Roots to Power

Lee Staples, PhD, MSW, is Clinical Professor Emeritus at the Boston University School of Social Work.

• ForewordRichard A. Cloward and Frances Fox PivenPreface: From Roots to TipsAcknowledgments: With a Lot of Help from My Friends1 "Power to the People" Basic Organizing Philosophy and GoalsSix Arenas and Two ApproachesElemental Elements: Turf, Faith-Based, Issue, Identity, Shared Experience, and Work-RelatedTwo Routes to Power: Community Development and Social ActionCommunity Development: Green Team Gains New Ground:Patricia Alvarez and Lee StaplesSocial Action: Green Space Defends Its Turf:Roseann Bongiovanni and Lee StaplesLimits and PossibilitiesOrganizing for PowerTen Tools for Taking PowerBuilding a Power BaseIntroductory Exercise2 "Locate and Relate. Motivate and Integrate. Facilitate and Educate. Activate!" The Role of the OrganizerAn Overview of Underlying PrinciplesInsider/Outsider Upsides and DownsidesCommunity Organizing Goals ExerciseRole of the Organizer Exercise3 "Can't You Hear Me Knockin'?" Organizing Models and MethodsGuidelines for ActionWhoWhatFrom WhomHowLessons from the 2013–2014 Raise UP Massachusetts (RUM) Campaign:Debra Fastino, Lew Finfer, and Harris GrumanThe Organizing ProcessFour Formative PhasesGroundworkThe Organizing CommitteeGeneral Recruitment DriveFormation MeetingPlanning a Youth-Led Organizing Project ExerciseRecruitment and Participation ExerciseRecruiting Role-Play ExerciseOne-on-One ExerciseCoalitions: Some Pluses, Minuses, and GuidelinesBuilding Effective Coalitions Exercise4 "Analyze, Strategize, and Catalyze" Issues and StrategyChoosing IssuesOrganizational Mileage ConsiderationsConsistencyUnityCapacityGrowthEducationCreditResourcesAlliesTacticsVictoryDeveloping a Winning StrategyCutting and Framing the Issue: Action Group, Goals and Objectives, Targets, and HandlesConducting a Strategic Analysis: Opposition, Support, Objective Conditions, and SWOT AssessmentParents Unite for Full-Day Kindergarten:Jamie PearStrategy and Tactics Exercise5 "Moving into Action" Making and Carrying Out Action PlansTacticsCountertactics and the Seven D's of DefenseDeflectingDelayingDeceivingDividingDenyingDiscrediting and DestroyingTimetableA Multiphase Action PlanRecruitment, Preparation, and AssessmentRecruitmentPreparationAssessmentAcorn's Campaign against Household Finance:Maude Hurd and Lisa DonnerBackgroundHousehold FinanceBuilding and Engaging the BaseBuilding the CaseDirect ActionMediaShareholder StrategyLegal ActionWall StreetLegislationRegulatory StrategyLegal SettlementConclusionDirect Action ExerciseDirect Action Role-Play ExerciseNegotiating Exercise6 "Keeping It All Together" Organizational Development and MaintenanceBroadening the BaseLeadership DevelopmentCharacteristics and QualitiesDevelopmental MethodsGroup Products and ProcessesComposition, Contracting, and CultureDecision-MakingMembership and Leader RolesConflictConducting Successful MeetingsGrab Those Details by the TailOrganizing Events That Build Your Organization:Reva SteinMaking Change with CoinsDecision-Making StructuresOperating Policies and ProceduresProgrammingStaffingLeadership Development ExerciseGroup Decision-Making ExercisePreventing and Resolving Problems in Meetings Exercise7 "Nuts and Bolts, Some Do's and Don'ts" A Short CollectionIntroductionSponsoring CommitteesJudy DonovanOne-on-One Meetings to Find and Develop LeadersLew FinferThe Movement Will Be Social: How Social Media Can Be Used to Organize PeopleMike LeybaCoalitions: Essential Tools for OrganizingBeth B. Rosenthal, Jessica Greenawalt, Jan M. Ivery, and Terry MizrahiPopular Education and Participatory Action ResearchIsabel Vinent and Reca FernandezResearch for OrganizingWill ColletteUsing the Law for LeverageMac McCreightReal Clout: Rules and Tools for Winning Public Policy CampaignsJudith C. Meredith and Catherine M. DunhamMedia RelationsEric WeltmanCommunity-Labor Partnerships and CoalitionsLouise SimmonsNegotiations: Using a Weapon as a Way OutMark J. SplainCrafting an Effective Fundraising Strategy for Community-Based Organizations (CBOs)Sarah LangeGCOs and Voting: How to Do Voter Registration, Education, and Mobilization for 501(C)(3) Organizations and Related NonprofitsGeorge PillsburyAfterword: After Words, Take ActionToward a Glossary of Grassroots Community Organizing JargonCommunity Organizing ResourcesReferencesBibliography: Organizing and Progressive Social ChangeIndexAbout the Author and Contributors

One of the book's major strengths is the author's emphasis on power at every turn in the organizing process, from making decisions about who to involve, to conducting the research necessary to analyze a situation, to uncovering what facts will mobilize the public and keep them engaged. . . . For social group workers and students of group work, the 3rd edition of Roots to Power presents essential elements of grassroots community organizing. Regardless of context, these elements are solidly grounded in practice theory. The book is methodically laid out with plenty of examples, case studies, and exercise to promote reflection, critique, and learning.