In democratic systems, political parties should provide opportunities for citizens to oversee or influence their government. In many places, however, political parties are too weak, too personality-driven, too constrained by oppressive governments or too out of touch to play this critical role in democratic governance. Developing more vibrant and inclusive democracies requires citizencentered approaches that help people increase their engagement with and influence over political parties. While the theoretical foundations for this approach appear strong, analysis of lessons learned from practical experiences are limited.