Ready to Lead®

The registration fee is $150. Registration scholarships are available, and can only be requested when filling out the Ready to Lead® application. Hotel and travel scholarships are available for people attending a training at least 45 away from the training venue. Please note that the hotel lodging is a SHARED room with another participant.

For declared candidates, the cost of registration is $250. No scholarships of any kind can be provided to declared candidates.

In the Ready to Lead ® application, there is a section to apply for registration, hotel and travel scholarships. Please understand that NAL does not have the means to help all participants with scholarships. If you have been accepted and your acceptance email does not mention that you received a travel, hotel, or registration scholarship, you are responsible for all costs.

You will learn many things! Some of them are: how to use your story and immigrant experiences to elevate your values, how to convey your values to voters, how to create a successful stump speech, fundraising in campaigns, campaigning 101, and pivoting techniques for hostile media environments. There is also a panel of local New American elected officials who will share their experience running for office as New Americans. You will learn firsthand what it is like to be on the campaign trail.

A reusable water bottle, an open mind and something to take notes on (if that’s your thing).

Yes, while Ready to Lead® days are long and busy, there will be at least two structured breaks each day and evenings after group dinners are free time. Participants are expected to be at the training from 5:00 PM to 8:30 PM on Friday, 8:00 AM to 8:30 PM on Saturday, and 8:30 AM to 4:30 PM on Sunday.

When you are considering running for office or working on a campaign. If you are considering running in the next 1-3 years, you should take Ready to Lead® as soon as you can so you are eligible to apply for our advanced campaign skills bootcamp called Ready to Win®.

In 2023, we are proud to have trained over 127 New Americans across the country. Since the founding of our organization, we have trained over 1,750 New Americans, a majority of whom have gone on to serve in elected office from school board to Congress, as government appointees, or as campaign staff. Keep an eye on these incredible leaders — they’re here to shake up politics as usual and change the face of leadership.

That’s OK! Everyone has a different timeline in their path toward public leadership. Ready to Lead® provides you with the tools to plan out the next steps. Whether your next step is working for a candidate, issue campaign or running for office, NAL can help.

During the training you will have the opportunity to practice public speaking, develop your personal narrative, and learn how to craft your message to help you relate better to people in your community. You will also be able to meet local New American elected officials.

The training curriculum is especially designed with the immigrant experience in mind, so participants without an immigrant background will not be able participate as fully as those who can look back to their personal experience as a New American. The training is designed to reframe negative experiences that often happen to people in the immigrant community into positive reasons why you are the ideal public servant. All folks are welcome to apply regardless of immigrant generation or citizenship status.

If you care about working towards a more inclusive Democracy, then Ready to Lead® is right for you. This may mean that you want to serve in elected office one day or manage the operations of a campaign or the office of an elected official. If you want to organize and mobilize your community, Ready to Lead® will show you new skills.

You must indicate that you are requesting a scholarship in the Ready to Lead® application, and write a short explanation of your need for financial assistance.

If you are accepted, your acceptance email will indicate which scholarships you have received. 

For each training, NAL offers a limited number of scholarships for participants that feel travel and lodging costs may be a barrier to participation. NAL can help offset the cost associated with travel (flight or rail road) and hotel accommodations. Please complete the scholarship section of the application if you feel that would be a barrier to your participation. 

The travel scholarship comes in the form of a stipend up to $300 to be sent via check or direct deposit to the participant AFTER completion of the training. The participant must send a  W-9 and receipts from travel costs to receive the stipend. If submitting a W-9 or the upfront payment for travel would be a barrier for you, please reach out to NAL as soon as possible at programs@newamericanleaders.org.

If you’re accepted, we’ll let you know what level of scholarship we’re able to offer. If you have other questions as you consider your decision, just email programs@newamericanleaders.org.

If you need accommodation or support of any kind, please let us know on your application form or write to programs@newamericanleaders.org.

We will also ask if you have any accommodation needs upon if you are accepted in the link to register and secure your spot for the training.

If you have registered for a Ready to Lead® training but can no longer attend, NAL is not able to provide a refund. However, if you want to request to participate in a different Ready to Lead® training, you may use your registration fee for that training.