Most recently we are using VAN to support local candidates in the upcoming May 6 election. We are using it to generate lists for block walking, text campaigns, postcard campaigns, and phone banking.

As a volunteer political activist, I find VAN invaluable in every aspect. We use it to identify like-minded voters in our relational outreach campaigns. It is robust and easy to use. The support staff is knowledgeable and responds quickly whenever I have a question.

I'm having a hard time thinking of anything I don't like. I personally find it easy to use but I suppose users who skew older might think it's a little complicated. But their support staff is great, so that shouldn't be a problem.

NGP VAN’s extensive voter data collection, analysis and microtargeting capacity enables [SENSITIVE CONTENT] personally to identify supporters about 5,000 doors, and collect the votes he needs to consistently win his district 60%-40%. Absolutely essential and very highly recommended.

Data compartmentalization, although obviously necesary, can be a barrier to more effective utilization of the technology.

Overall it is positive. I think a lot of my criticism of the platform comes from the administrators I have access through. There are a lot of levels of access and gaining the right level of access while maintaining proper security is cumbersome at times. But overall VAN is very helpful with a vast majority of the analytical work I need to do for the organization.

The ability to create snapshots of areas quickly - e.g. after the most recent election we used VAN to analyze how various groups of voters performed around our various districts. This would have taken significant time before we were using VAN but now it was no more than an afternoon and did not need to wait for anyone outside our organization to get us data.

The interface. I think an overhaul to the interface would allow for used to unlock more of what VAN has to offer.

As a Candidate in a very small dollar campaign with a district hundreds of miles in size, it was invaluable to have a tool like NPG VAN that also syncs to the phone app

Can access the entire district, create large lists and then add filters to get more targeted results

Unfortunately some information is outdated, and the lack of email addresses (especially when so many are registered for VBM and have provided them to the SOE's) and the unreliable phone data is a hindrance.

Useful, but difficult to learn. I still make phone calls to more experienced users when I do something new with it.

The data is useful and updated in a timely way. Entering data is adequate, manipulating data is good. (But learning curve to use it is steep.) --- Mini Van is easy for a novice user to begin using it quickly, with little training. Unpaid volunteers are important to campaigns, the software needs to be easy to use to keep them volunteering.

There is a steep learning curve on how to use NPG VAN. Training is inadequate. To successfully learn to use it needs someone who has been using it to do the individual training, we are counting on the goodwill of others. --- Mini-VAN has trouble with the map function, suddenly all the voters residences often disappear from the map. this happens at least 3 times during a 2 hour canvass. It's frustrating. We rely on unpaid volunteers, any frustration means they may not come and volunteer again.

The ability to target specific demographics or geographical areas is critical to our success

Needs more flexibility when establishing scripts for phone, text, or walk campaigns.

Bulk Upload Feature Wizard Function yes.

Maine Democratic Party needs mobile messaging to send bulk texts with opt-out and data sync functionality.

NGP VAN contains LOTS of useful tools for a local political organization. I like the homepage, and updating activist information is easy.

We rely on NGP VAN as our primary tool for complying with the state regulatory authority. When the state regulatory changed its systems in March 2023, NGP VAN's form populator started injecting nonsensical data. Manual override is difficult to implement, and it has nearly overwhelmed our treasurer (a volunteer). Customer support blames the state regulatory authority, while offering no solutions or even a timeline for expected solutions. We're approaching the start of the third month of this frustration. We need better from NGP VAN.

Targeting, Polling, Finance, General Dem pictures, Redistricting, and more

After over 10 years of use with the product on committees from Obama for America, DCCC or Pennsylvania Democrats - I’ve witnessed a consistent dedication to ease-of-use, functionality, and technological advancement all combined with a true Democratic Party partner’s desire to maintain affordable cost for a more widespread use. It’s truly revolutionized Democratic politics.

Improvements could included possible integrations with other programs or platforms from DDX to LBJ etc

Not much, the data is outdated many times because other users aren't updating and saving their responses. System needs to be tied in directly to Secretary of State updates in each state.

Not enough cross tabs to micro target by race, or economic status

The internet processing and the phone number is still in my place I don’t know what to do with the other phone number

Slow To with the new number of you guys at work and I wanna I gotta get you some good time to go home then go get it done so you don’t need me and you can give it back to me and then I’ll throw you a phone call me if you wanna or not I’m just waiting on you to call him and tell him you got the money I got you some money for me

Have been working in VAN since 2014 when I started using it as a Battleground Texas volunteer. Shifted what we learned to using VAN for the local county party. The data base was a mess! Worked diligently to improve the database, to try to get others (including other rural county parties) to use VAN, have given feedback from field use (often dismissed by the Texas Democratic Party's data team...which has had good and not-so-good people...which should be all about customer service and coaching, but mostly has tried to fit square pegs in round holes), coach other users as much as my experience allows. I continue to have issues that aren't addressed....back bulk uploads that resulted in bad data but that TDP wouldn't or couldn't back out, awareness of bad vendor phone numbers being placed ahead of good phone numbers collected directly from voters, and right now the SWITCH option has been removed so that I am unable to switch to other neighboring counties' VAN access to help their county chairs with projects (have filed two help tickets....but heard nothing...and there are no longer any phone numbers to reach any data team members with problems, everything is only through help tickets).

As voter database and tracking of contact is could shine! As a tool it is far more than any rural county party could do for themselves, so it needs to be used to its fullest (but isn't).

...but when used exclusively by volunteers, we can't get the continuity going. Without everyone using it, the input is sporadic and incomplete. There needs to be better coaching from the state party in how a rural county party can and should use VAN, with regular projects designed FOR RURAL COUNTIES (with county party input on the projects)....then deadlines and followup. Tying the why we do something to the results and analysis of what we learn each go-around (and how to track progress from election cycle to election cycle...in our RED county).

The Virtual Phonebank feature. After the trial and errors of creating script elements prior to actually putting it all together in your final script, being able to launch the phonebank session and send to callers via hyperlink is very convenient. Also, the reports that could be pulled from events, surveys, calls and canvassing made end of campaign reporting not so stressful.

Bulk uploads are so finicky. If contact phone numbers are not in a particular format they are rejected and causes me clean and re-attempt several times. There is also an inconsistency in the data at times: I will create a list of contacts that were called (Contact Type: phone) and get one number but when I use the report manager sometimes the data doesn't match. I attest to maybe duplicate calls to same phone being shared by different contacts. But that is not the only inconsistency in the data.

Since the Kerry/Edwards election, I have used online tracking for our volunteers and voters. As it developed into VAN, we enjoyed expanded criteria and additional abilities. To create turf, access to voting records and much more, this program works. I'm so glad to have "The VAN" again in North Carolina, as we did in Florida.

VBuilder creates a good overview of the voter. It helps us gauge their intent, activity and sincerity levels so we better "know who we're working with". Scores, Others in Household, etc. are valuable for a clearer vision of our potential volunteer.Creating turfs, etc. are instrumental in directing our canvassers, as well. Overall, a really good system.

It 'times out' too quickly. By the time I copy and past some information and return it often needs my sign-in again. I do understand this as a vital deterrent for unwanted users, so no complaint. Would be good if it could have just a little longer active time.

For all its quirks and issues, NGP VAN is pretty great. It may not be the most efficient way to store data, lookup key metrics, or conduct political outreach but almost every progressive organization in the business uses this software, so I highly recommend it to anyone hoping to get in the game, so to speak. I personally have been using the platform since my first job out of college.

I love that it is a one stop shop for all things essential to a political/nonprofit campaign. From donor tracking, volunteer management, and event planning, NGP VAN can do just about anything. I like that if I am searching for demographic data, then I can source that information from the software almost instantly, which in turn can provide reliable metrics to our paid media team for use of digital tactics, as an example.

I am not a fan of NGP VAN's customer support. With this platform, I believe that having a person on the line to walk me through this CRM would be a blessing. They have a VANuel on their support page but I don't think it is enough. I would appreciate it if they added videos or tutorials for some of the basics for junior staff.

I'm pretty pleased with NGP overall. However, one of my Campaign Finance Reports had multiple statutory warnings that where correctly entered in NGP.

I use NGP Van because of the ease of uploading the ActBlue donations, and the easy Campaign Finance Report filing. I am the Treasurer for four State Representative Candidates and a State Political Organization. I would not be a Candidate Treasurer unless we would use NGP VAN. I find the support team very responsive and knowledgable about the product.

I would like to have more instruction when filling out the Cycles and Limits as well as the Disclosure Report itself.