Emerge Vermont, the state’s premier organization for recruiting and training Democratic women to run for office, announced today that it is now accepting applications for its 2025 Signature Training Program. Applications will be accepted from August 1, 2024 to October 10, 2024 with the five-month program expected to begin on January 11, 2025.
“We are excited to meet and train the next class of powerful Democratic women from communities across Vermont,” said Elaine Haney, Executive Director. “The time for strong women leaders is now,” Haney said. “The upsurge in Democratic engagement resulting from the candidacy of Vice President Kamala Harris—who was a co-founder of Emerge 20 years ago and is our organization’s original alum—clearly demonstrates that women are the effective, viable candidates and leaders our country needs, and that Emerge training helps them win elections even at the highest levels.”
This year’s chosen group of political leaders will join an impressive network of past alums who have collectively increased the percentage of women legislators in the Vermont State House to 45%—the highest ever. Emerge Vermont builds the confidence and skills to run successful campaigns and has a proven track record for getting Democratic women elected. Currently, 45% of alums and trainees are in office, 54% have been in office, and 67% have run for office. Alums are also staffing campaigns at every level.
“Now more than ever, Vermont needs women’s voices in our elected offices and political institutions up and down the ballot. Whether it’s school boards, town selectboards, in the Legislature, or in Congress, we’ve seen time and time again that when women lead, everyone wins. Emerge is proud of our part in empowering women and we can’t wait to continue this mission with our Class of 2025,” Haney said.
Emerge Vermont’s training program offers Democratic women and non-binary individuals who want to run for public office a unique opportunity. Accepted participants will receive over 70 hours of in-depth training over five months from an elite team of campaign consultants, advisors, and staff from all over Vermont and the country who have been involved in some of the most successful campaigns and initiatives seen in recent election cycles. Participants develop practical knowledge in areas including public speaking, fundraising, campaign strategy, voter contact, messaging, and more. Candidates also meet an array of dynamic women who hold elected and appointed office and become a part of a supportive network that includes a national association of Emerge alums serving at every level of public office.
Since Emerge Vermont’s launch in 2013 by former Governor Madeleine Kunin, over 200 women have participated in its Signature Training Program, and dozens more have participated in other programs. Program alums and trainees currently hold 123 elected and appointed public offices, including Vermont’s first woman to be elected to Congress, Secretary of State, Attorney General, and Speaker of the House.
For more information and to apply, please visit https://vt.emergeamerica.org/application-process/.