Grassroots Organizing

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Grassroots Organizing Coalition Building

• Skills to transform IDEAS into ACTION!
• American Medical Student Association

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Three crucial ingredients for political change
Good public policy
Grassroots organizing
Electoral Politics
Policy provides direction and an agenda for
action grassroots organizing builds a
constituency to fight for change and electoral
politics is the main way, in the absence of
sweeping social movements, that we contest for
power and hold decision-makers accountable for
progressive public policy. Paul Wellstone,
February 18, 2001from "Winning Politics," The
Nation
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Types of Grassroots Organizing
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Strategic Planning

• is not the same as simple planning
• is planning that works within, around, and
  through power relationships
• is the way that you get what you want from
  somebody
• is the FIRST step of direct action, not
  something you do in the middle

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Planning - Midwest Academy Stylehttp//www.midwes
tacademy.com
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Goals Keeping your eyes on the prize!
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Issue Goals

• BIG PROBLEMS have multiple partial solutions
• Long-term goal increase healthcare access in
  America
• Issue Goals
• Pass legislation that guarantees access to all
  children
• Pass legislation that expands Medicaid
  eligibility
• Pass legislation that sets up a single-payer
  system in America

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Internal Considerations Costs? Benefits?
Conflict?
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Power Grid / Coalition Building
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Targets - Who can give you what you want?
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Tactics - Putting on the pressure to win!
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Midwest Academy Pathway to Success!http//www.mid
westacademy.com
Decision-makers
Ultimate Goal !!!
To
So they give you
To continue the fight for
Action!
Do
Empower your base to
Strengthen your base
What you want
To
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Coalition Building 101
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Coalition Building takes time

• You need time to develop relationships
• You need time to go through organization
  processes
• You need time for representatives to educate
  their own members about your issue

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Why build coalitions?

• Ignore people in power UNTIL you have built a
  powerful coalition
• Ignore people in power UNTIL you have built a
  powerful coalition
• Ignore people in power UNTIL you have built a
  powerful coalition
• Ignore people in power UNTIL you have built a
  powerful coalition

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Who to target?

• Aim for low-hanging fruit first, then climb
  the tree to harder groups
• Organizational leaders firstorganizational
  members Second

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Rule of the thirds

• Rabid 1/3 of population
• Will do anything for the cause!
• Middle 1/3 of population
• Anti 1/3 of population
• Hate your cause and everything about it

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The goal

• Have them sign something!
• Resolution or statement of support
• Have them help with your tactics
• Have them commit resources

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Summary

• Direct action is a form of grassroots organizing
  that challenges power relationships
• Strategic planning is always the first step when
  you plan ANY direct action campaign
• Coalition building is needed to implement your
  strategic plan