This session will explore the concept of transition planning, its challenges, gaps and opportunities to advance a more progressive political agenda in states via concerted investment in electoral transition planning and training grounded in collaborative governance. Major investments are regularly made to support electoral campaigns and legislative efforts, but after progressives win executive office, they are typically abandoned by the people who helped elect them. Historically, the bar is set very high for first time executives, especially women and BIPOC candidates to demonstrate that they “can govern” and yet there are almost no concerted efforts to help them plan transitions. If we want to win power, we have to demonstrate that we can govern, and that means supporting people to plan their transitions and execute. And to set the tone and posture of their administrations with their allies, laying groundwork for powerful inside/outside strategies required for true transformation. Transition planning presents an opportunity to train leaders, establish competent executive offices and build a pipeline of qualified staff and transition planning looks like preparing civic engagement to quantify the mandate, preparing 100 day policy priorities, etc. This session will draw from recent transition planning in Allegheny County, PA.