Hey, you! Are you new to TFC and ready to volunteer? Then sit down and get ready. We've pulled together this overview of how our volunteer opportunities come together and what it’s like behind the scenes so you know what to expect once you land your first TFC project!
Staffing our projects here at TFC is no small undertaking. It’s not just about finding the best fit for the candidate and project but also about making sure that timelines line up. That means coordinating our volunteers, the campaign managers (read: the busiest people we’ve ever met), the candidates themselves, and our internal team members and team leads to ensure a smooth and successful experience for everyone.
We wanted to take a moment to show you the anatomy of a volunteer project here at Tech For Campaigns so you know what to expect and how we come to the decisions we make.
Step 1: A project goes live on the TFC website. Most TFC projects fall under four categories:
Winter/spring is our biggest time for website projects, late summer/fall is our biggest time for ads and texting projects, and email projects happen all year round. Occasionally TFC hosts other types of projects, including data analysis and organic social media. All of our volunteer projects drop here.
Step 2: We share current open projects in our emails that go out on Wednesday as well as on Instagram and Twitter. If you’re not seeing those emails, make sure to check your spam and promo tabs.
Step 3: You’re selected and placed on a project based on your skill set! Congrats! We spend a good deal of time matching you to a project and a team based on your area of expertise and professional background. Once you’re on a project, this is where the fun starts.
Step 4: You’re introduced to your team and your TFC State Director in your project’s dedicated Slack channel. This is where most communication will take place throughout the project. You say hi to the team, start reading instruction docs related to your role, and make sure you have access to relevant systems.
Step 5: You attend your internal team kickoff with your fellow volunteers, which is organized by the Team Lead volunteer on your team. They're in charge of making sure all communication channels run smoothly and the project stays on track. Think of their super powers as project management and client success, rolled into one!
Step 6: You attend your official kickoff with the campaign! You’ll discuss plans for the project, review timelines, and learn about your candidate’s priorities and issues.
Step 7: You’re off to the races. Your team will meet internally on a weekly basis, where you’ll check in on status, discuss blockers, and review results of your work.
A Few Quick Tips:
And that's how it works to be a TFC volunteer! Joining a project enables you to use your skills to learn, network, and make meaningful change (like, flipping an entire stage legislature change!). We're excited and grateful for what our volunteer community is slated to accomplish this year — join us and apply for a project now.
