LGBTQ Victory Institute

The Leadership Development program: provides skills development, training and scholarships to LGBTQ+ leaders with varied levels of experience. Included in this effort is the David Bohnett LGBTQ Leaders Fellowship, which provides three-week fellowships to the Harvard Kennedy School of Government's Senior Executives in State and Local Government programs. The Victory Empowerment Fellowship provides LGBTQ+ leaders of color and/or transgender leaders with a year-long mentoring fellowship that includes participation in Victory Institute's Candidate & Campaign Training and International LGBTQ+ Leadership Conference. The Victory Congressional Internship program is an internship that matches 28 college students annually with members of the Congressional LGBTQ+ Equality Caucus, whose 100+ members are committed to achieving full human rights for LGBTQ+ people. The Congressional interns will have the rare opportunity to work directly with elected leaders and participate at the highest levels of the government. Victory Institute's goal is to expose the interns to the best, most inclusive leaders in public service.

Research and Communications: Victory Institute manages the Out for America map, a database and research tool that documents every known openly LGBTQ+ elected official in the United States. It also releases an annual Out for America research report that analyzes the current state of LGBTQ+ representation in elected office by demographics and position levels. Victory Institute also promotes the work and achievements of LGBTQ+ elected officials in the media and through its email listserv. It will provide media strategy and support to elected officials who face homophobic or transphobic attacks as well.

Candidate & Campaign Trainings and LGBTQ+ Leadership Summits: Victory Institute's four-day Candidate & Campaign Trainings provide comprehensive, non-partisan training to present and future LGBTQ+ candidates. Trainees learn necessary skills and strategies by engaging in tough, realistic campaign situations. Thousands of openly LGBTQ+ candidates and campaign workers have learned how to build winning campaigns at these trainings. Victory Institute's one-day LGBTQ+ Leadership Summits help participants develop the skills necessary to begin or advance a career in public service by providing them with important tools and resources and allowing them to make vital connections with other LGBTQ+ leaders in their community.