OUR MISSION
​ Dare to Run is a 501 (c) 3 nonprofit organization whose mission is to educate and empower women with the skills necessary to run for public office at the local, state and national level of government.
We offer women candidates the chance to participate in a one-year certificate program in pursuit of a career path in public service. Dare to Run gives women the opportunity to be a voice for their communities by committing to run campaigns in search of elected office within two years of graduation from the program.
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Dare to Run’s mission is to provide women with the skills they need to be successful during the campaign and throughout their term in office by:​
Teaching women the history of women’s public participation in the United States since its inception
Coaching women to use their voices to effect public policy change and champion issues of importance to their communities
Instilling the fundamentals of successful campaign management, with an emphasis on successful fundraising strategies for women candidates
Cultivating a new generation of female public servants who value their constituents and use their tenure in office to serve the needs of their community as best they can
OUR VALUES
The core values of Dare to Run are highlighted in the following five principles:
Equality - Women should have an equal say in the development of the public policy agenda at the local, state and national levels of government
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Collaboration - Women should work together to achieve a higher quality of life for all constituents in their community
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Opportunity - Women should have equal opportunities to run for public office; they should not be hindered because of race, religion, ethnicity, disability, socioeconomic status, or sexual orientation
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Diversity - Women should hold at least 50% of the seats at all levels of government, and the demographic breakdown of the population of the United States should be reflected in the composition of governing bodies at the local, state and national levels of government.​
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Respect - Women should value the viewpoints of other women, and offer support, sorority and a moral high ground on which to effect change for the rest of the country.
OUR STRATEGY
Over the course of three years, Dare to Run plans to open training facilities in fourteen states across the southeast and Midwest.
These states include:
Alabama
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Arkansas
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Kentucky
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Louisiana
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Mississippi
Oklahoma
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New York
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North Carolina
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North Dakota
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Pennsylvania
South Carolina
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Tennessee
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Virginia
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West Virginia
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Dare to Run is targeting these states because these are the 14 states with the lowest numbers of women serving in their state legislatures.* On average, women will comprise a total of 28.5% of state legislatures nationwide, a significant increase from the 2018 legislative session in which they comprised 25.8% nationwide.
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In addition, Dare to Run is aiming to reach a broad population of women with a wide variety of political ideologies, and believes this make up of states in the South and Southeast would serve these women advantageously. Many women in these states do not have access to training programs and resources that can be found in other states. Dare to Run embraces women with all political ideologies and looks forward to providing them the opportunity to gain critical, important skills needed to run a successful campaign for public office.