Progressive
Governance Academy
We ensure that state and local elected officials have the resources, assets, tools, and skills that are needed to become powerful and effective leaders. The program is jointly hosted by Local Progress, re:power, and the State Innovation Exchange.

Helping You Lead and Govern

Despite large investments to get progressive candidates elected to office, very few resources exist to support elected officials once they begin to govern. The skills you need to win an election – like fielding, fundraising, communications – are not the same skills you need to govern effectively – such as policy analysis, constituent outreach, coalition management, and parliamentary procedure.

The Progressive Governance Academy exists to ensure that state and local elected officials that align with us have the resources, assets, tools, and skills that are needed to become powerful and effective leaders.

We ensure that state and local elected officials have the resources, assets, tools, and skills that are needed to become powerful and effective leaders. The program is jointly hosted by Local Progress, re:power, and State Innovation Exchange.

Are you Newly Elected?

The Progressive Governance Academy is a great opportunity for you to build your leadership and gain the skills you need to govern effectively. 

As a part of the program, you will have:

  • A cohort of top-notch trainers exclusively comprised of state and local elected officials who intimately know the challenges of governing.
  • Compelling and adaptable skills-building curriculum that gets right to the root of the challenges related to governing, while helping to empower legislators to be their most effective while in office. We’ve built this curriculum together, based on the deep history of training and progressive governance between these three organizations.
  • A plethora of opportunities specifically for state and local officials to develop and hone the skills necessary to succeed, learn and grow. These training events also provide an opportunity for deeper relationships among like-minded state and local legislators for shared learning.

Blog And Featured News

A delivery worker rides his bicycle along a path on the West Side Highway in New York City.

States and cities eye stronger protections for gig economy workers

In the past five years, lawmakers in at least 10 jurisdictions — including cities such as Chicago and Seattle — have proposed new protections for ride-share drivers and food delivery workers. LP's LiJia Gong weighs in on the importance of local gig economy legislation.
Two people wearing hats who look like farmers shaking hands in a field as the sun sets behind them.

Here’s What Rural Leaders Say Their Communities Need

The 2023 Rural Policy Action Report finds that rural Americans need policies that invest in rural communities, help small farmers compete with big agri-businesses, and hold corporations accountable.

The Best Moments from our National Convening in St. Louis! #LP2023

This was our largest and most exciting national convening to date – with more than 44 different strategy meetings, workshops, and site visits, covering everything from workers’ rights and rent stabilization to reproductive justice, federal implementation, and navigating the challenges and opportunities in elected office.

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