Women Out to Win is a six month advanced campaign training for LGBTQ+ women to address challenges specific to women candidates, such as imposter syndrome, safety concerns, and fundraising.
Program Elements
The Women Out to Win program has four main elements during the program from December to June:
- Convenings: Cohort members participate in convenings that cover the greatest barriers on the campaign trail identified by LGBTQ+ women.
- International LGBTQ+ Leaders Conference: Participants attend LGBTQ+ Victory Institute’s annual International LGBTQ+ Leaders Conference in December to increase networking opportunities with LGBTQ+ elected officials & advocates, and to create bonding opportunities for the Women Out to Win cohort. LGBTQ+ Victory Institute covers flight, hotel, and registration expenses.
- Mentorship: At least one current or former LGBTQ+ woman elected official is assigned as a mentor to each program participant to provide guidance on running for office as an LGBTQ+ woman.
- Expertise: Fellows receive exclusive trainings and consulting hours with experts from LGBTQ+ Victory Institute.
Application Process
The application for the 2025 Women Out to Win program will be available in early summer.
Program History
Through generous funding from The Ascend Fund, Victory Institute produced a first-of-its-kind report, “The Decision to Run: Uncovering the Barriers and Motivators for LGBTQ Women Running for Office” to explore the barriers and motivators LGBTQ+ women experience when running for office.
LGBTQ+ women expressed needing more mentorship from elected officials who are also LGBTQ+ women. Representation continues to matter:
In regions where there was already LGBTQ representation, more LGBTQ women were likely to run and thought an LGBTQ woman was more likely to assume office. In areas where there was no LGBTQ representation, 83% of respondents were either very concerned or somewhat concerned that an LGBTQ person could not win a seat.
In a response to our research findings, we decided to take action to make sure we’re doing our part to equip LGBTQ+ women to navigate campaign challenges unique to them.
Meet the 2023 Women Out to Win Cohort
We are excited to welcome our third Women Out to Win cohort! Learn more about the 2023 Women Out to Win participants here.
Alumni
Women Out to Win would not be possible without our inaugural classes of women who paved the way for the program. Meet the 2021 and 2022 alumni.
Convenings
As a first step to breaking down some of the barriers LGBTQ+ women face when running for office, we’re hosting convenings that cover the top challenges identified by women in our Decision to Run report.
Watch our first convening from July 21, 2021 that establishes the landscape of LGBTQ+ women running for office and discusses the experiences of LGBTQ+ women who hold elected office.
Supporters
LGBTQ+ Victory Institute would like to give special thanks to our program supporters. Their philanthropy ensures that this program has the financial resources it needs to provide LGBTQ+ women with specialized support.
If you are interested in learning how you/your company can support the Women Out To Win program, please contact Curtis Sakow, Director of Corporate & Institutional Giving, at curtis.sakow@victoryinstitute.org.