change the game
Change the Game is a 501(c)(4) nonprofit training organization that delivers online courses and virtual Data Academies (bootcamps) to build a diverse pipeline of data professionals for progressive political campaigns, party organizations, and advocacy nonprofits across the United States.
- Company typePrivate
- Founded-
- HeadquartersRichmond, United States
- Headcount1–10
- GTM typeB2C
- OfferingServices
What change the game does
Change the Game is a 501(c)(4) nonprofit training organization founded in 2017 and headquartered in Richmond, VA. It exists to build a more diverse pipeline of data professionals for the progressive political ecosystem, explicitly recruiting from underrepresented communities and training individuals to work as data staffers, list managers, and targeting analysts for Democratic campaigns, party committees, independent expenditures, and advocacy nonprofits.
The organization delivers a two-track product portfolio. The first track is a self-paced Online Courses library accessed through an LMS (courses.changethegame.io, powered by Edly/Open edX), with modules on SQL in BigQuery, SQL in RedShift on the Civis Platform, Google Sheets, the VAN (Voter Activation Network) database, and Google Data Studio/Looker Studio. The second track is the Data Academies, bootcamp-style intensives run over Zoom at two tiers — an Entry Level Academy for learners with no prior data experience and an Intermediate Academy for practitioners with at least one cycle of experience — incorporating mentorship, small-team project work, a community speaker series, office hours, and job placement support. Training is delivered virtually, removing geographic barriers.
Revenue is a hybrid donation model. Online courses carry suggested donations of $50-$200 depending on topic ($50 for Looker Studio, $100 for SQL courses, $150 for Google Sheets, $200 for VAN), and Academies carry a $250 suggested donation per participant, with scholarships universally available. Operating sustainability is supplemented by corporate sponsorships from a small set of politically aligned vendors — NGPVAN, TargetSmart, Meso-Solutions, American Bridge, and AYO — and by tax-deductible donations routed through ActBlue. Distribution runs through community-led channels: Airtable-based email lists, organic social (Facebook, Twitter/X, LinkedIn, Instagram), partnerships with peer training organizations (New Organizing Institute, re:power/Wellstone Action), and alumni referrals. The leadership team is small (1-10 employees), led by Executive Director Andrew Greenberg, whose background spans field organizing on the Obama 2012 campaign, training with Wellstone and re:power, and progressive data work since 2015.
change the game firmographics
Firmographics- Name
- change the game
- Legal name
- Change the Game
- Website
- https://changethegame.io
- Company type
- Private
- Operating status
- Operating
- Headcount range
- 1–10 employees
- Short description
- Change the Game is a 501(c)(4) nonprofit training organization that delivers online courses and virtual Data Academies (bootcamps) to build a diverse pipeline of data professionals for progressive political campaigns, party organizations, and advocacy nonprofits across the United States.
- Ownership category
- akta.pro rank
change the game industry classification
Industry- Product category
- Professional Training and Education
- NAICS
- Computer Training (611420), Professional and Management Development Training (611430)
- SIC
- Services-Educational Services (8200)
- akta.pro primary industry
- Digital Skills & Tech Upskilling (Noncredit) (EDAAAEAE)
- akta.pro secondary industries
- Online/Hybrid Lifelong Learning Platforms & Open Enrollment Programs (EDAAAEAL), Workshops, Webinars & Live Masterclasses (MPACALAD)
Keywords
Where change the game is headquartered
LocationHeadquarters
- HQ city
- Richmond
- HQ country
- United States
- HQ region
- North America
Offices1 record
Markets served
change the game business model
Business model- GTM type
- B2C
- Offering type
- Services
- Cost components
- Personnel, Technology or R&D, Operations, Marketing or Sales, Others
Revenue model
- Academy Registration Donations: Change the Game requests $250 suggested donation per participant for each bootcamp-style academy. Scholarships are available and inability to donate does not disqualify applicants, indicating a sliding scale/scholarship model.
- Online Course Donations: The organization requests donations of $50-$200 per online course depending on topic complexity. Courses on VAN cost $200, Google Sheets $150, BigQuery SQL $100, and GDS/Looker Studio $50. Scholarships are available and participants may donate other amounts.
- Sponsorships: Change the Game receives sponsorship support from progressive organizations including Meso-Solutions, NGPVAN, TargetSmart, American Bridge, and AYO. Sponsorships help keep participant costs low or free.
Pricing tiers
| Model | Billing | Price |
|---|---|---|
| Other | One-time | Online Courses - Topic-specific self-paced learning |
| Other | One-time | Data Academies - Bootcamp-style intensive training |
Go-to-market motion2 records
Distribution channels2 records
Marketing channels7 records
change the game product offering
Product offeringCore offering
Change the Game provides self-paced online courses and bootcamp-style Data Academies that teach progressive political data skills — SQL in BigQuery, SQL in RedShift, Google Sheets, VAN (Voter Activation Network), and Google Data Studio/Looker Studio — to individuals aspiring to or working in progressive data roles. Programs combine live virtual instruction, mentorship, small-team project work, a community speaker series, and job placement support, with graduates prepared to enter progressive campaigns, party organizations, independent expenditures, and advocacy nonprofits as data staffers.
Product overview
Change the Game offers a dual-track training platform for progressive data professionals consisting of self-paced Online Courses and intensive Data Academies (bootcamps). Online Courses provide at-your-own-pace learning on specific tools including SQL in BigQuery, SQL in RedShift, Google Sheets, VAN, and Google Data Studio/Looker Studio. Data Academies offer bootcamp-style training at two levels: Entry Level Academy for those new to data work, and Intermediate Academy for experienced practitioners seeking to advance their skills. Both programs are delivered via their Learning Management System and Zoom, with academies including mentorship, community speaker series, office hours, and job placement support. The product portfolio enables learners to progress from introductory skills to career-ready data staffing roles in progressive organizations.
Differentiator
Problem solved
Functional benefit
Products and services
- Online Courses Self-paced online courses teaching data tools and techniques for the progressive space, including SQL in BigQuery, SQL in RedShift, Google Sheets, VAN, and Google Data Studio/Looker Studio. Each course consists of pre-recorded videos, worksheets, activities, and knowledge checks, and is available to individual learners and existing progressive data practitioners on a suggested-donation basis.
- Data Academies Bootcamp-style online training programs available at entry and intermediate levels, featuring live Zoom sessions, mentorship, small-team project-based learning, a community speaker series, office hours, and job placement support. Aimed at individuals aspiring to work as data staffers in progressive organizations, with a $250 suggested donation per participant and scholarships available.
- Entry Level Academy Academy for individuals with no prior data experience, teaching foundational data skills including Google Sheets, SQL, reporting, data visualization, and voter contact targeting to prepare them to begin working as data staffers in the progressive space.
- Intermediate Academy Advanced academy for individuals with one or more cycles of data experience or graduates of the Entry Level Academy, focusing on advanced data skills to level up from foundational knowledge and prepare for senior data roles.
- SQL in BigQuery Course Online course teaching basic SQL tasks and queries in BigQuery, covering SQL 101 (coding styles, keywords, JOINs) and SQL 201 (aggregates, case statements, common table expressions). Suggested donation of $100, with scholarships available.
- SQL in RedShift Course Online course teaching basic SQL tasks and queries in RedShift on the Civis Platform, covering SQL 101, 201, and 301 topics including CREATE VIEW, DROP VIEW, and data export. Available via suggested donation with scholarships.
- Google Sheets Course Online course covering Google Sheets basics including VLOOKUP, CONCAT, COUNTA, COUNTIF functions, building progress-to-goal reports, pivot tables, and data cleaning and standardization. Suggested donation of $150, with scholarships available.
- VAN (Voter Activation Network) Course Online course teaching the basics of using the VAN database, including list management, phonebanks, events, MiniVAN, reporting features, and VAN admin responsibilities. Suggested donation of $200, with scholarships available.
- Google Data Studio (Looker Studio) Course Online course covering basics of reporting with Google Data Studio (now Looker Studio), including interface overview, platform walk-through, report creation, formulas, and best practices. Suggested donation of $50, with scholarships available.
Quantifiable outcome
- Graduates expected to work as data staffers and directors within 3 months of graduation
- +1 more outcomes
Companies that use change the game
Customer profileNamed customers5 records
Segments3 records
Ideal customer profiles3 records
change the game technology and API
TechnologyTechnology focussed No
API detail
- Has API
- No
- API docs
- API detail
Core technology
AI maturity
App detail
Feature3 records
change the game partnerships and signals
Strategic signalPartnerships
Three partnerships are on record, tiered core.
- NGPVANcoreLogo sponsor and integration partner. NGPVAN provides VAN (Voter Activation Network) training through Change the Game's online courses, with a $200 suggested donation for the VAN course.
- New Organizing InstitutecorePartner organization in the progressive training ecosystem. Change the Game trainers have experience working with New Organizing Institute, and both organizations serve the progressive political space.
- re:power (formerly Wellstone Action)coreKey training partner in the progressive space. Change the Game brings together trainers who have worked with re:power/Wellstone Action, and the organizations share the mission of building progressive political capacity.
Scale indicators1 record
Recent moves6 records
Expansion highlights5 records
change the game competitors and assessment
Company assessmentEmerging players
- Higher Ground Labs: Progressive political technology accelerator and fund that invests in and supports progressive data and organizing tools — comparable as an ecosystem enabler, with overlap in the data-talent and tooling space.
Others
- Arena: Free campaign technology platform used by progressive campaigns; adjacent rather than competing, since it sells software tools to the same campaigns that hire Change the Game graduates.
- NGP VAN: Dominant progressive political technology vendor (including VAN, the database Change the Game teaches); acts as both a core integration partner and a major employer of CtG graduates in data roles.
- TargetSmart: Progressive data services and voter file provider that sponsors Change the Game and hires data practitioners from the progressive ecosystem; adjacent as data provider, not training.
- Catalist: Progressive data and analytics provider for Democratic and progressive campaigns; a potential employer of graduates and a major ecosystem player, but not a training organization.
- Grassroots Unwired: Mobile canvassing and field organizing platform serving progressive campaigns; adjacent technology provider to the same customers Change the Game trains.
Direct peers
- re:power: Progressive political training organization (formerly Wellstone Action) that trains organizers, candidates, and campaign leaders — the most direct training peer in the progressive ecosystem, with shared trainer lineage.
- New Organizing Institute: Historic progressive training institute that built entry pathways into organizing and data work; cited by Change the Game as a core partner organization for trainer experience and shared mission.
Market position
Strengths4 records
Weaknesses4 records
Competitive moat6 records
Key risks6 records
Key highlights7 records
Customer concentration
change the game social profiles
Digital presencechange the game financial estimates
Financial estimateRevenue estimate
Valuation estimate
change the game leadership team
Management profileNumber of profiles
Profiles2 records
change the game funding detail
Funding detailFunding overview
Funding rounds
Investors
Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →
change the game M&A and investment
M&A and investmentM&A
Investments
M&A and investment is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →
Frequently asked questions about change the game
What does change the game do?
Change the Game provides self-paced online courses and bootcamp-style Data Academies that teach progressive political data skills — SQL in BigQuery, SQL in RedShift, Google Sheets, VAN (Voter Activation Network), and Google Data Studio/Looker Studio — to individuals aspiring to or working in progressive data roles. Programs combine live virtual instruction, mentorship, small-team project work, a community speaker series, and job placement support, with graduates prepared to enter progressive campaigns, party organizations, independent expenditures, and advocacy nonprofits as data staffers.
Is change the game a public or private company?
change the game is a private company. It is classified as nonprofit foundation owned and is currently operating.
When was change the game founded?
change the game was founded in -1. It employs 1 to 10 people.
Where is change the game based?
change the game is headquartered in Richmond, United States, in the North America region.
How does change the game make money?
Three revenue lines are on record. Academy Registration Donations are the primary driver. The others are online Course Donations and sponsorships.
Who are change the game's main competitors?
Higher Ground Labs is listed as an emerging player. Others are Arena, NGP VAN, TargetSmart, Catalist and Grassroots Unwired. Direct peers are re:power and New Organizing Institute.
Does change the game have an API?
No public API is recorded for change the game.
What industry is change the game in?
change the game's product category is Professional Training and Education. Its primary akta.pro industry code is EDAAAEAE, Digital Skills & Tech Upskilling (Noncredit), with a secondary code of EDAAAEAL, Online/Hybrid Lifelong Learning Platforms & Open Enrollment Programs. Its NAICS code is 611420 and its SIC code is 8200.