How to Win a Campaign

The Campaign Workshop's Advocacy Training is coming up on December 10 and 11. Our advocacy training is fully virtual and is a complete guide to the ins and outs of effective advocacy. We cover topics like goal setting, messaging and storytelling, budgeting and fundraising, digital campaigns, lobbying, and more. Register now through our Humanitix page at the link below.Purchase tickets through HumanitixFor more information on our trainings, please visit TCWAdvocacy.com.Connect with The Campaign Workshop on Instagram or LinkedIn. Sign up for our newsletter here.

In our final 7 Questions episode of the season, Joe sits down with Alex Dickinson of Beekeeper Group to discuss their report, The Future of Advocacy. Drawing on a December 2025 survey of 1,000 voters and insights from Beekeeper's 100+ client partners, Alex shares why the traditional "ladder of engagement" may be giving way to a more fluid model, how local action is outpacing national, and why reducing friction matters more than ever. She also unpacks surprising findings on SMS engagement across generations and what the rising use of AI tools means for the future of advocacy work. A fitting close to the season, and a reading for anyone shaping campaigns in 2026. Guest Information:  Alex Dickinson, Managing Partner at Beekeeper Group.  Connect with Alex on LinkedIn.  Resources:  The Future of Advocacy Report Recommendations: Books: London Falling by Patrick Radden Keefe and Fame Sick by Lena Dunham Connect with The Campaign Workshop on Instagram or LinkedIn. Sign up for our newsletter here.

In this episode, Enrique Rivas of The Campaign Workshop sits down with Mayte Aldrett, Partner Success Director at Empower Project, to break down relational organizing—the practice of reaching people through their own trusted relationships. Mayte explains why a message from a friend, family member, or neighbor lands when a stranger's outreach gets screened out, and how organizations of any size can put the approach to work.  Mayte and Enrique dig into the real costs and commitment involved, the common roadblocks that make programs stall, and how relational organizing fits alongside canvassing, digital ads, and direct mail rather than replacing them. She also walks through Empower Project's free app for nonprofits and labor unions, and the surprising ways groups are using relational for everything from mutual aid to rapid response.  Guest Info:  Enrique Rivas, Account Manager at The Campaign Workshop Mayte Aldrett, Partner Success Director at Empower Project Connect with The Campaign Workshop on Instagram or LinkedIn. Sign up for our newsletter here.

In this 7 Questions episode, Joe sits down with Tiffany Muller, President of End Citizens United, to discuss the state of money in politics in America. Tiffany breaks down how the 2010 Citizens United Supreme Court decision opened the floodgates to unlimited and undisclosed spending in our elections and explains how dark money flows through the system. They also dig into why transparency and disclosure are critical tools for accountability. Tiffany also shares what everyday people can do to fight back, and why she believes people power is ultimately stronger than money power. Guest Info: Tiffany Muller, President, End Citizens United. You can also find End Citizens United on Instagram and LinkedIn. Check out Tiffany's recommendations: TV:  Rooster (HBO/Max) Shrinking (Apple TV) Buffy the Vampire Slayer (Hulu) Connect with The Campaign Workshop on Instagram or LinkedIn. Sign up for our newsletter here.

In this episode, Martín sits down with Bill Smith, founder and CEO of Inseparable, a bipartisan national mental health advocacy organization working to change how Washington and state houses respond to the mental health crisis. Bill shares his story behind founding Inseparable, why mental health is a winning political issue, and how his team has delivered 100 policy wins in just five years. He and Martín dig into the role of personal storytelling in advocacy, how to recruit and protect storytellers, and what it takes to turn hesitant policymakers into real champions. Bill also opens up about how he protects his own mental health while leading a movement focused on everyone else's. Guest Info:  Bill Smith, founder and CEO of Inseparable.  Connect with Inseparable on Instagram and learn more at inseparable.us. Check out Bill's recommendations: Book: Strong Ground by Brené Brown TV Show: Jury Duty Connect with The Campaign Workshop on Instagram or LinkedIn. Sign up for our newsletter here.

This week, Joe is joined by Katie Belanger, consultant for the Local Solutions Support Center, for her third appearance on the show. Katie breaks down what state preemption is, why it matters, and how it's being weaponized by corporate special interests and social conservatives to override local democracy. From heat safety standards for outdoor workers to sanctuary city policies to local zoning decisions, preemption is shaping daily life in ways most people never see. With LSSC currently tracking over 850 preemption bills this legislative session, Katie shares what's at stake. Guest Info: Katie Belanger, consultant for the Local Solutions Support Center (LSSC) Resources: 2026 Mid-Session Trends in State Preemption Check out Katie's recommendations: Podcast: The Find Out Podcast TV: How to Get to Heaven from Belfast Connect with The Campaign Workshop on Instagram or LinkedIn. Sign up for our newsletter here.

In this bonus 7 Questions episode, Joe Fuld talks with Monica Hopkins, Executive Director of the ACLU of the District of Columbia, about what it takes to defend democracy at the local level. They cover DC statehood and voting rights, how the ACLU of DC's advocacy approach delivers wins, and how a shifting political landscape has reshaped their strategy. Monica also shares candid thoughts on keeping a team motivated and protecting joy when the work feels heavy. Guest Info: Monica Hopkins, Executive Director of the ACLU of the District of Columbia. Learn more about the ACLU of DC. Resources ACLU-DC Resource HubDC Statehood Now ACLU-DC now has a podcast! Browse through episodes of A More Perfect District here. Check out Monica's Recommendations Podcast: Wildcard with Rachel Martin Book: Lily and the Octopus by Steven Rowley TV: Twisted Yoga (Apple TV) Connect with The Campaign Workshop on Instagram or LinkedIn. Sign up for our newsletter here.

This week, we're featuring a recorded webinar from our Advocacy Training series. Joe dives into goal setting—why defining clear goals as a team is one of the most critical and most often skipped steps in building a successful advocacy campaign. He walks through prioritizing primary versus secondary goals, layering short-term and long-term objectives, and building in evaluation metrics from the start rather than the finish. Joe covers the practical scaffolding that holds it all together: doing your research, planning around the legislative calendar, having honest budget conversations, using MOUs with coalition partners, and keeping goals SMARTIE—strategic, measurable, achievable, relevant, time-bound, inclusive, and equitable. If you're interested in learning more about TCW's Advocacy Training, check out our website, TCW Advocacy. Connect with The Campaign Workshop on Instagram or LinkedIn. Sign up for our newsletter here.

In this Seven Questions episode, Martín Diego Garcia sits down with Denise Feriozzi, co-founder and executive director of Pipeline Fund, to talk about building the long-term, down-ballot infrastructure progressives have needed for years. She breaks down the gaps Pipeline Fund set out to fill and digs into the realities of this work today, from rising safety and security concerns to the case for contesting races everywhere, not just in swing states.  Guest Info: Denise Feriozzi, Co-founder and Executive Director, Pipeline Fund. Sign up for The Baseline, Pipeline Fund's monthly newsletter, here. Check out Denise's recommendations: TV: Below Deck (Peacock/Bravo) Connect with The Campaign Workshop on Instagram or LinkedIn. Sign up for our newsletter here.

In this episode, Joe sits down with Cesar Toledo, Executive Director of the Wanda Alston Foundation, to talk about what it really looks like to make local impact. Cesar shares his journey from national politics — including the Harris-Walz campaign and the LGBTQ+ Victory Fund — to leading a small but mighty DC nonprofit serving homeless LGBTQ+ youth, where nearly 40% of DC's homeless youth identify as queer. He and Joe dig into how Cesar is scaling impact with limited staff, why campaign skills translate directly to nonprofit leadership, and how he refuses to let the opposition steal his joy.  Guest Info: Cesar Toledo, Executive Director, Wanda Alston Foundation Connect with Cesar on Instagram (@chico_ces) Resources: The Wanda Alston Foundation's housing programs Cesar's 2025 Out100 feature Cesar's Metro Weekly cover story LGBTQ+ Victory Institute candidate and campaign trainings Check out Cesar's recommendations: TV: Invincible (Amazon Prime) Movies: George A. Romero's Dawn of the Dead and the Resident Evil film franchise. Connect with The Campaign Workshop on Instagram or LinkedIn. Sign up for our newsletter here.