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
Change Takes Courage. Introducing Northern Cheyenne’s Youngest Council Representative. We are excited to share with you Western Native Voice’s Community Spotlight, designed to highlight grassroots organizing and individuals creating change from across Indian Country. This month, we would like to introduce … Continued
Although advocacy and getting out the vote are WNV’s highest priorities, none of it matters if communities aren’t safe. Western Native Voice has been working since May, 2020, to bring Covid relief to their hardest-hit communities in Montana with Covid … Continued