Wellstone

The Wellstone Impact

Founded to carry forward the work of Paul and Sheila Wellstone, we arm progressives with the strategies and skills to win. We develop political leaders. We strengthen movement organizations. We ignite change.

Learn more about our impact

Trained 86k progressive leaders

Propelled 1,000 alumni into elected office

Guided 4,500 winning campaigns

Engaged 400 partner organizations

Inspired 26k donors

What Can Wellstone Do for Me?

I want to make progressive change by:

Running for public or political office Working on a campaign Working on a ballot initiative Organizing my community, coalition, nonprofit, or network Using data and digital tools to power our movement

Have you previously run for elected office or been appointed to public service?

Yes No

Have you previously held a key leadership role on a significant electoral campaign?

Yes No

I most want to win progressive change:

With My Nonprofit Organization or Coalition As an Advocate for Ending Domestic Violence and Sexual Assault As an Organizer in My Community With My Youth-Serving Organization

Wellstone’s Public and Political Leadership work

Check out Wellstone’s Public and Political Leadership work. We offer training for experienced candidates, including training on how to govern as a progressive.

You should check out Wellstone’s Public and Political Leadership work.

We offer training and support for experienced campaigners, including Advanced Campaign Management School and other customized programs to help you win your campaign, the Wellstone Way.

Camp Wellstone is the program for you.

We teach candidates the nuts and bolts of running – and winning – a progressive campaign. Think of it as Campaign School 101!

Camp Wellstone is the program for you.

We teach campaign staff the nuts and bolts of running – and winning – a progressive campaign. Think of it as Campaign School 101!

Camp Wellstone is the program for you.

We teach organizers the nuts and bolts of winning progressive change on community-based issues.

Strengthening Movements for Social, Racial, Economic, and Gender Justice

As partners with Ballot Initiative Strategy Center, we work with groups strategically engaging in ballot measure initiatives to help them win progressive change and improve people's lives.

Strengthening Movements for Social, Racial, Economic, and Gender Justice

Our intensive, customized, partnership-based work is designed to create progressive change and improve people’s lives. Learn more about how Wellstone is building our movement.

Sheila Wellstone Institute

As an advocate for ending domestic violence and sexual assault, our Sheila Wellstone Institute may be right for you. We continue Sheila’s legacy to end violence in families by building power and visibility to ensure that ending violence against women is a national priority.

Strengthening Movements for Social, Racial, Economic, and Gender Justice

No significant progressive social movement has thrived without youth leadership. Our partnership-based youth work is designed to create progressive change by connecting youth training with specific campaigns and organizations. Learn more about how Wellstone is building our movement.

You should check out Wellstone’s Movement Technology work

We train progressive leaders in data and digital organizing frameworks, strategies, and tactics.

Vote Deficit Calculator

To win, you don’t need to talk to every voter in your district. Once you have your win number, calculating your vote deficit is the next step as you plan your campaign’s targeting strategy.

Movement Building
Public & Political Leadership
Field & Organizing
Calculators

WIN Number Calculator

Everything you do during the campaign, from knocking on a door, to sending out a tweet, should be in service of reaching your win number on Election Day.

Public & Political Leadership
Field & Organizing
Calculators

Thank you Wellstone Action for training me in grassroots organizing. It truly works! I am very thankful for the Native American Leadership Program as it was my path to success. t'igwicid - thank you!

Theresa Sheldon

Elected Member of the Tulalip Tribes Council

Pam Costain

Minneapolis, MN

Paul Wellstone: Always a Teacher

I was nineteen years old in 1969 when Paul Wellstone arrived on the Carleton Campus. A short muscular man with a huge mop of curly hair, Paul took the campus by storm. His passionate belief in activism and social justice made this new political science professor an instant sensation with students. We flocked to his classes, mesmerized by ...

Dan Hoxworth

Here is the rationale for the Congressional Living Memorial being Neighborhood House as I prepared for submission. I thought it is important for you to have this for your archives. The whole design of the Wellstone Center was based on the theme of "embrace" the immigrant and refugee communities.

Rationale: Neighborhood House was founded by the women of Mount Zion ...

Sally Miller

Minneapolis, MN

As a girl from small town Minnesota, the thought of working in the United States Senate in Washington, DC for my rabble rousing hero Senator Paul Wellstone was beyond belief. I started answering the front office phones for the Senator just 2 months after graduating from College and for the next 8 years, I worked the spectrum of crazy campaign and senate office jobs for ...

Teresa Tanzi

Wakefield, RI

I did not ever have the honor of meeting Paul or Sheila, but I must say Senator Wellstone was an inspiration to me as I began my career in public policy. When I found out there was a training program to help candidates run for office, I instantly knew there was no other campaign that I would want to model my own after than his. I ordered the book, read it from cover to ...

Julie Lee

Plymouth, MN

I moved to Minnesota in 1983 and I was married in 1984. For a long time, I thought my life was about carpooling to work with my husband every day, collecting a paycheck to help support our family while raising our children together; thinking that someday I would retire when my boss retired. My professional life came to a sudden stop after I was wrongfully fired from my job ...

Cynthia Kafut-Hagen

Hibbing, MN

I went for training several years ago. It was invaluable for me to get the courage together to run for office. My only contact with Paul Wellstone was a letter I wrote him shortly after he won the first time. I am an artist/hairstylist living and working in Hibbing, which is in Northern Minnesota's Iron Range. Paul had made the paper because a hairstylist in the cities ...

Kate Fellman

Durham, NC

I was an intern on the Paul Wellstone Campaign in 2002. At the time I was a new mother, working full time and trying to finish my college degree. I was so lucky to work for a Senator like Paul, who didn't always do the popular thing, but always did the right thing. Along with everyone else who worked on that campaign and his constituents, you always knew where he stood. I ...

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The Wellstone Impact

What Can Wellstone Do for Me?

I want to make progressive change by:

Have you previously run for elected office or been appointed to public service?

Have you previously held a key leadership role on a significant electoral campaign?

I most want to win progressive change:

Wellstone’s Public and Political Leadership work

You should check out Wellstone’s Public and Political Leadership work.

Camp Wellstone is the program for you.

Camp Wellstone is the program for you.

Camp Wellstone is the program for you.

Strengthening Movements for Social, Racial, Economic, and Gender Justice

Strengthening Movements for Social, Racial, Economic, and Gender Justice

Sheila Wellstone Institute

Strengthening Movements for Social, Racial, Economic, and Gender Justice

You should check out Wellstone’s Movement Technology work

Theresa Sheldon

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