Grassroots Organizing: How to win campaigns and get results

Outline The importance of strategy for grassroots campaigns Developing a Strategy: five components of a good strategy Telling your Story: media relations and messaging Questions, Comments and Discussion

The importance of strategy for grassroots campaigns

How grassroots organizing wins campaigns – Picking an Issue Problems versus Issues – know the difference What are good criteria for my issue? Does it improve people’s lives? Will it empower your members and allies? Does it alter the relations of power?

Developing a Strategy: Five Components Goals Organizational Considerations Constituents, Allies, Opponents Target(s) Tactics

Developing a Strategy: Goals Goals are something that you win from your target Example: Walmart raises the minimum wage for all employees Long-term Walmart CEO makes public commitment to raising wages Inter-mediate Meeting with Walmart CEO Short-term

Developing a Strategy: Organizational Considerations List the resources you have: Money Staff Facilities Rapport and reputation Canvass Draft a budget List what you wish to build Expand leadership Gain experience Build membership base Know and list your internal conflicts!

Developing a Strategy: Constituents, Allies, & Opponents Constituents: consider themselves part of your organization Allies: not part of your organization, but help you win Opponents: stand to lose if you win Tips: Create a spectrum of allies Analyze power relationships Think outside the list of “usual suspects”

Developing a Strategy: Targets A target is someone who gives you what you want (goals) A target is always a person A secondary target is someone who has power over a primary target Always work to personalize your target versus

Developing a Strategy: Tactics Goals Organizational Considerations Constituents, Allies, Opponents Target(s) Tactics Should be the last consideration of a good strategy Tactics are what your Constituents do to your Target to win your Goals and build your Organization Within the experience of your members, outside the experience of your target Importance of escalation and building power Examples: petitions drives, letter writing, turnout events, visitations, critical mass, marches, strikes, and civil disobedience

Developing a Strategy: Tactics Sponsored event protest for free battery recycling– Texas Campaign for the Environment Tree sit in Texas – Tar Sands Blockade “Save our NHS” – 38 Degrees

Telling Your Story: Media Relations Develop a press contact list Write press releases before actions and events Build a social media presence If a tree falls in the woods and there is no one there to tweet about it, did it really happen?

Telling Your Story: Media Relations Have a clear message Use BOLD letters Have a spokesperson: ABCs of media relations Bold signage, personified target Unreadable text

Celebrating Victories and Debriefing Celebrate now, and celebrate often! Debrief with your constituents Follow up with your allies People’s Climate March – NYC 2014

Questions, Comments, and Discussion External Resources: Organizing for Social Change – Midwest Academy Manual for Activists Organizing Cools the Planet – Hilary Moore and Joshua Kahn Russell Beautiful Trouble – A Toolbox for Revolution The Most Amazing Online Organizing Guide Ever! – Green Meme