Running Effective Coalition Campaigns

Tech and Organizing Wisdom from Winning Coalitions Across Movements & Continents

• Two 2-hour sessions on sequential days held at Noon EST, June 16 – 17, 2026. See time in your time zone.
• Discussion session held for Asia-Pacific time zone with recording of main sessions provided on June 23, 2026. See time in your time zone

Coalition campaigns represent some of the most potent forces for social change, bringing together diverse organizations, communities, and movements to achieve shared goals that no single group could accomplish alone. This training draws from successful coalition campaigns spanning labor rights, environmental justice, civil rights, and democracy movements across the globe to reveal the strategic frameworks, tech tools, and organizing principles that turn fragmented efforts into unstoppable collective action. You’ll learn how winning coalitions navigate the complex dynamics of multi-stakeholder collaboration, use digital tools and platforms to coordinate at scale, and establish the trust and alignment necessary to sustain long-term campaigns that drive change.

Who this training is for:

• Campaign managers and organizing directors
• Movement leaders building cross-issue alliances
• Nonprofit executive directors and program staff
• Union organizers and labor leaders
• Community organizers working on local campaigns
• Digital organizers and communications coordinators

What we’ll cover:

• Coalition architecture, governance structures – Decision-making processes, leadership models, and accountability systems that keep diverse partners aligned and engaged, ranging from informal ‘tables’ to more formal structures
• Strategic campaign planning for multi-organization efforts – Frameworks for setting shared goals, dividing responsibilities, and creating integrated campaign timelines across different organizational cultures and theories of change
• Digital organizing tools and platforms – Communication infrastructure practices, data sharing agreements and practices, and tech recommendations for coalition coordination, from secure communications, shared databases and distributed fundraising, to websites and petitions that are ‘movement identified’ and sharing specific expensive tools and the tech support to run them
• Building and maintaining trust across movements – Navigating ideological differences, power imbalances, and competing organizational priorities while maintaining coalition unity
• Communications and messaging coordination – Developing unified narratives, coordinating media strategies, and amplifying each other’s voices while maintaining individual organizational identity
• Resource sharing and fundraising models – Practical approaches to pooling resources, shared fundraising strategies, and equitable distribution of campaign costs and benefits
• Coalition maintenance and conflict resolution – Tools for managing disagreements, addressing power dynamics, and keeping coalitions together through both victories and setbacks
• Case studies from winning campaigns – Exploration of successful coalition campaigns from movements including climate action, workers’ rights, immigration reform, and democratic participation across different political contexts

Language Access

The course recording, materials and live session will be held in English. Live captioning of the live sessions is available in 39 languages. For instruction or simultaneous interpretation, materials translation and recording dubbing to other languages, contact SMT at [email protected].

Cost

In order to support a movement organization learning space, SMT trainings are for staff of non-profits, NGOs, unions, and electoral campaigns. Trainings are not for consultants or agencies.