Launching Your Campaign

How to grow your campaign team and announce your run.

“Getting started was hard. Overcoming the fear of announcing publicly my intent to run, and overcoming the desire to have everything ready and in place, was difficult. There was always one more doubt nagging at me that would hold me back one more day and one more day. Usually, once we got moving, things flowed pretty smoothly.” – RFS Alum

Planning Your Campaign

• FILING REQUIREMENTS AND DEADLINES – NextDems
• KEY DATES FOR CANDIDATES – NextDems
• ONLINE CAMPAIGN TOOLS 

Calculating Your Win Number

• POLITICAL CAMPAIGN STRATEGY BASICS: GET YOUR WIN NUMBER – NGPVAN
• CALCULATING YOUR VOTE GOAL – National Democratic Training Committee (registration required)
• WIN NUMBER CALCULATOR 

Setting Up Your Campaign Step by Step

• CAMPAIGN FINANCE 101 Q&A
• GETTING YOUR CAMPAIGN OFF THE GROUND – National Democratic Training Committee (registration required)
• 8 STEPS TO LAUNCHING YOUR POLITICAL CAMPAIGN – NGPVAN
• ONLINE TOOLS FOR CANDIDATES – A complete list of free/cheap resources you can use during your campaign

Budgeting Your Funds and Your Time

• BUDGETING AND FINANCIAL COMPLIANCE– National Democratic Training Committee (registration required)
• STRATEGIC SCHEDULING – National Democratic Training Committee (registration required)

Assembling Your Campaign Team

• VENDORS & CONSULTANTS 101 – How to know what you need vendors for and what different payment plans mean
• RFS ARMCHAIR SERIES – Campaign Management with Emmy Ruiz
• BUILDING YOUR VOLUNTEER TEAM – National Democratic Training Committee (registration required)
• INCLUDING PEOPLE WITH DISABILITIES ON YOUR CAMPAIGN – A guide for campaign staff from NCIL
• ENGAGING YOUNG PEOPLE: A GUIDE FOR CAMPAIGNS – A guide with tips to get young people (Gen-Z) involved in your campaign as volunteers, mobilizers, and even interns.

Securing Your Campaign: Keeping your campaign plans and staff safe from hackers

• CYBER SECURITY – Simple, actionable information that will make your campaign’s information more secure from adversaries
• DIGITAL SECURITY TIPS – Top 10 Tips for Grassroots Campaign Digital Security
• DIGITAL SECURITY – Guidance from Campaign Helpdesk
• RFS ARMCHAIR SERIES – The importance of Vote-By-Mail with Chair of the GA Democratic Party, Nikema Williams