy 101
This workshop covers the building blocks of campaign strategy through examples and accessible frameworks. It’s an opportunity for new organizers and more experienced campaigners to sharpen their “theory of change” for campaign organizing and strategy development. (3 hrs, online). Learn more.
One-on-One Organizing Conversations: Steps & Practice
This workshop shares a structure for one-on-ones to use as scaffolding in your organizing conversations. If one-on-ones are like a dance, this workshop overviews the basic ‘dance steps’ to build upon, with time for practice (2 hrs, online). Learn more.
One-on-One Organizing Conversations: Between the Steps
Regardless of the steps you follow in your one-on-ones, skills for reading people effectively, knowing when to move to the next step, and practicing curiosity are key. If one-on-ones are like a dance, this workshop is about the ‘back-and-forth dynamic’ on the dance floor, beyond the basic dance steps (2 hrs, online). Learn more.
Designing Better Meetings for Base-Building
Our organizing meetings should activate our members, deepen relationships, and clarify how we win. This training is about how to assess your group, set grounded goals, and plan your agenda toward more powerful meetings. It’s designed for base-builders leading regular organizing meetings with members and leaders (2 hrs, online). Learn more.
Stay Updated
Fill out our interest form to stay updated. It has some optional questions about trainings and resources that would support your organizing work.
Writing from Trainers
What if We Viewed ICE Detentions as a Community Problem to Solve?
Nikki Marín Baena | Hammer & Hope | Summer 2025
How a local housing campaign won pro-tenant reforms by recruiting homeowners
Andrew Willis Garcés | Waging Nonviolence | Dec 2024
Report From the Training Room: Overcoming Aversion to Power
Katey Lauer, Zein Nakhoda | Convergence | Oct 2022
Want to Win a Union at Work? Here’s What the Amazon Labor Union Can Teach Us
Andrew Willis Garcés | Truthout | May 2022
Colombian Left May Be on the Verge of Winning Power
Andrea Parra, Andrew Willis Garcés, Nikki Marín Baena | Convergence | May 2022
Bet on Institution Building, Not Manchin
Katey Lauer | The Forge | Feb 2022
Five Lessons From the Past Four Years
Andrew Willis Garcés | The Forge | March 2021
In Defense of Doubt
Katey Lauer | Medium | Feb 2021
Photo Credit: Matthew Roth