MIDWEST ACADEMY STRATEGY CHART

Goals
Organizational Considerations
Constituents, Allies/Opponents
Targets
Tactics
1. List the long-term objectives of your campaign.

2. State the intermediate goals for the issue campaign. What constitutes a victory? How long will the campaign:

  • Win concrete improvements in people's lives?

  • Give people a sense of their own power?

  • Alter the relations of power?

    3. What short-term or partial victories can you win as steps toward your long-term goal?
  • 1. List the resources that your organization brings to the campaign. Include: money, number of staff, facilities, reputation, etc.

    What is the budget, including in-kind contributions, for this campaign?

    2. List the specific ways in which you want your organization to be strengthened by this campaign, Fill in the numbers for each:

  • Expand leadership groups.

  • Increase experience of existing leadership.

  • Build a membership base.

  • Expand into new constituencies.

  • Raise more money.

    3. List internal problems that have to be considered if the campaign is to succeed.
  • 1. Who cares about the issues enough to join in or help the organization?

  • Whose problem is it?

  • What do they gain if they win?

  • What risks are they taking?

  • What power do they have over the target?

  • Into what group are they organized?

    2. Who are your opponents?

  • What will your victory cost them?

  • What will they do/spend to oppose you?

  • How strong are they?
  • 1. Primary targets

    A primary target is always a person. It is never an institution or elected body.

  • Who has the power to give you what you want?

  • What power do you have over them?

    2. Secondary targets

  • Who has the power over the people with the power to give you what you want?

  • What power do you have over them?
  • 1. For each target, list the tactics that each constituent group can best use to make its power felt.

    Tactics must be:

  • In context.

  • Flexible and creative.

  • Directed at a specific target.

  • Make sense to the membership.

  • Be backed up by a specific form of power.

    Tactics include:

  • Media events.

  • Actions for information and demands.

  • Public hearings.

  • Strikes.

  • Voter registration and voter education.

  • Lawsuits.

  • Accountability sessions.

  • Elections.

  • Negotiations.