Our Story

Of the people. For the people. By the people.

Step Up Maryland believes that an effective government centers its policies and priorities around it's people. It's strongest leaders reflect the diversity, hopes and concerns of the communities they represent. We are strongest when many voices, with different experiences can come together to find common solutions. We are training the next generation passionate and committed leaders-- our neighbors, our teachers, our mentors.

A new culture of Radical Collaboration

That is the motivating idea behind Step Up Maryland and the Progressive Leader Pipeline. With the goal of interrupting a practice that regularly sidelined newly elected legislators during their freshmen year, the New Leader Boot Camp was launched in 2014 to help these leaders build relationships, confidence and knowledge that would allow them to be effective starting the first day.

We're training the next generation of Leaders

Over the past 4 years the project has grown, training hundreds of activists, campaign workers and candidates. In partnership with national training partners, including Local Progress, State Innovation Exchange (SIX), Urban Habitat and re:power and Working Families Party, we've developed a groundbreaking portfolio of civic engagement training centered on community engagement. In 2018, the Pipeline Project became Step Up Maryland, a stand alone training organization.