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At a glance
What it is
Guide to community organizing including issue identification, coalition building, mobilization strategies, meeting facilitation, advocacy campaigns, media engagement, and power mapping.
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SKILL.md
351 lines · 2,396 words
Use this skill when:
The user wants to organize a community around a shared cause, issue, or advocacy campaign
The user needs help with coalition building, mobilization strategies, or power mapping
The user wants guidance on meeting facilitation, media engagement, or volunteer coordination for advocacy
Guide to community organizing including issue identification, coalition building, mobilization strategies, meeting facilitation, advocacy campaigns, media engagement, and power mapping.
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“Create a bot that uses the Community Organizer skill, and show me the plan first.”
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What it covers
When to Use
Process
Questions to Ask First
Issue Identification and Framing
Coalition Building
Mobilization Strategies
Meeting Facilitation
Advocacy Campaigns
Media Engagement
Volunteer Management
Safety Considerations
Progression Path
Resources
Output Format
Example
Edge Cases
The user is planning a grassroots campaign and needs outreach and organizing frameworks
Do NOT use this skill when:
The user wants to manage volunteers for an existing organization (use volunteer-coordinator instead)
The user needs nonprofit formation or governance guidance (use nonprofit-starter or board-governance instead)
The user is building an online community or membership program (use membership-manager instead)
Gather requirements. Ask the user clarifying questions about their specific context, goals, constraints, and experience level.
Analyze the situation. Review the information provided and identify key factors, challenges, and opportunities relevant to community organizer.
Develop the framework. Create a structured approach tailored to the user's needs, incorporating best practices and domain-specific considerations.
Deliver actionable output. Present specific, implementable recommendations with clear rationale, timelines, and success criteria.
Address edge cases. Proactively identify potential issues, alternative approaches, and contingency plans.
Use this skill when:
User needs guidance on community organizer
User asks about community organizer best practices or techniques
User wants a structured approach to community organizer
Do NOT use this skill when:
A more specialized skill exists for the specific subtopic
The request is outside the scope of community organizer
Before developing an organizing strategy:
What issue or change are you organizing around?
Who is most affected by this issue? Are they involved in the effort?
What is the current power structure around this issue? Who makes decisions?
Do you have a core group of committed people, or are you starting alone?
What is your timeline? (Urgent response / Long-term change campaign)
What organizing experience do you have? (First effort / Some activism / Trained organizer)
Are there existing organizations working on this issue you could join or partner with?
What resources do you have? (Budget, meeting space, communication tools)
What is the geographic scope? (Neighborhood, city, county, state)
Have you or others tried to address this issue before? What happened?
Strong organizing issues share these characteristics:
Widely felt: Affects many people in the community
Deeply felt: People are angry, frustrated, or passionate about it
Winnable: A realistic path to victory exists (start with achievable goals)
Builds power: Win or lose, the campaign strengthens your organization
Has a clear target: A specific person or body that can make the change
Educational: People learn about systemic issues through the campaign
Problem: Broad condition (poverty, pollution, injustice)
Issue: Specific, actionable piece of the problem with a solution and decision-maker
Example: "Poverty" is a problem. "The city must fund 200 units of affordable housing in the 2027 budget" is an issue.
Define the problem clearly: What is happening? Who is affected? What are the consequences?
Identify the solution: What specific change will address this?
Name the decision-maker: Who has the authority to make this change?
Make the ask: Specific, measurable demand
Tell the story: Why does this matter? Use personal stories and data together
Ask: Who benefits from the current situation? Who loses? Where does power currently sit?
Power Mapping Exercise:
Draw a horizontal line from "Strongly Oppose" to "Strongly Support"
Place key individuals and organizations on the spectrum
For each, note: Their level of influence (high/medium/low), their motivation, who influences them
Strategy: Move people one step toward your position, not from enemy to ally in one leap
Action coalition: Short-term, focused on a specific campaign goal
Standing coalition: Ongoing alliance around a broad issue area
Network: Loose connection for information sharing and occasional joint action
Identify potential partners: Organizations with overlapping interests
Start with relationships: Meet 1-on-1 with leaders of potential partner organizations
Find common ground: Shared values and overlapping self-interest
Define the collaboration: What will each partner contribute and receive?
Agree on decision-making: Consensus, majority vote, lead organization model?
Create shared messaging: Unified talking points while respecting different perspectives
Plan for disagreement: How will you handle internal conflicts?
Rotating facilitation builds shared ownership
Clear agenda distributed in advance
Decision log maintained from meeting to meeting
Action items with specific names and deadlines
Regular check-ins on organizational capacity and commitment
Unequal power among member organizations
Credit-taking and visibility disputes
Different organizational cultures and speeds
Scope creep beyond the original agreement
Burnout of coalition coordinator
Sustaining engagement between peak moments
The 1-on-1 relational meeting is the core tool of community organizing:
Schedule a focused 30-45 minute conversation
Listen more than talk (80/20 rule)
Learn what the person cares about and why
Discover their self-interest (not selfishness - what drives them)
Share your own story and motivation
Identify if there is a connection between their concerns and your issue
Make a specific ask: Attend a meeting, sign a petition, join an action
Follow up within 48 hours
Organizing campaigns typically escalate through these stages:
Research and relationship building - Understand the issue, build your base
Direct communication - Letter or meeting request to decision-maker
Public attention - Media coverage, social media campaign
Visible action - Rally, march, public hearing testimony
Direct action - Sit-ins, boycotts, civil disobedience (if previous steps fail)
Electoral/legal action - Ballot measures, lawsuits, candidate campaigns
Key principle: Do not escalate beyond what your base supports, and do not start at the top of the ladder.
Personal asks are 10x more effective than mass communications
Confirmed commitments with follow-up calls/texts the day before
Transportation and childcare remove barriers to participation
Set a specific turnout goal and track commitments
Overcommit by 50% (if you need 100 people, get 150 commitments)
Make the first experience positive so people return
Purpose: What is this meeting trying to accomplish? (Never meet just to meet)
Agenda: Written, timed, distributed in advance
Who needs to be there: Right people for the decisions being made
Logistics: Accessible location, interpretation if needed, childcare, food
Ground rules: Agree on norms at the start (one speaker, no phones, step up/step back)
Go-round: Everyone speaks in turn on a question (prevents dominant voices)
Pair/small group: Break into pairs or groups of 3-4 for deeper discussion
Stack: Keep a speaker list so everyone who wants to speak gets a turn
Parking lot: Capture off-topic items for later without derailing discussion
Temperature check: Quick gauge of group sentiment (thumbs up/down/sideways)
Consensus: Everyone can live with the decision (not the same as unanimity)
Modified consensus: Seek consensus, fall back to supermajority (75%) vote
Majority vote: Simple majority, efficient but can leave minority feeling unheard
Consent-based: No one has a principled objection (different from full agreement)
Acknowledge the disagreement openly
Restate each perspective to ensure understanding
Look for underlying shared values
Separate the person from the position
Take a break if emotions are high
Table the item if resolution is not possible in this meeting
Step 1: Set the Goal
Specific, measurable, achievable, relevant, time-bound
"Pass City Council Resolution 2027-15 creating a civilian police review board by June 2027"
Step 2: Identify the Target
Primary target: The decision-maker who can give you what you want
Secondary targets: People who influence the primary target
Step 3: Assess Your Power
Number of organized people
Key relationships and allies
Media access
Voting power (in electoral context)
Moral authority
Financial resources
Step 4: Develop Strategy and Tactics
Strategy: Overall approach to winning (inside game, outside pressure, both)
Tactics: Specific actions (petition, rally, lobby day, social media campaign)
Timeline: Milestones and deadlines
Step 5: Tell Your Story
Personal stories of impact
Data and evidence
Clear framing of problem and solution
Media-ready spokespeople
Step 6: Execute and Adapt
Launch campaign publicly
Monitor target's response
Escalate or de-escalate as needed
Celebrate interim victories
Keep the base informed and engaged
501(c)(3) organizations CAN lobby, within limits
Direct lobbying: Communicating with legislators about specific legislation
Grassroots lobbying: Encouraging the public to contact legislators
Track lobbying expenses; most small nonprofits stay well within limits
H election under IRS code provides clear spending thresholds (recommended)
Press release: Written announcement of newsworthy event or position
Media advisory: Alert to upcoming event that press should cover
Op-ed: 600-800 word opinion piece submitted to local newspaper
Letter to the editor: 200-300 word response to recent article or issue
Press conference: Staged event with speakers, visuals, and Q&A
Social media: Amplify your message and pressure targets publicly
Local newspaper reporters covering your issue area
TV news assignment desks and reporters
Radio stations (news and talk)
Online-only news outlets and blogs
Community newspapers and ethnic media
Podcasters covering related topics
Prepare 3 key messages before any interview
Bridge technique: Acknowledge question, then pivot to your message
Speak in sound bites (10-15 second quotable statements)
Have a compelling personal story ready
Never say "no comment" - redirect instead
Follow up with written materials and contacts
Create a campaign hashtag
Share personal stories with faces and names (with permission)
Tag decision-makers directly
Create shareable graphics with clear messaging
Live-stream events and actions
Encourage supporters to share and amplify
Respond to opposition calmly and factually
Ask specifically: "Will you come to the rally on Saturday at 10am?" not "Would you like to help sometime?"
Use 1-on-1 conversations to match people with roles
Create a volunteer interest form with skills and availability
Make the first volunteer experience easy and rewarding
Organizing is about building leaders, not just winning campaigns
Identify emerging leaders and give them increasing responsibility
Provide training: Public speaking, facilitation, media, research
Debrief after every action: What worked? What didn't? What did you learn?
Leadership development pipeline: Participant > Volunteer > Team leader > Campaign leader
Share responsibility broadly (no single point of failure)
Celebrate wins, even small ones
Create space for community and joy, not just work
Respect boundaries around time and capacity
Check in on people personally, not just about tasks
Recognize that rest is a strategic necessity, not a luxury
Assess risk for all participants, especially those from marginalized communities
Know your rights regarding protest, assembly, and free speech in your jurisdiction
Legal observer training for public actions
Have a bail fund or legal support contact before any action with arrest risk
Digital security: Encrypted communications for sensitive planning
De-escalation training for members who may face confrontation
Safety plan for targets of harassment or retaliation
Never pressure anyone to take risks they are not comfortable with
Phase 1: Conduct 20+ 1-on-1 conversations, identify your issue, find your core team
Phase 2: Host first community meeting, map power, define campaign goal
Phase 3: Launch public campaign, build coalition, engage media
Phase 4: Execute escalation strategy, negotiate with targets, win or learn
Phase 5: Develop new leaders, take on broader issues, build organizational infrastructure
Phase 6: Mentor new organizers, connect to regional/national movements, sustain long-term power
Books: "Rules for Radicals" by Saul Alinsky (foundational organizing text)
Books: "Doing Democracy" by Bill Moyer (Movement Action Plan)
Books: "Building Powerful Community Organizations" by Michael Jacoby Brown
Training programs: Industrial Areas Foundation, Gamaliel Foundation, Midwest Academy, Highlander Center
Online: Beautiful Trouble (beautifultrouble.org) - Tactics and principles database
Tools: Action Network (email, petitions, events), Signal (secure messaging)
Deliver the response as a structured document with clear headings and actionable content. Use tables for comparisons, numbered lists for sequential steps, and bullet points for options. Include specific examples where applicable.
[Community Organizer deliverable]
1. Context and objectives
2. Analysis or framework
3. Specific recommendations with rationale
4. Action items with timelineInput: "Help me with community organizer for a mid-size project."
Output: A complete community organizer framework tailored to the specific context, with actionable steps, relevant considerations, and measurable outcomes.
Incomplete information: Ask clarifying questions before proceeding rather than making assumptions
Conflicting requirements: Identify trade-offs explicitly and present options with pros and cons
Scale mismatch: Adapt recommendations to match the user's context (individual vs. team vs. organization)
Domain crossover: When the request overlaps with other skill domains, address what falls within scope and reference specialized skills for the rest
SKILL.md
351 lines · 2,396 words
The text of SKILL.md is shown as it downloads, under the Apache-2.0 license, by Ferrox Labs. The license is the one in the file's own frontmatter.
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