Strategies and Skills

Strategies and skills your team can use:

Running a Campaign Raising Awareness Fundraising Planning an Event Working with Politicians Writing a Targeted Letter

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Running a Successful Campaign or Project

Contributor: Sierra Student Coalition

First off, when you boil it down, the campaign or project you’re working on should do 3 basic things:

Educate – Raise awareness about the issue your team is addressing
Agitate – Stir up some energy around your campaign or project! Talk about the problems, the situations, the injustices - whatever you’re trying to change and why!
Bring about CHANGE! – Engage and mobilize people to act for change.

The Matrix – Here are 8 recommended steps for planning and organizing a successful campaign or project:
*Tip: Work through these steps with your core team BEFORE you get started and make sure you WRITE THEM DOWN!

ISSUE FOCUS – Figure out what specifically your team is working on. What do you want to improve? Make sure everyone’s on the same page with this.
BACKGROUND RESEARCH – Know your stuff – what’s already happened, who is involved, etc. This will inform the planning process.
SET GOALS – Goal setting is REALLY important. Goals should be clear, measurable, and should have a target date – you want to know when you’ve reached them! Other goal-setting tips:
a. Work backwards when setting goals. Start with what you want to accomplish (long term) and backtrack to think about what needs to happen to get there (short term).
b. Goals should build on one another and should support one another
LAY OF LAND – Know where the money’s at, which people to get involved, resources you’ll need and where to find them, skills of team members as they relate to the project, influential factors, etc.
STRATEGY – Figure out your strategy! This should be what gets you from point A to point B.
COMMUNICATIONS – Know what your message is, and remember: a good slogan is an easy way to rally the troops. (Yes We Can!)
TIMELINE – Figure out your timeline and make sure dates are clear and in line with your goals. Also, be REALISTIC and don’t over-schedule yourself or your team - remember that everyone has other things going on in addition to the team, like tests, family stuff, sports, etc. Keep a hard copy of important dates and refer to it OFTEN!!!
RESOURCE MANAGEMENT – Last, but definitely not least, know your resources. Budget TIME, MONEY and PEOPLE POWER – 3 critical things to helping you reach your goal.

Oh yes, and don’t forget to CELEBRATE SUCCESSES!! Everyone loves to party and what better reason than having achieved a goal? Big or small, successes should be recognized and celebrated. It will keep morale high, show appreciation for help and keep people coming back for more.

Raising Awareness

A key way to get people involved is to make sure they know what you’re doing! One way to raise awareness is through use of the Public Narrative.

Public Narrative:

Developing the skill of Public Narrative - articulating our values and why we are engaged in this work as a way of motivating and calling our peers to join us in action - is perhaps the greatest missing link in the world of grassroots organizing. The Public Narrative brings the how and the why of what we do together. By understanding how to build power and organize our peers, we gain the ability to make concrete changes in our schools and communities.

One of the assumptions of grassroots organizing is that we're able to bring people together around a common goal or vision easily. Not always so easy! Without being able to articulate why we are as passionate about climate change as we are, we often struggle to motivate others. The Public Narrative changes this, by helping you identify your values and share your personal story, connect with peers and inspire them t join you.

Through three consecutive and interweaving stories - the Story of Self, Story of Us, and Story of Now - you learn how to overcome the question of why.

Story of Self focuses on your story, of how you got involved, the choices you’ve made and the values and life experiences that informed those choices.
Story of Us constructs a common story, one that appeals to shared values and explains why we as a group, organization, generation, or community are brought together.
Story of Now expresses urgency and makes a specific call to action, asking people to join us in collective action to accomplish something far greater than we could on our own; it articulates a strategy and a hoped for outcome.

By mastering Public Narrative, we can effectively bridge the missing link in grassroots organizing. Learning the power of story is an essential tool in creating change!

Image Credit: Creative Commons non-commercial share-alike, Flickr user Dust Puppy

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Fundraising

Contributions from: Varun Bansal and Seth Kolker

High school students and officers of the Environmental Impact Club

We’re talking dollar bills. Many projects, events, and team activities require some sort of funding, big or small, and it’s not always easy to get. We’ve got a few suggestions for you here, but with a little creativity, you can always find other ways too!

Students at Tomas Jefferson High School launched a huge fundraising effort to put solar panels on their school’s roof. Students applied for grants and sent letters requesting donations to individuals and businesses. "Before we knew it, the momentum had picked up and we eventually raised $56,000 to buy and install solar panels that are on our roof now, powering three percent of our school," said student Seth Kolker, one of the leaders in the fundraising efforts and secretary of the Thomas Jefferson Solar Panel Initiative (TJSPI). The students also put on an event with Whole Foods in which they received five percent of the day’s proceeds. The students from the TJSPI had their goals in mind when they outreached to donors and local businesses for support. They stressed the myriad benefits that the students and their school would receive from the solar panels: “We went hands on. We jumped right in and contacted companies, but we also did a lot of research beforehand," said another TJSPI student. This fundraising project was very ambitious and stretched over two years. No matter how big or small your project is you can find funding. And once you start, the easier it gets.

Fundraising Suggestions:

Find a Sponsor - Find a local, state or national company or organization who may be interested in partnering with you. Think of those that would benefit from your cause and get their support (and funding!). Visit local stores and businesses to see if you can host an event like the students from the TJSPI did at Whole Foods. Or, start a matching program where the company agrees to donate a certain amount based on funds you raise on your own. Don’t be shy about approaching companies and organizations and asking for donations. Many organizations are looking for public relations and would love to support a good cause!

Check out how to “Write a Targeted Letter” to see a sample fundraising letter from the TJSPI to help you craft your request.
Grants – Another great way to get money for your project is to apply for a grant. Many organizations provide funding to those making changes in their schools or communities - they especially love young leaders! Do research to find opportunities that match your cause. Use sites such as The Foundation Center or School Grants to look at your options.

Tips:

Reviewing successful proposals can be a great learning tool and can help you organize your project. Read other applications and review past winners for ideas.
Make sure your program matches the funder’s priorities and guidelines. Obtain as much information about the organization as possible before you begin.
Read the rules carefully! You don’t want your wonderful idea to be rejected because you went over the word limit, skipped a section, or missed the deadline. Details are important!
Funders most often look for fully developed ideas. Cover all your bases before submitting an application! It is good to have a teacher or advisor to help you along the way and give you advice.
Know your goals and be realistic. Funders will usually choose a simple, clear, well-developed plan over a complicated and unorganized one.
Communicate clearly and effectively. Remember, your readers won’t know anything about your project before they get your application. Use clear and precise language, and be thorough but succinct. Have someone not involved in your project read through to check for clarity.
Proofread. Even if you think it’s perfect, have someone else read over your application. They will always catch something!
Don’t be afraid to ask for help! Find an adult to assist you in reading and writing. If you have questions, you can usually call the funding agency to ask. It’s better to be clear from the start.

If your first attempt doesn’t succeed, keep trying! Think about how to improve your proposal but remember that even perfect applications still get rejected. DO NOT GET DISCOURAGED!

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Planning an Event

Contributions from:
Elizabeth Alva – High school student
Bianca Locke – Student and Activist

Hosting an event at your school or in your community is a great way to get people involved and excited about the projects you are doing. They can be used to kick off or promote a current project you are working on, or as a fundraiser.

High school student Elizabeth Alva put on a joint fundraiser/environmental awareness event at her school where she raised over $100 and donated it to a green charity. She did this by selling green beaded bracelets and asking for donations.

Another great event to do is an Earth Day Event! Bianca Locke, student and environmental educator, collaborated with students and the community to put on the first Earth Day Festival in her city. “I had helped with other similar ones but never one of this size. We had over 2000 people, 49 booths, and 57 volunteers. We started with a zero budget and with small donations and the kindness of local entertainers and businesses. We were able to have a zero-waste, completely free entry, day full of fun and entertainment.” She created a thorough Earth Day event planning manual which you can find here.

Tips and suggestions:

Set goals for your event. They will give your event clarity and help you gain support and possibly funding if your goals align with other organizations or businesses.
Plan ahead! Plan for when and how long your event is going to be. Make sure it does not conflict with any other school or community events. Also check the weather forecast!

Image Credit: Focus the Nation – noncommercial share-alike creative commons

Know what supplies you need and start asking for donations early! Collaborate with other student groups on the event - they will often be more than willing to help and contribute.
GIVE PRIZES! Prizes are a great attention grabber. You can give away “green” prizes like 100% organic tee-shirts, water bottles or reusable bags - and even get them donated.
Pitch your idea to your school board - the administration is usually really into student-led activities. Pitch this idea by going into the principal's office at lunch, so you'll have plenty of time. Tell him or her your idea and have an estimate budget and timeline already planned out. Give your reasons or why this event would really benefit your school and raise awareness.
Ask around the campus if other students would enjoy your event and what they would want to see there.
Ask for Volunteers - recruit volunteers for the event by asking those you know to help out, flyering, putting ads in your school or local paper, online and around school. After the event, throw a 'thank you' party with a lunch or dessert!
Invite local VIPs and media to your event. This will help to raise attendance and awareness, and might be the perfect opportunity for business owners, politicians or administrators to show support for your cause.

To see a Sample Event plan, click here.
To learn more about Running a Successful Project or Campaign, click here.

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Working with Politicians

Students at Thomas Jefferson (TJ) High School started the Solar Panel Initiative (SPI) with the goal of putting solar panels on their school. They used many strategies to gain support and funding for their project, including the support of their Congressman, Jim Moran. Students met with Representative Moran to raise awareness of the many social and political benefits of putting solar panels on the school: "The solar panel array at TJ is a huge step forward for our school and county but needs to be the start of a larger movement,” said Varun Bansal, president of the SPI. "More than anything else, I hope this is the spark for a wave of renewable power and environmentally-friendly technology across the nation, from other schools to federal legislation."

By reaching out and informing their Congressman of their progressive project, the students working on the TJ SPI received a written letter of endorsement and congratulations on their on their work from Congressman Jim Moran:

“Your long-term dedication to this initiative has been impressive from the start, and it has been my pleasure to follow this endeavor through to its successful completion…. It is in our schools that we must demonstrate and lead the way to a better future, and your efforts have helped transform TJHSST into an example of environmental sustainability in the 21st century…. It is my pleasure to give my support for this innovative project. Thank you again for your commitment to ensuring a healthy environment for present and future generations.”

Since support from their Congressman helped the SPI garner greater publicity, the students at TJ achieved one of their major goals: Leading the country to a more sustainable future. During your own environmental campaigns, you’ll see that working with a politician can help you in numerous ways through their abundant resources. But remember, there are many politicians you can work with besides your Senators and Representative, such State Assembly members, State Senators, or members of your local city council. All of these politicians want to help their constituents, especially with projects that will improve the environment and reduce energy costs. Reach out to as many politicians as you can and you’ll see that the possibilities are endless.

How to meet with a politician:

Know your goals and come prepared. What do you want to get out of this? Who starts the meeting off? Who will speak and when? Bring materials with you to leave with the administrator for more information, as well as clear contact info.
Tell your story - Your Public Narrative! Who you are matters.
Deliver a clear message. Your message on climate change shouldn’t just be a list of bulleted points. It should address why the politician should care and act. Have facts and stats from reputable sources to back up what you are saying.
Demonstrate your sphere of influence. The school exists for your benefit - you are important. If you are in a high school it may be beneficial to bring in alumni or parents involved in the PTSA.
Politely control the conversation. Remember what you came for. Politicians often control conversations with small talk, talking about things other than the issue, or asking questions they know you can’t answer. Stays focused on your goal and diplomatically move the conversation where you want it to go.
•   Make the hard ask: “Can we count on you to support the principles of our platform?”
•   Listen to their response.
•   Be strategic in your response. Thank supporters and help turn them into champions. If you can, try and sway those that are undecided by getting them the information they need as soon as possible.
Thank them for their time, regardless of how it ends.

To see a sample letter from the SPI, click here.

Image Credit: Earth Day Network

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Writing a Targeted Letter

Sarah Watson, swatson830@gmail.com - High school student and member of the Thomas Jefferson Solar Panel Initiative (SPI)

The students working with the SPI wrote letters to create a first impression when we were trying to establish contact with a corporation, politician, or individual. Letters are more professional and considerate than e-mails, and we would usually send the letter and follow it up a few days later with a phone call to create a good first impression. As a student organization trying to communicate with and solicit support from corporations and politicians, we wanted to convey our passion over our project while remaining professional. Adults love to see students who are dedicated to a cause, but they want to know that those students aren’t going to squander any financial support. Writing letters instead of e-mails is the first step towards creating a professional and capable appearance. Our SPI letterhead at the top of each letter and the signatures of our leaders and sponsors at the end were small additions that nonetheless greatly added to the professionalism of the letters. We had different tailored letters for each category of contacts. For example, when we were contacting corporations to ask for sponsorship, we focused on the publicity our campaign would receive and the reflected “green” image they would gain. In contacting politicians, we emphasized the educational aspects of our project.

How to do it:

First state the goals and intentions you are working towards in your letter. This will immediately inform the recipient of your purpose and focus.
Decide what you are asking for. Do you want funding, endorsement of your project to increase public awareness, or are you asking for resources or donations? What you are asking for will depend on whom you are writing to. This is why you should have a few different tailored letters for each category of contact.
Collect a list of companies, local businesses, politicians, and individuals whom you want to write letters to. Decide which one you are going to ask what, and write general sample letters for each of your categories.
Make it an event! Once you have your list of to-be letter recipients, contact information and sample letters, have a letter writing event with snacks and refreshments. This way this way you can have everyone personalize the letters they write, and you can get a lot of letters written in a short time.
Always include the benefits each person on company will receive by supporting your campaign. Make the letter specific and concise with a prominent request. If you have a website, you can direct them to it for more information. Otherwise you could send them some extra materials about your campaign if you think it is appropriate.
Always follow up with a phone call a few days after you send them the letter. This is a good way to make sure they know you are serious and professional. It is also a good chance to answer any questions they may have and see if they would like any additional information.
Have fun and don’t get discouraged if you don’t get that many responses or supporters. Just keep trying; persistence really does pay off, and lets people know you are committed to this project.

To see a sample letter from the SPI to our congressman, click here.

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