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DFA Night School is our on-line training program that allows anyone to learn the skills to win from their own home. Each session is an interactive conference call and web presentation where trainees participate and ask questions. Featuring expert trainers, topics range from Volunteer Recruitment to Framing a Message to Fundraising to Online Media.

Each session lasts just an hour, is packed with important skills and is completely free. You can view past presentations below to watch at your convenience. DVD versions are also available for purchase at the Training Store.

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Upcoming Night Schools

Shutting Down a Campaign (click to RSVP)

Wednesday November 19th, 8:30pm Eastern

Ever wonder what happens to a campaign after Election Day? Campaigns don't end when the final ballots are counted. Win or lose, there is still lots of vitally important work still to be done. Closing out your campaign properly it will be much harder to run again and build on your success.  Click here to listen live!

Click here to download a .pdf version of these slides

Click here to download Campaign Capsule Table of Contents

Previous Night Schools

Canvassing & Phonebanking

Wednesday September 17th, 8:30pm Eastern

This week Night School turns it attention to the two tactics that studies show have the greatest impact on voter turnout: Canvassing & Phonebanking. We'll give you practical tips and advice from professionals with years of canvassing experience.

Click here to download a .pdf version of the slides

Click here to download DFA Phonebank Bingo

Click here to download sample scripts

Recruiting Volunteers

Wedness September 3rd, 8:30pm EDT

Recruiting, training and retaining volunteers is one of the most important skills any campaign should have. This month DFA Night School turns it focus on Volunteers. We'll discuss how to recruit your friends, family, co-workers, neighbors and even perfect strangers to join your campaign.

Click here to download a .pdf version of these slides

How to Increase Voter Turn Out

Wedness September 3rd, 8:30pm EDT

Our guest next week will be Professor Donald Green of Yale University.  Along with his colleague Allan Gerber, Donald Green has conducted hundreds of controlled experiments measuring the effect of various campaign tactics on voter turnout.  We'll take a look at what works, what doesn't and what is worth the cost in time, money and people.

Click here to download a .pdf version of these slides

Online Organizing

Wednesday August 20th, 8:30pm EDT

DFA Night School returns in August with our special guest, Zack Exley from the New Organizing Institute www.neworganizing.com to talk about how the internet has and continues to revolutionize politics and organizing in America.

Click here to download a .pdf version of these slides

The Political Mind w/ George Lakoff (live from Netroots Nation!)

Thursday July 17th, 5:30pm EDT

Howard Dean called Professor George Lakoff "One of the most influential political thinkers of the progressive movement."  Professor Lakoff returns to DFA Night School as we go live from Netroots Nation in Austin, Texas for this hour long online training. We'll discuss his latest book, The Political Mind, and the frames and metaphors we need to use to win in November.

Getting a Campaign Job

June 25th, 8:30 p.m. EDT

Campaigns are gearing up in all 50 states right now, and they need for passionate and well trained campaign staff. Next Wednesday June 25th, Democratic GAIN President Amy Pritchard will be joining DFA Night School for an hour long training on 'Getting a Job on a Campaign'. We'll offer tips on touching up your resume and how to build and leverage your professional networks both on and offline as part of our Night School series.

Democratic GAIN is one of the nation's most effective organizations when it comes to connecting campaigns with talented staffers across the country. Democratic GAIN President Amy Pritchard will join us for an hour long discussion on the do's and don'ts of searching for the right campaign job.

Resource(s): Download Sample Campaign Resume #1 (Experienced)

Download Sample Campaign Resume #2 (Beginner)

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Writing a Field Plan: Part 2

May 28th, 8:30 p.m. EDT

DFA Night School continues with the second half of our 2 part series on writing a Field Plan.  This 75 minute long training session will focus on the most effective tactics you can employ to get your message out to the voters, setting benchmarks for success and laying your plan out on a realistic timeline.

Resource(s): PDF: Sample Call Sheet with Bar Codes

• PDF: Sample Campaign Script
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Writing a Field Plan: Part 1

April 23, 8:30 p.m. EDT

DFA Night School returns just in time for the 2008 elections. This one hour long online training session will be focused on writing your campaign's blueprint for success: Your Field Plan.

Would you like to know exactly how many votes it's going to take to win in November? Where and when to deploy the limited volunteer and financial resources so that they have the greatest impact? DFA will be covering all this and much more in this hour long online training program.

Fall Semester 2007   (click to view videos) 

This semester we're dedicating five sessions completely to the topic of organizing your local precinct. It doesn't matter if you live in Boston or West Texas, this is something that anyone, anywhere can do. In short the more precincts we get organized, the more we'll win in November.

• August 2nd: Building an Open Progressive Community

September 11th: Precinct Organizing: Getting Started

September 18th: Precinct Organizing: Recruiting Your Precinct Team

1. September 25th: Precinct Organizing: Making an Impact

October 2nd: Precinct Organizing: Building Networks Across Precincts

Summer Semester 2007

The Summer 2007 semester was all about fundraising. We have some excellent guests including former state party chairs, congressional finance directors and staff from ActBlue.

June 12th: Developing a Finance Plan

June 19th: Fundraising: Events and Call Time

June 26th: Fundraising: Online and Email

Spring Semester 2007

Fresh off our tremendous victories in 2006, DFA Night School turned its focus on sustaining and building on our successes.

March 6th: Holding Elected Leaders Accountable

March 13th: Building Progressive Coalitions

March 20th: Anyone Can Run

Fall Semester 2006

September 19: Framing the Election with George Lakoff

September 26: Winning with Social Networks

October 3: Voting Early, Voting Easily, Voting Safely

October 10: Getting Out The Vote

Summer Semester 2006

July 25: Mainstream Media: Breaking In

August 1: Leveraging Blogs and Online Media

August 8: Sustaining your Media Presence

Spring Semester 2006

April 11: Moving our Message

April 18: Building a Grassroots Army: Volunteer Recruitment

April 25: Rules of the Road: Canvassing

May 2: How to Make Phoning Fun