December 10, 2024

We’re thrilled to announce the expansion of Ready to Run®, CAWP’s national network of non-partisan campaign training programs dedicated to electing more women to public office. Colorado 50-50, a nonpartisan educational group focused on achieving gender parity in elected positions, and the University of Missouri Extension, are the newest partners to join the network. With their addition, Ready to Run® now spans 21 states, empowering women across the nation to pursue public leadership.

Ready to Run® has a proven track record. More than a third of Ready to Run® participants have gone on to run for office, and 70% of them have won their elections, making it a powerful driver for parity in politics. Interested in bringing Ready to Run® to your state? Email Jean Sinzdak at sinzdak@eagleton.rutgers.edu to learn more. For additional information, visit the CAWP website.

With Ready to Run® expanding nationwide, there's no better time to join the movement right here in New Jersey. Ready to Run® New Jersey is your opportunity to gain the tools you need to step into public leadership. The conference features two tracks to meet your needs, whether you’re gearing up a campaign or just looking to get more involved:

• Track 1 - I'm Ready to Run, Now What? 
• Track 2 - I'm Not Ready to Run Yet, But... 

Join us on March 21-22, 2025, at the Douglass Student Center in New Brunswick, NJ and learn more about the political system, network with peers and elected officials, and think through next steps in your career. With a proven success rate, Ready to Run® is more than just a program — it’s your pathway to making a difference.

Not in New Jersey? Explore our Ready to Run® partner programs. If your state doesn’t have a Ready to Run® program, check out our Women’s Political Power Map for training and resources that support women’s public leadership.

We’re thrilled to announce that CAWP is now on BlueSky. Keep up with the latest research and conversation around gender and politics in real-time and engage with a community passionate about advancing women in government. Don’t miss out. Follow us now: CAWP on BlueSky.

A new article by Samantha Koprowski (PhD student in political science at Rutgers University), Amy Benner (PhD candidate in political science at Rutgers University), and Kira Sanbonmatsu (professor of political science at Rutgers University and senior scholar at CAWP), titled “Agents of Change? Women Candidates and Support for Campaign Finance Reform," is now available in the Journal of Women, Politics & Policy. The research explores how the gender, party, and race/ethnicity of members of Congress may shape public perceptions about whether they support campaign finance reforms. The authors explain, “Because women are underrepresented in politics and may face campaign finance barriers, the reform debate may have unique implications for them: to the extent that women are associated with reform, they may face a dilemma with regard to what fundraising strategies they can employ.” Read more about this societal challenge to fundraising for women candidates and review the study’s data, methods, and analysis here.