Grassroots groups around the world use video, particularly over the internet, to communicate with members and the public, encourage action, recruit members, and raise money. Organizations put self-produced videos on their websites, YouTube, Facebook, and other sites, and they send … Continued
PREPARING FOR A PRESS CONFERENCE DEFINE YOUR GOALS Before you plan a press conference you should be very clear about your goals. This will help you do a better job of planning the press conference. Some good reasons for holding … Continued
WHY LOBBY? There’s a lot of skepticism about getting involved in the legislative process today. Many people think that “money talks” and little else matters. Campaign contributions are important to politicians, and special interests do have significant influence, but they … Continued
“My co-op says electricity rates will rise 50% in the next two years. What can I do?” “Can I interconnect a wind generator to the electrical lines? Will the co-op buy excess power from me and, if so, at what … Continued
UNDERSTAND PUBLIC OFFICIALS The first step in influencing public officials is understanding them. Here are a few guidelines that are true for most, if not all, officials: They have a lot to do, and not a lot of time in … Continued
Above: Colorado Rural Voters post card sent to Western Slope voters. All politics is local. No place is this more true than Colorado’s Western Slope. Colorado Rural Voters (CORV) was first established in 2008 to focus on building political power … Continued
Take Action Hundreds of people rally at the state capitol against a bill to weaken environmental laws. Citizens go door to door with a petition against a proposed toxic dump. A group meets with the mayor to demand more affordable … Continued
This training is part of WORC’s community organizer training series. Building an effective, long term multi-issue grassroots community organization requires a systematic approach, which can take a variety of forms depending on the mission and vision that the membership wants … Continued
Why hold a meeting? You can’t have a good meeting without clear reasons for meeting in the first place. Know why you’re holding the meeting. What’s your purpose? What do you want to accomplish? If you think clearly about your … Continued
The three examples of successful membership recruitment featured in the sidebar have several things in common. All three groups are grassroots organizations; they need a growing membership to survive. They recruited new members by appealing to the self-interest of the … Continued