Campaigns can seem daunting. Thatai??i??s why we recommend setting a series of manageable ai???microai??? goals, with rewards along the way. Itai??i??s the best and easiest way to make progress, even when it feels like there are a million things that need to be done.

Three examples of manageable goalsai??i??and rewards:

Fundraising. Set a goal for how much money you are going to raise in a day. The reward is that you wonai??i??t have to make any more fundraising calls once you hit that number. Five great phone calls to meet your goal is worth more than hour after hour of excruciating effort.

Endorsements. Set a goal for how many endorsements you will collect in the next week. You can ask anyone for endorsements, from elected officials to community leaders. Donai??i??t forget to post the endorsements on your website! When you meet your goal, reward yourself with a night off with your family. Remember that you can manage your endorsements in the ai???Endorsement Directoryai??? app in PIES.

Volunteers. When it comes to bringing volunteers in the door, results matter. Set a goal with your campaign team to complete ai???X Number of Volunteer Shiftsai??? over the next two weeks. Provide a pizza party at the end if the team meets their goal. Remember that you can track your volunteers in the ai???Field Managerai??? app in PIES.

Don’t have a PIES account yet, or not sure how to access it? Bringing PIES to your campaign begins by completing ourAi??candidate questionnaires hereAi??– or just email us atAi??help@campaignpies.comAi??with any questions.

A monthly newsletter to influential supporters is a great way to show momentum and keep folks invested in your campaign. Here are some things you may consider including:

Exciting new endorsements. Letai??i??s say youai??i??ve just been endorsed by a state senator, a local teachers’ union, and an environmental club. Highlight those endorsements, and describe what their resources will mean to your campaign.

Any big new hires. If youai??i??ve just brought on board an experienced campaign manager or finance director, share the good news! Your supporters will be happy to hear that your team is growing.

Positive news stories. If youai??i??ve received any kind of positive news attention ai??i?? even a published op-ed in the local paper, or a pundit who says your race is a ai???race to watchai??? ai??i?? make sure to send the links out. These help demonstrate that your campaign is serious and credible.

Fundraising. Raising money is important so you can fund the things you need for your campaign. But itai??i??s also a great way to demonstrate that you are working hardai??i??and have lots of support. Let your supporters know how much youai??i??ve raisedai??i??or how many grassroots donors you now have.

Doors knocked. If you have lots of volunteers knocking doors and making phone calls, be sure to share the results! You should also let supporters know about upcoming events like office openings or pizza parties.

Donai??i??t forgetai??i?? Always make sure to send along links to your website, your Facebook and Twitter pages, and your fundraising pages. Make it as easy as possible for supporters to stay in the loop.

Who should receive this newsletter? Reporters, elected officials, organizational leaders, and other people who will be important to your campaign ai??i?? and who will enjoy receiving an insider view of your progress.

You can use the Email tool in PIES, our campaign software, to manage …

At 12:15pmAi??ET today, after a weeks-long draft campaign by the Progressive Change Campaign Committee and the Working Families Party, Zephyr Teachout announced she is running for Congress in NYai??i??s 19th Congressional District.

Statement from PCCC Co-Founder Stephanie Taylor:

“Zephyr Teachout is the right person to win this district for Democrats. She’s a political outsider with a long history of fighting for working families against powerful interests. The Progressive Change Campaign Committee is all in, mobilizing local volunteers and a national grassroots army for Zephyr.”

The PCCC plans to formally endorse Zephyr Teachout, and rally enthusiasm, in an email to their nearly one million members tomorrow morning.

More on PCCC:

PCCC has nearly 1 million members nationwide, all pushing to elect progressive candidates and build a bolder progressive movement;

PCCC members raised more than $2 million for candidates in the 2014 cycle, and made more than 4 million phone calls;

PCCC ran a three week draft campaign urging Zephyr to run leading up to today, where hundreds of members donated and signed up to volunteer for Zephyr.

2,807 PCCC members donated $44,375 to Zephyrai??i??s campaign for NY Governor.

More on Zephyr Teachout:

Zephyr has been a decades-long anti-corruption advocate, fighting on behalf of working people against corporate interests.

Zephyr was born and raised in a rural community just a few hours from her home in Dover Plains, NY in Dutchess County.

In Zephyrai??i??s run for Governor, she shocked political insiders when she won 34% of the vote, including majorities in counties across NY-19.

Zephyr teaches at Fordham Law School.

# # #

Reformer Focused on Broken Political System

Zephyr Teachout announced today that she will run for New Yorkai??i??s 19th Congressional District. Teachout is a leading advocate against corruption in politics who ran for Governor as an independent Democrat in 2014. She said that she will have a campaign kickoff this spring, and is spending her time for the next couple months organizing her campaign team and traveling throughout the district to meet people and listening to their stories, ideas, and priorities.

ai???Throughout my career, Iai??i??ve never been afraid to stand up for ordinary citizens whose voices are drowned out by special interests, big corporations, and powerful insiders. Iai??i??m running for Congress to give people their voices back so together we can address the real concerns facing our communities,ai??? said Teachout.

Teachout grew up in a rural Vermont county a few hours from her home in Dutchess County. She is currently a law professor. Throughout her career, Teachout has become known for fighting against corruption on behalf of ordinary citizens who have lost their voice to political insiders, her support of public education, and her advocacy for renewable energy technologies.

In her gubernatorial campaign, Teachout was proud to win majority support across the counties that represent NYai??i??s 19th district.

With her announcement, Teachout launched a web ai???splashai??? page at www.zephyrteachoutforcongress.com.

The 19th congressional district consists of all of Ulster, Sullivan, Columbia, Schoharie, Otsego, Delaware and Greene counties and parts of Montgomery, Dutchess, Rensselaer and Broome counties. It is currently represented by U.S. Representative Chris Gibson, who is not seeking re-election.

CONTACT: Michael Murphy, michael@michaelmurphy.net, 646.275.2789

# # #

A leader of MAYDAY.US, the national grassroots movement to fight corruption by electing reformers to federal, state, and local posts, Teachout is often compared to Warren—as an academic who has become an engaged and effective activist. …

The Progressive Change Campaign Committee, which played a critical role in convincing Warren to run for the Senate in 2012, has launched a “Draft Zephyr Teachout for Congress” campaign that hails Teachout as “a leader in the progressive movement with a long history of challenging power. She has opposed corporate mergers and is a tireless fighter for campaign finance reform.”

Obama reiterated in his Omaha visit, “We should guarantee two years of community college at no cost for every responsible student.” All three Democratic presidential candidates have plans for debt-free public college, while several policy proposals have been made by Republican presidential hopefuls as well.

Last month, the Progressive Change Campaign Committee announced a push to make debt-free college a priority for Democrats in the upcoming election. A plan is in the discussion phases in the Iowa Legislature as well, according to state Rep. Chris Hall, D-Sioux City, who spoke on a conference call organized by the national campaign group.

Edwards’s progressive base backs her out of a loyalty fixed in hope rather than party-line complacency, as Edwards’s political origin story informs her authenticity. Edwards is a single black mother who came to office from grassroots activism rather than as a D.C. political operative. When Edwards announced her bid for Senate in early 2015, national organizations like EMILY’s List and the Progressive Change Campaign Committee came out in unilateral support. Adam Green of the PCCC said in the organization’s endorsement: “Donna Edwards has proven time and again that she’s a bold progressive. She’s not just an ally — she’s one of us.”

Currently, there are no black women serving in the U.S. Senate. If Congresswoman Edwards wins, she’ll become the first to serve since 1998, becoming only the second in U.S. history. Edwards embraces the outsider role she represents among D.C. players, revels in it even, and she is prepared to use her engagement with grassroots groups to push the party toward real progressivism.

ai???The Warren Wing won tonightai??i??s debate, hands down. For the 4th Democratic debate in a row, key Warren wing priorities of debt-free college, Wall Street accountability, and expanding Social Security benefits were discussed. We are seeing a race to the top on economic populism issues — a stark contrast to the extremism, intolerance, and race to the bottom in the Republican primary.ai???

— Adam Green, co-founder, Progressive Change Campaign Committee

BOOM: For 4th #DemDebate in a row, #DebtFreeCollege, #ExpandSocialSecurity & #BreakUpTheBanks #JailTheBankers discussed. #WarrenWing victory

ai??i?? BoldProgressives.org (@BoldProgressive) January 18, 2016

#WarrenWing won the #demdebate tonight w #DebtFreeCollege, #WallStreet, & #BlackLivesMatter center stage. Shameful absence on #repro rights.

ai??i?? BoldProgressives.org (@BoldProgressive) January 18, 2016

While Elizabeth Warren has publicly kept her distance from the 2016 Democratic presidential race, some analysts suggest that the Massachusetts senator has played a major role in directing the political conversation. …

Political analysts, however, contend that Warren’s lack of an endorsement has led to her to have more indirect influence on the Democratic presidential contest, particularly its focus on issues she’s championed like Wall Street banking overhauls, than public support for a particular candidate ever would.

Adam Green, a founder of the Progressive Change Campaign Committee which helped with Warren’s 2012 U.S. Senate campaign, argued that the Democrat “is very good about picking smart fights and knowing when to engage.”

“So far, she has managed to use her non endorsement as leverage to get all candidates to move in her direction on issues like Wall Street, expanding Social Security and debt-free college,” he said in an interview. “She’s already had an amazing impact on the 2016 cycle.”

International Political Consultant Anthony Cignoli agreed, saying “Elizabeth Warren is either a kingmaker or a queenmaker.”

Early last year, the frenzy to enlist Elizabeth Warren in the 2016 presidential race grew so intense that a Ready for Warren group emerged to lead a draft effort. Reporters parsed the Democratic Massachusetts senator’s every utterance for clues to her plans. In the end, Warren opted to pass. But so far, she hasn’t chosen to throw her support behind any of the other candidates.

With President Obama unlikely to weigh in, Warren is the most important Democratic elected official who has yet to endorse. Her iconic status among the party’s liberal grass roots, and the national fundraising base she commands, would deliver a substantial boost to Hillary Clinton, Bernie Sanders, or Martin O’Malley. …

Warren’s allies argue that she’s been able to shape the primary race by creating a “system of incentives” that has influenced candidate behavior. “There was almost no oxygen in the room for big, structural Wall Street reform after Dodd-Frank until Warren came on the scene,” says Adam Green, co-founder of the Progressive Change Campaign Committee, a liberal group. “The fact that all three Democratic presidential candidates are competing with each other to have the boldest plan for Wall Street reform and accountability—including explicitly calling for jailing Wall Street bankers who broke the law—is testament to Warren’s looming presence and influence in the Democratic primary.”

“This speech was good, not great. It was a reminder of why progressives are looking beyond Obama and worked so hard to press 2016 Democratic presidential candidates to endorse truly big ideas like debt-free college, expanding Social Security benefits, and major Wall Street accountability.

“The state of our union includes big issues that went without mention — from Black Lives Matter to abortion care to mass deportations. It was good that the president shined the spotlight on student debt, clean energy, universal pre-K, voting rights, and campaign finance reform — but he didn’t set big game-changing goals on any of these issues.

“President Obama moved in a positive direction, but he’s a 2008 president in a 2016 world where economic populism and the Warren wing of American politics is on the rise.

“The president would do well if his legacy included executive actions in his final year — combating corporate political spending, giving workers a raise, and many others.”

— Adam Green, Progressive Change Campaign Committee co-founder

Contact: Molly Haigh, 907-750-1999, mollyh@boldprogressives.org

# # #

The Progressive Change Campaign Committee (PCCC) has nearly 1 million members nationwide fighting for bold progressive change. The PCCC has raised $5.5 million for progressive candidates and committees since its founding in 2009. More at BoldProgressives.org

Tuesday night is President Obama’s final State of the Union. We asked allies across the progressive movement what executive actions they would like to see in the president’s final year — in addition to any bigger fights he picks with Congress. From disclosing corporate political spending to increasing wages for federal workers, here are 10 concrete progressive actions President Obama could take on his own with a single signature.

We know these can work because the president’s own former communications director said so:

Like and share your favorite!

Debt-Free College:

On Facebook | On Twitter

Money in Politics:

On Facebook | On Twitter

Wall Street reform:

On Facebook | On Twitter

Fight for $15/hour:

On Facebook | On Twitter

Income Inequality and Tax Fairness:

On Facebook | On Twitter

Black Lives Matter:

On Facebook | On Twitter

Family leave and benefits:

On Facebook | On Twitter

Abortion and women’s rights:

On Facebook | On Twitter

Immigrant rights:

On Facebook | On Twitter

Climate Change:

On Facebook | On Twitter

With President Obama set to make his final State of the Union Address Tuesday evening, the ai???Warren wingai??? of American politics is calling on him to embrace a bold economic populist agenda for his Ai??final year.

As former Obama communications director Dan Pfeiffer told Mother Jones last year: “There’s never been a time when weai??i??ve taken progressive action and regretted it.”

Below are statements from Congressional Progressive Caucus leaders and the PCCC — which coined the term ai???Warren wing ai???and led the Draft Elizabeth Warren for U.S. Senate campaign and raised her $1.17 million. The PCCC worked with all 2016 Democratic presidential candidates — leading to their embrace of Warren wing ideas like debt-free college, expanding Social Security, and strong Wall Street reform.

Adam Green, PCCC co-founder:

“The Warren wing of American politics Ai??is winning as we enter President Obamaai??i??s final year in office. ai???All three Democratic presidential candidates are campaigning as bold economic populists, and now President Obama has an opportunity to energize voters and impact his legacy by taking bold action too. Just as the president took bold action on guns, numerous executive orders to fight corporate abuse and improve life for working families are just a signature away — from limiting corporate political spending to requiring better wages for federal contractors.ai???

Rep. Raul Grijalva (D-AZ), Congressional Progressive Caucus Co-Chair:

ai???President Obama delivers his final State of the Union address tomorrow, and I urge him to leave no doubt that he will fight with every remaining day of his presidency to achieve progressive policies that the American people are calling for. He has a year to build on the momentum that the Paris climate consensus achieved; a year to bolster good jobs by prioritizing employers who treat their workers well for federal contracts; and a year to ensure fair and …

Though public universities are run by states, the federal government could provide funds for higher education, increase Pell Grants, and reduce additional expenses for students by pushing for more textbooks to be open-source and available online.

This notion has gotten so much momentum that “debt-free college” has been endorsed by 100 members of Congress, as well as legislators from Iowa, New Hampshire, South Carolina, Ohio, Wisconsin, Hawaii, Massachusetts, Illinois, Missouri, and South Dakota, according to Marissa Barrow of the Progressive Change Campaign Committee (PCCC), a PAC that helped make the term part of the political lexicon this year.