Student

Activist
Handbook

Christine Donovan
and
Felipe Witchger

University of Notre Dame

December 2005
 Table of Contents

Acknowledgments 5

Chapter 1: Introduction 7

Chapter 2: Defining the Issue and Planning the Strategy 9

From Concerns to Campaign
Strategic Planning
People are power
Targets

Chapter 3: Organizational Structure 13

Organizing on a college campus
A word on committees
Organizing to meet your needs
Stages of Group Development

Chapter 4: Recruitment and Leadership 19

Chapter 5: Meetings and Facilitation 23

Do you need a meeting?
Agenda
Meeting Method
Meeting Environment
Basic Meeting Skills
Recipe for a Fantastic Facilitator
The Almost Ten Commandments for Facilitators

Chapter 6: Fundraising 31
Overcoming Fear
Keys to Fundraising
How to Reach Prospective Donors
Methods of Fundraising
Major Donor Campaign
Fundraising Scruples

Chapter 7: Media and Public Speaking 37

Tools of the Trade
Getting the Word out on Campus

3
 Creating Events
Framing Your Issue
The Art of the Interview
Choosing a Spokesperson
Speech-Writing
Public Speaking Checklist

Chapter 8: Direct Actions 45

The Functions
Action Development
Checklist for Direct Action Media

4
Acknowledgments

Our deepest gratitude to the

following people for their
inspiration, support and guidance.

Greg Downey

Jim and Julie Donovan

David Cortright

5
 Chapter 1

Introduction
So, you want to change the world…
The fact that you picked up this book shows that
you have experienced something in the world that isn’t
what it should be. You have seen something that clashes
with your values and you want to respond. You are an-
gry, or frustrated, or sad, or excited – you’re ready to act.
The idea of “activism” may be completely new to you, or
you might be a trained veteran. Regardless, at least one
chapter in this book will help you along the way.

Our goal in this handbook is introduce the tools

necessary to engage the people around you – both the
people who agree with you and the people who do not –
in a way that promotes change. We have compiled the
best information we have found from books, articles,
classes, conversations and experience. We have dis-
cussed the ideas in this handbook with high school and
college activists, university professors, religious and
secular leaders, community organizers, directors of non-
profit organizations, social workers – anyone who would
listen.

This is only the beginning. It could be several hun-

dred pages longer. We’re giving you the bare bones –
you have to flesh it out. Think critically about what we
say, and use the pieces that suit you. Put it to use – that’s
the key.

7
 We need to hear from you about what you think of this book.
Use it. Critique it. Burn it. Whatever. But give it a try, and let us
know how we can improve.

So start thinking, start acting, and start

changing the world.

Christine Donovan Felipe Witchger

cedonovan@hotmail.com felipewitchger@gmail.com

8
 Chapter 2

Defining the Issue

and
Planning a Strategy
You may have a solid idea of the issues you want to pur-
sue, or you may sense injustice, but not have a feel for
the heart of the matter. Charting the course for your
campaign can be one of the most difficult aspects for
your group. Focusing on a specific issue that matters to
you and your community helps give you the stamina to
sustain your campaign, and planning ahead will help
guide you through the small steps that lead to big
change.

This chapter suggests criteria for forming your campaign

and focusing your message; identifies the targets of your
issue; and guides strategic planning.

9
 From Concerns to Campaign
Translating the observations that make your blood boil into a viable campaign
can be difficult. Use these points to consider the central issues and to help you
communicate your ideas:

Choosing an Issue:
1. Is it important to you? To your community? Is it worth the effort?
Develop a realistic vision.
2. Can you envision a strategy for achieving victory over your target? Do you
have the stamina to keep working until you win? Consider time, energy, and
money.
3. Do you understand your message well enough to convey it to other people?
How can you educate the general public with a clear, concise message?
4. Who is your target? The target is the person who holds the power to change
the injustice you are fighting. A good issue needs a clear target – an individ-
ual person – or the campaign may lack focus.
5. Does it build leadership? For a college campaign, this is crucial. Since
most leaders will be active in the campaign for only a few semesters, the is-
sue must allow veteran leaders to give new leaders a chance to expand their
leadership skills. The issue must lend itself to leadership development so
new leaders can emerge and mature.

Defining your Message:

1. Frame your message so that it engages people’s reason and emotion.
2. Lay down a timeframe that is both flexible and realistic.
3. Refine your message so it is attractive to a diverse constituency but is still
faithful to your values.
4. Clarify the economic concerns showing that it benefits your supporters.

10
 Strategic Planning
• Think long-term.
As you are starting to build your group you must consider long-term, intermedi-
ate, and short-term goals.

• Input and output. When planning, consider the following questions:

• What resources do we have to put in to our campaign?
• What do we hope to get in exchange for out efforts?
• What problems do we want to solve with our efforts?

• People are power: Constituents, Allies and Opponents

• Finding constituents and allies. Considerations:
• Who cares about this issue? What individuals or organizations are
already working for related causes?
• What do they stand to win or lose?
• What power do they have and how are they organized?
• Be expansive, even far-fetched.
• Using your power base. The bigger your base, the greater your sup-
port, the more people you have to draw from.
• Identifying opponents.
• List all the groups, individuals and institutions that stand to lose or be
very upset if you win. What will your victory cost them?
• Try to evaluate how actively they will oppose you and what they will
spend to defeat you. Take note of the power of each opponent.

• Targets
• Primary Targets
The person who has the power to give you what you want is often referred to
as the “target” of your campaign. This doesn’t imply that the person is evil,
but rather by virtue of having the power to give you what you want, the per-
son is the focus of the campaign.
• The target is always a person
Even if the power to give you what you want is actually held by an institu-
tion such as a council or a board of directors, find out the name of the
person who can make the decision, or at least strongly influence it and
11
 • The target is always a person
Even if the power to give you what you want is actually held by an institu-
tion such as a council or a board of directors, find out the name of the
person who can make the decision, or at least strongly influence it and
make that person the target. This helps narrow the focus of the campaign
and helps members feel that winning is possible.
• Personalize the Target
A campaign to change a person’s mind is much more manageable than
one to change the policy of a big institution. Individual decision makers
have human responses such as fairness, guilt, fear, ambition, vanity, or
loyalty. These don’t effect the institution or formal body as a whole. Such
responses only come into play if you personalize the target.
• Secondary Targets
A secondary target is a person who has more power over the primary target
than you do. But, you have more power over this person than you do over the
primary target.
• When you list secondary targets, write down what power you have
over them and what power they have over the primary target.
• Don’t feel obliged to have a secondary target if you have power over
the primary one.

• Tactics
The steps in carrying out your overall plan. They are what your allies and con-
stituents (and your opponents, if you are really crafty) can do to your targets to
put pressure on them.
• Tactics should be fun.
• They should be within the experience of your members, but out-
side the experience of your targets.
• Each tactic should have an element of power behind it.

References
Bobo, Kim, Jackie Kendall and Steve Max.
Organizing for Social Change: A manual for Activists in the 1990s.
Washington: Seven Locks Press, 1991.
12
 Chapter 3

Organizational
Structure
When you bring a group of talented people together, your
collective potential for change goes through the roof. In
order to utilize your group members’ abilities, you need
to create— don’t stop reading after this one— a structure.
We’re not asking you to put together a hierarchy, or to
stifle energy or creativity. We’re trying to help you get
the job done. Designing your group structure to encour-
age innovative thinking and public accountability can
create a culture of responsibility and efficiency.

This chapter underlines the challenges of organizing on a

college campus; offers organizational structures that help
to overcome those obstacles; suggests a reorganization of
the traditional committee structure; and explains the key
stages of group development.

13
 Organizing on a College Campus
These particular challenges require a unique set of considerations. Some of the
basics on organizational structure still apply, but campus activists must organize
with a few additional factors in mind:
• Member turnover – Regardless of how devoted your members are to
your campaign, most members will be active for, at most, four years.
More likely members will have three semesters of full involvement.
• Temporary leadership – Member turnover means leader turnover.
Even if you expect your campaign to last less than a year, plan long-term
and train underclassmen as leaders. They need to establish both leader-
ship skills and the group’s respect before the founding leaders graduate.
Allow them opportunities to exercise their power as leaders even before it
appears necessary.
• Busy leaders – A student’s time is occupied with a student’s work
rather than an activist’s. Unlike in larger campaigns, organizations on a
college campus rarely have full-time or paid staff members. Dividing re-
sponsibilities amongst several leaders can ease the load and avoid over-
whelming members.
• Academic calendar—Midterms, finals and heavy workloads tend to
pull leaders temporarily out of commission. Vacations cause your cam-
paign to lose momentum and member support. Plan your events and
make your goals with this in mind.

A Word on Committees
The idea of forming a committee to focus several people on completing a task
seems ideal, but unregulated committees often drag work out and leave the
chairperson struggling to finish the work alone.
• Avoid committee inefficiency by:
• Creating ad hoc committees. Rather than establishing a long-lasting
committee that focuses on “Student relations”, consider creating smaller,
temporary structures that organize a student rally or plan a student-
oriented advertising campaign. Dissolve the committee when the job is
completed.
• Calling it a “task force” or “work group”. These words imply and
impel action. Also, members may be more comfortable finishing their
work and disbanding after completing their work if they don’t have the
long-lasting connotations of the “committee” title.
• Patrolling size. Ask for as many committee (or “task force”) members
14
 you need, and no more. Having more hands may seem to get the job done
faster, but having more heads can often slow down the decision making proc-
ess and remove accountability.
• Training your committee chairs in facilitation. By developing their
ability to lead a meeting, leaders will dramatically reduce unnecessary and
unfocused discussion, allowing the group to decide on and enact a plan. See
Chapter 5 on Meetings and Facilitation.
• Celebrating! When a committee finishes a job, celebrate the victory. Meet
for dinner, coffee, anything to give you time to discuss and enjoy your suc-
cess.
• Sharing success. Congratulate committee chairs on a job well done.
Your compliments will follow them back to their committee members.

Organizing to Meet Your Needs

Structuring a student organization demands a set of techniques and structures
that address these issues. Your group’s individual needs will demand its own
unique structure, but many campus campaigns struggle with similar obstacles.
Some points to consider:
• Create broad-based leadership. Create a group of leaders who work to-
gether to collaborate on the planning and execution of the group’s mission.

• Develop a structure with multiple channels of communication and ac-

countability. As your group grows, diving it into smaller committees may
help.
• Select committee chairpersons and have them meet to make decisions
concerning the campaign’s overall plan.
• Delegate. An individual leader cannot do it all. Most times, even a group of
leaders cannot do it all. When planning for future events, delegate the task
to the most appropriate person, people, or group.
• Be considerate of your leaders. When choosing someone to direct a
project, consider their skills, work style, preferences and schedule. Don’t
give tasks to someone whose skills and time constraints don’t fit the pro-
ject’s needs.
Be honest and explicit. When asking someone to take on a project,
tell them directly what the project entails and how long you expect it to
take. If they are both capable and willing to take on the job, they will take
it. If not, they shouldn’t take on the project.

15
 • Look beyond your leaders. You may find someone in the group who
has not assumed a leadership position, but who is well suited for the job.
Be on the lookout for new leaders willing to take on responsibility.

The Benefits of Broad-based Leadership include:

• Adaptability – It creates an organization with a culture of
change because the group’s directors are always chang-
ing.
• Longevity – Having multiple leaders makes transitions
from year to year much smoother because new leaders’
inexperience will be offset by veteran leaders’ familiarity
with their role.
• Varied points of view – With more leaders comes more
ideas about the organizations historical successes and
failures, and consequently more ideas about how to for-
mulate and achieve future goals.
• Accountability – When leaders are part of a group, they
are held accountable for their actions and for completing
or neglecting their duties. This sense of accountability

The Stages of Group Development

As a new organization forms, finding a structure that fits the group’s needs can
take a substantial amount of time. Groups often go through the following stages
as they develop their structure:
• Forming – In this first stage of group development, strangers come to-
gether tentatively and overly politely. This is the courtesy period when
members get to know each other.
• Storming – Once people let their guard down and do away with courte-
sies, the Storming phase begins. This phase is characterized by power
struggles and conflict. If the discomfort overwhelms the group, they will
return to the Forming stage. Ideally, with good facilitation, the group will
learn to manage conflict, negotiate, compromise, and move on to the
Norming phase.

16
 • Norming – Once the formalities fade and conflict unites a group, its
members begin to define their common mission and their common iden-
tity. The group sets its norms and uses them to organize themselves as a
team.
• Performing – In this phase, members act synergistically, relating to one
another with ease and familiarity and abiding by both defined and im-
plicit group procedure. Members focus more on the importance on the
task at hand than on their own personal benefit.

References
Campbell, Katherine Noyes and Susan J.Ellis. The (Help!) I-Don’t-
Have-Enough-Time Guide to Volunteer Management.
Philadelphia: Energize Inc., 1995.

17
 Chapter 4

Recruitment
and Leadership
Without followers, a leader is not a leader. Without a
leader, a group lacks direction. Training capable leaders
and recruiting group members are equally important to a
campaign’s strength and sustainability.

This chapter discusses a strategy for recruitment;

explains steps to leadership development; and offers
suggestions for building group unity.

19
 Recruitment
The BLACK strategy

• Be prepared – Know what you want to get out of the person, create a
mini-strategy.
• New Person: Have a couple questions which can spark conversation
and get the person to start talking about him or herself.
• Acquaintance: Review what you know about them and try to identify
their self-interest.
• Be ready to tell them who you are and where you’re from. Show
them your common ground and why they have the same problem with the
issue that you do.
• Be able to quickly legitimate yourself, showing your credibility by
mentioning mutual friends.
• Tell them about your organization and remind people that they
have heard about you before. For example, you are the group that got fair
trade coffee on campus.
• Be transparent about your agenda and emphasize that you do not have
ulterior motives.

• Listen – Attentively try to identify their self-interest by carefully asking

questions which stimulate personal reflection on why this campaign is
important for them. Show your sincerity in trying to get them involved. By
being genuine you will demonstrate the importance of the issue to you.

• Agitate – Explain the whole story to incite them to be passionate and angry
as well. Try to get them to realize how the problem is not only bad, but its
unfair.
• Know the definition. Agitate means “to stir up people as to produce
changes” – not to offend or be obnoxious.
• Don’t passively accept excuses for people not getting involved.

• Commitment – Give them something to do next. Try to match the needs

of the organization with the person’s self-interest and talents. At the least,
get their email address and invite them to a meeting. Make it clear what will
happen next – don’t leave it opened-ended.

• Keep ‘em - Follow up in a timely manner to invite them to a meeting and

reiterate what they can do to help.

20
 Leadership Development
• All groups have leaders. Whether you are the outspoken organizer or the
quiet supporter, leaders take on many forms and can play many roles. Some
common definitions of a leader are someone who has followers or someone
that can get people to come to
an event. The Beginner’s Guide to
• Relate, relate, relate.
Being a Horrible and Hated
Essentially, how you create, Leader
sustain, and develop
relationship will determine the • Listen poorly
quality of your leadership. • Roll your eyes when others
speak
• Create community. This is • Give big, energizing speeches
fundamentally important. that last too long
Thinking creatively of ways you
can participate in activities
• Never follow through
together will create new • Do nothing
environments for interaction. • Ignore people altogether
Building fun and stimulating • Give no positive reinforcement
memories into the group’s • Show complete apathy
history is the only sure way to towards everything
fortify the relationships that
will create a sense of belonging
and a deeper desire to contribute. This is especially useful for those who will
be in leadership roles and planning for the future. Continually stimulating
and reinvigorating your members will keep them active and fresh. It will also
promote flexibility and adaptability for the organization.
• Opportunities for community-building
• Attend a retreat or protest
• Take a road trip
• Play team sports
• Pray together
• Prepare and eat dinner

21
 Chapter 5

Meetings and
Facilitation
Regardless of your issue, your venue, your target, or your
constituency of members, you will inevitably need this
chapter. Good groups make good group decisions. Good
decisions require good meetings. And good meeting
have structure.

In our experience, meetings tend to take on a mind of

their own. Honing your skills as a facilitator and
preparing both yourself and your group members for
meetings increases your efficiency and productivity.

This chapter questions the need for meetings; highlights

the key points of an agenda; outlines basic meeting skills;
and describes traits and skills necessary for good meeting
facilitation.

23
 Do you need a meeting?
Ahh, the eternal question:
I have concerns – is calling a meeting the best way to address them?

• Identify your objectives. Ask yourself the following questions:

• Why do I want to hold a meeting?
• Why would I participate in the meeting?
• What do I want to achieve with the meeting?
• What do I want to achieve after the meeting is over?

• Objective vs. audience. “I want to talk about the fundraising campaign”

is not an objective. It has no purpose other than providing a speaker with an
audience. “I want to reach a specific decision concerning an upcoming
fundraising event” is an objective. Objectives must have a clear question and
meetings with real objectives end in clear decisions which lead to action.
• The exception: When a group is still forming its structure and identity, you
may need to have an occasional “We don’t know what’s going on and we need
to discuss” meeting, but try to move beyond them once the group becomes
more defined.
• Consider other options. Once you have identified your objectives, decide
whether a meeting is the best way to accomplish them, or whether another
method (memo, email, phone call, etc) would accomplish the same objective
or whether a meeting is necessary.

Agenda
Everyone should know what to expect before coming to a meeting. Write and
email the agenda to participants a day (or an hour – we understand that you’re
in college) in advance to give everyone time to prepare. Include:
• The title of meeting. Most meetings have a name or description and a
title will help convey the general topic.
• Who called the meeting? It can be important to identify who convened
the meeting so that questions and additions to the agenda can be directed to
the person responsible.
• The date, time, place. Include a basic and realistic breakdown of how the
meeting will run. Include a start time and an end time and stick to both.

24
• The purpose. Naming the objectives on the agenda gives participants an
idea of what’s going to happen and, more importantly, whether or not they
need to be there.
• The essential players. State who needs to attend and whether or not
others are invited to attend.
• Preparation is key. If participants must do homework before the meeting
to prepare, let them know when you send out the agenda. Keep expectations
simple and realistic.
• Please bring… If you want participants to bring anything, such as edited
documents, completed forms, or other resources, tell them in advance.
• Define Roles. By naming the chairperson, the facilitator (if different), the
recorder, and the expected attendants, group members can determine
whether or not they need to attend the meeting.
• By naming the group members that are expected to attend, it allows
people to get a sense of the size and flavor of the meeting.
• Additionally, it creates a sense of accountability and gives the opportunity
for all to see what interests will be represented.

• Agenda items
• Order of items. Organize the items starting with the most important
and ending with planning for the next meeting.
• Persons responsible. Who is responsible for introducing the subject
and further carrying out this area of concern?
• Process. This helps communicate whether you want the group to simply
listen to a presentation or to become involved in solving a particular
problem or making a decision.
• Time Allocated. Realistically estimate of the time necessary to deal
with the issue.

Meeting Method
• Ground rules. Everybody should know how the meeting is going to be run.
Making this clear will help avoid a “structureless” meeting.
• Decision Making Method. If decisions are going to be made its essential
that everybody understands how they are going to be made (general
consensus, simple majority vote) and who will have the final say
(chairperson or group as a whole).

25
 Meeting Environment
• Keep it cold. Many facilitators believe it keeps people awake.
• Seating arrangements. Make sure you have enough chairs for everyone
attending the meeting and that they are positioned in a way that everyone
will be able to see everyone else.
• Ambience. For serious, Choosing a Seat:
businesslike meetings, host
them in a professional
• Want to stand out in the
environment. Casual meetings group? Choose a seat op-
can be held almost anywhere. posite the group or meet-
• Keep it down. Hold your ing’s leader.
meeting in an environment with • Prefer to blend in? Sit a
relatively little background
seat or two away from the
noise.
leader.

Basic Meeting Skills

• Opening Remarks. This one or two minute talk needs to be carefully
prepared because it will establish direction for the meeting. There are several
requirements for opening remarks.
• Be positive, but honest. Praise progress, but admit to upcoming
tasks.
• Focus. State the purpose of the meeting. This may seem repetitious, but
it is necessary to maintain direction.
• Review progress. This is vital when working on long-term projects,
and it serves as inspiration for future work.
• Summarize positions. If the agenda includes a controversial topic,
use this time to sum up both sides. The facilitator must be careful to
display all arguments impartially or risk tainting the participants’
perspectives.
• Call for action. Identify the meeting’s key objectives and call the group
to action concerning the decisions that need to be made.
• Be Concise. Like this. (Get it?)

26
 Recipe for a Fantastic Facilitator

2 sticks (8 oz) Empathy – Understand their feelings and

needs.
5 tons Active listening skills
1 teaspoon Humanity – Be willing to show your
strengths AND weaknesses.
2 teaspoons Constructive criticism
2 tablespoons Acceptance – Let them know that you accept
who they are.
¼ cup Clarity of explanation – State your objectives
explicitly and concisely.
3 teaspoons Flexibility
1 stick Specificity
1 part Encouragement
1 part Summarizing
5 parts Delegation

DIRECTIONS:
Combine Empathy and Active listening skills and apply it in
all your interactions within the meeting. Add a pinch of
Humanity to remind them that you are all on the same
playing field. Depending on the group’s needs, use
Acceptance and Constructive criticism to move the meeting
along. Once the group begins to discuss, fold in Flexibility,
Specificity, and Clarity as you respond to their comments so
that the entire group feels that you understand clearly and
are willing to discuss. For best results, soak each member in
Encouragement throughout the process and Summarize all
proposed actions at the end, mixing in Delegation to make
sure all the groups objectives are accomplished after the
meeting adjourns.

Yields dozens of productive meetings.

27
• Maintaining direction. The leader/facilitator is responsible for keeping
the meeting on track and moving through the agenda.
• Dangerous digressions. Meetings tend to move away from the key issues
gradually. The facilitator must pay attention and correct the meeting’s
path as soon as digressions occur.
• If an individual moves the topic away from the objectives, the leader
should redirect him or her gently but forcefully back to the issues. A few
helpful interjectors:
• “John, that’s interesting. We ought to look into it further. Now
about…” and return to the central theme.
• “Elizabeth, if you can get us more information on that, I’m sure we’d
be interested. On the present matter, I believe…”

The Almost Ten Commandments of Facilitating

1. Thou shalt follow the planned agenda as long as it
addresses the group’s needs.
2. Thou shalt allow everyone to speak and (a very
different idea) to be heard.
3. Thou shalt not judge. Rather, thou shalt listen
attentively and empathize with the speaker’s
experiences.
4. Thou shalt provide relevant suggestions for
procedures that will help the group accomplish its
goals.
5. Thou shalt assist the group in evaluating its
performance.
6. Thou shalt be sensitive to the group’s needs and invite
feedback to address them.
7. Thou shalt summarize the group’s ideas and decisions
both as the meeting progresses and before adjourning.
8. Thou shalt not feel the need to respond to every
statement.
9. Thou shalt delegate all action items and set dates for
their completion.

28
• Group balance. It is the facilitator’s job to make sure the shy member and
the “overparticipator” contribute equally. Helping each member reach his or
her performance potential may mean limiting the participation of some and
asking direct questions of others.

• Action Items: The heart of the meeting.

• An action item is a decision that requires action outside the meeting –
anything from writing a report to having a relational meeting.
• Action items create responsibility by making each person publicly
accountable for an action.
• Keep a running list of action items throughout the meeting.

• Ending the Meeting. A good ending means a better beginning when the
group reconvenes and everyone feels that their time was well spent. End
with the following so people feel the have spent their time well:
• Recap of discussion. Review the steps you took to arrive at the
decisions. This legitimates decisions and affirms those who contributed
positively.
• Summary of areas still requiring consideration. If any topics of
discussion must carry over into future meetings, identify them and
delegate responsibilities.
• Review of assignments. At the end of the meeting, review the list of
action items and delegate or eliminate each task, specifying when each
will be finished.
• Setting the next meeting. If another meeting is necessary, do this
before adjourning.

References
Burleson, Clyde. Effective Meetings: The Complete Guide.
New York: John Wiley and Sons, 1990.

Frank, Milo O. How to Run a Successful Meeting in Half the Time.

New York: Simon and Schuster, 1989.

Strauss, Bert and Mary E. Stowe. How to Get Things Changed: A

Handbook for Tackling Community Problems.
Garden City, New York: Doubleday and Company, Inc., 1974.
29
 Chapter 6

Fundraising
Posters, flyers, the pizza you promise at your meeting to
“encourage participation”— all of these require money.
Although your organization’s strength lies in its people,
you still need money.

This chapter offers suggestions on overcoming the fear of

fundraising; identifies the key elements and methods of
fundraising; addresses the issue of tax deductions;
explores how to seek out prospective donors; and warns
against the possible dangers of accepting donations.

31
 A Few Words
• Fundraising is difficult. It’s hard to convince people to give you money,
and it’s hard to overcome the uneasiness of asking for it.
• Fundraising is frustrating. You will hear ‘no’ far more often than ‘yes’.
• Fundraising is necessary. So get started.

Overcoming Fear
• Realize that people frequently give money to churches, organizations, and
schools. Asking someone to give you money is nothing out of the ordinary.
• Train new fundraisers by pairing them with veterans, and work in teams for
brainstorming and letter-writing sessions.

Keys to Fundraising
• Make a statement. In your fundraising efforts, make sure to clearly assert
(1) the vision and goals of your group and (2) how you plan to accomplish
those goals.
• KEEP GOOD RECORDS! Make note of who your donors are, how much
they give, and how often they give. Keep the list updated and refer to it when
crafting future fundraising campaigns. This list is your most valuable
fundraising tool.
• Personalize your methods. The more personal the interaction, the greater
the success rate. Personal meetings work better than letters to friends and
colleagues which work better than calling strangers.
• Build the donor base. Operate on the “Move them in, move them up”
philosophy: get new donors now and encourage existing donors to contribute
more money more often.
• Regularly ask donors who have given once to give again. Increase the
frequency of your requests.
• Always thank donors for their previous contributions and demonstrate
what projects their money has helped.
• Your goal: convince donors to become regular (monthly, annual, etc.)
givers.

32
• Create a diverse base. Appealing to givers of large donations brings in
more funds, but demonstrating support from several smaller donors adds
legitimacy to your efforts. Seek both types of givers.

• Plan ahead. Fundraising works best when done in conjunction with

another event – a holiday, an anniversary, etc. Look ahead on the calendar
to plan when to initiate fundraising campaigns.
• Be specific. Tell potential donors where their money will go: towards an
advertisement in the local or campus paper; towards information pamphlets,
etc.

A Note on Tax Deductions

• Many organizations encourage donations by re-
minding potential donors that the money they
give to the organization is tax deductible.
• This DOES NOT apply to your campaign unless
you have declared 501(c)(3) status with the IRS,
which requires a lengthy process and is likely not
an option for campus organizations. DO NOT
promise a tax deduction to your donors unless
you have declared this status or you have ad-
dressed the issue with your national or interna-
tional organization you’re affiliated with.

How to Reach Prospective Donors

Discuss the following questions:

• Who are the potential donors?

• What are their interests, concerns, and prejudices?
• What will stir them to make a gift?
• What are the motivating forces?
• What are the exchange potentials and how can we emphasize them?

33
 Methods of Fundraising
• The direct mailing – Send solicitations for donations in the mail. This
method yields the lowest success rate.
• The phone call – Call either past donors or potential donors referred by
previous givers. Cold calling (calling strangers who have shown no interest
in your cause) has a very low rate of success. This method is lightly more
successful.
• The special event – Often a concert, a dinner or an auction designed to
bring in funds. Unfortunately these events often cost so much and require so
much planning that they bring in less money than expected.

The Major Donor Campaign

A five-point plan and the most successful fundraising option.
• Gather a committee of members. Have them brain-
storm a list of possible donors.
• Write a letter explaining your campaign. Address
each envelope by hand and write the letter to a spe-
cific name rather than a generic “Dear Sir”. Include a
card soliciting the donation and a stamped, ad-
dressed return envelope.
• Call your donors four to five days later. Have your
member who knows them personally make the phone
call. Thank them if they’ve already responded to your
request. If they haven’t, offer to meet with them per-
sonally to explain the campaign.
• Those who are pressed for time will often give you a
solid ‘no’ or ‘yes’ at this point.
• If they agree to a meeting, bring information on the
issue and keep talking until they give you a donation.

34
 Fundraising Scruples
• Consider the source. Make sure that you support the person or group
offering you a donation before you accept their money. Are you willing to
accept “tainted” money or will that “taint” your campaign?
• Watch for strings. Large donors may try to exert power over your
campaign or request that their money be used in certain ways. Be sure you
know what strings are attached to money before you accept it.
• Be honest. Present your group and your issue truthfully. If you
misrepresent your work, you will lose credibility.

References
Klein, Kim. Fundraising for Social Change. 3rd Edition.
Berkeley, CA: Chardon Press, 1982.

Indiana School of Fundraising. Fundraising for Nonprofits.

Manual. October 2005.

35
 Chapter 7

Media and
Public Speaking
The power of media coverage can make or break a cam-
paign. If your group plans ahead, you can use the media
to raise awareness about your issue and to arouse public
sympathy. But if you approach a media event without
preparation, you risk suffering a negative portrayal of
your group or your issue.

This chapter explains the basic tools of media relations;

offers campus-specific advertising advice; describes the
idea of “framing” your issue; discusses the importance
and the methods of engaging the senses during public ac-
tions; and gives practical advice on giving an interview,
choosing a spokesperson, writing a speech, and speaking
in public.

37
 Tools of the Trade
• Establish a sound bite – A “quotable quote” that captures the campaign’s
focus. This is the line you want to appear in the press, so it must be well-
crafted and familiar to every potential spokesperson (members, leaders, pub-
lic figures supporting the
campaign).
How to write a press release:
• Keep a running press list
– A comprehensive list of • Offer a suggested headline.
reporters and editors. In- • Use active words that grab atten-
clude campus, local and tion.
national TV, radio, news- • If your press release is “for im-
paper, magazine, or other
mediate release”, say so.
relevant media. Watch for
changes in assignment. • Give the “Who, What, Where,
Reporters often shift from When, Why and How”.
News to Sports to Com- • Offer facts and figures, such as
munity. Make sure you the number of attendants at a
invite the most appropri- rally.
ate person.
• Focus on your actions rather
• Seek interview and talk than your ideology. Readers and
show opportunities – A viewers like storytellers more
great way to get your face than preachers, and journalists
and voice on air, and far report accordingly.
more common at local or • Keep it under one page.
campus TV and radio sta-
tions than you may think. • Email AND fax your press re-
Call, write, or email your lease to ensure its arrival.
story and solicit an inter-
view.
• Have your sound bites ready!
• Send a member who stays cool under pressure and understands the cam-
paign’s past history and future goals.
• Monitor your reporter relationships. Designate certain members of your
group to greet reporters at an event, guide them around and offer interview
material.
• Write Letters to the Editor – Create a “Circle of Scribes”
• Designate a group of members as your “scribes.”
• Have the group meet to discuss what message they want to present in the
media.

38
 • Each member writes a personal letter to the editor treating the issue.
• Members mail letters six or seven in a week. Often a few letters will be
printed.
• Keep thorough records – Catalog clippings, recordings and videos of your
media appearances.
• This adds legitimacy to your group when you present to decision-makers
or potential donors.
• Seek media-related donations – Donors are more likely to invest if they
can see tangible results from their money.

Getting the Word Out on Campus

A quick list of channels to use for spreading the world on a campus:
• Advertise and recruit in student unions, cafeterias, and restaurants.
• Hang posters
• Distribute flyers (stay outside – going inside can lead to legal trouble)
• Set up table tents

• Use these techniques in any major gathering spaces:

• Classroom buildings
• On- and off-campus housing
• Athletic events
• Concerts or other special events, especially those that focus on social is-
sues
• Utilize the efficiency of email. Write to clubs, academic departments, social
action groups, etc. and ask them to forward the message to their members.
• Focus especially on those groups whose interests overlap your own.
• Ask your group members to contact officers and administrators whom
they know personally rather than sending them a general, blanket email
from a stranger.
• Give classroom presentations.
• Approach professors you know personally asking them to give you a few
minutes at the beginning or end of class to present your campaign.
• Ask them to refer you to other professors who have similar interests and
would allow you to present.
• Mention the referring professor when requesting a future presentation.

• Tap in to student government. Having the endorsement of your student

government lends legitimacy to your campaign and can ease the process of
securing funding and publication approvals. On that note:
• Get your publications approved. Most campuses require approval before
39
 they allow for the distribution of posters or flyers. Get this before you print
1,000 copies.
• Word of mouth is the oldest and most effective method of spreading a
story. Talk about your issue, your actions, your goals, and your history with
anyone who will listen – roommates, friends, professors, coworkers.
• Recruit faculty assistance and expertise.
• Most of them have been at your school longer than you. Ask them what
methods have succeeded in inspiring change, and which have failed.
• Request a lecture. Faculty members may be willing to give a guest lecture
at no cost, which offers your campaign a chance to educate the public.
• Place signs in dorm or office windows. It makes a simple, but constant
statement.

Framing Your Issue

• Your campaign presents an opposition to the majority view and you must
portray your issue in a way that puts a new spin on it.
• Identify the inspiration for your campaign. What brought your attention to
the issue and what motivated you to organize around it?
• Present the issue in light of this focus. Focus on the problems you identified,
directing public attention away from the dominant view and towards the in-
justices you are challenging.

Framing
To understand the idea of framing,
consider the frames used in the abortion issue:
• Pro-choice: The legalization of abortion is an is-
sue concerning personal freedom of action and
arguing against government intervention in indi-
vidual treatment of one’s own body.
• Pro-life: The legalization of abortion is an issue
concerning the rights of an unborn child which
portrays abortion as murder and governmental
authorization of abortion as complicity in mur-

40
 Creating Events
Giving the media a complete package

• Never assume that your issue alone will attract support. Instead, organize
your action to show the media that it’s an event worth covering.
• Couple the results of organized research and effort with a public action: have
an assembly to commemorate a petition delivery; organize supporters to
gather outside of an important meeting; launch advertising campaigns in
conjunction with food or clothing drives.

Creating Sensory Events

For rallies, vigils, and other public gatherings,
appeal to all the senses.
• TV reporters need good visuals to accompany
good stories – distribute candles, flags, etc. to
the audience; make the speakers’ background
visually appealing and representative of your
campaign; create a banner and make sure it can
be read from a distance. A general note for
visuals: Make sure viewers can understand your
symbols without additional explanation.
• Radio needs good sound – arrange for the gath-
ered participants to chant, sing, clap, etc. while
the spokesperson is being interviewed.
• Print reporters need good sound bites and good
visuals for pictures.

• Location, location, location. Hold actions in the most appropriate place: the
courthouse if you’re protesting recently-passed legislation; a senator’s office
if you want to influence his or her vote; a corporate office if your message op-
poses its practices.
• Do-It-Yourself media coverage. Take your own photos – some local newspa-
pers will accept and use them. Think about camera angles before the event.

41
 The Art of the Interview
• Know your message. Enter the interview with a clear idea of what you
want to say. Have your statement written before you come to the interview.
• Use only your message. An interview is not a conversation. If the inter-
viewer asks you a question that you don’t want to answer, don’t answer it.
Respond by referring to your message.
• Take your time. If you need time to think between an interviewer’s ques-
tion and your answer, take it. TV and radio stations do not want dead air.
Your pauses will be eliminated in the editing room.
• Take Two – or more. If you express an idea clumsily, say it again. It em-
phasizes the idea’s importance and it gives the editors good footage. Editors
want a polished product, and they will use the best take you give them.
• Stick to your guns. Don’t let an interviewer badger you into answering a
question. Say what you want to say, and nothing more.
• Every second counts. Remember that any small statement can be re-
moved to stand on its own.

Choosing a Spokesperson
A few options:

• A recognizable public figure. If you have support from a public official or a

celebrity of any kind (eg. Class presidents), consider asking them to appear
publicly or in interviews promoting the campaign. Equip them with suffi-
cient information and sound bites.
• A person who is personally affected by the issue. Invite war veterans, sin-
gle mothers, underpaid workers or whoever best represents your campaign
to serve as its face. This adds a personal touch and appeals to the emotion of
your audience.
• Since these people are often emotionally attached to the issue, be sure
they can maintain composure and discuss the issue intelligently and
calmly. As always, give them solid information and sound bites.

42
 Speech-Writing
• Clarify your issue. Write your speech using clear and active language.
• Know your audience. When writing your speech, consider where your au-
dience is coming from. Use the following questions and whatever else fits
your situation:
• What does your audience know about this issue?
• What details or ideas do you need to supply?
• What will intrigue them?
• What is important to them and how can you relate your issue to their val-
ues?
• How can you “unfreeze” them? Your audience is locked into a certain
mindset. What interesting fact or new twist will jolt them into thinking
again?
• Make it personal. Tell a story from your own experience to bring the ideas
closer to home.

Public Speaking Checklist

• Think before you speak. Prepare your speech and practice, practice, prac-
tice.
• Keep it clean. Strike the phrases “Like,” “I mean,” and “you know?” from
your vocabulary. They weaken your speech and make you sound unsure and
insecure.
• Turn it up and slow it down. Speak loud and slow enough for the audi-
ence to hear and understand you. Place a person in the back of the room who
will signal you to speak up or slow down.
• Test microphones and other electronic equipment before the audience ar-
rives. Technical mishaps during a speech distract the audience from your
words.
• Make eye contact. Contrary to popular belief, this often helps speakers feel
more comfortable. It reminds you that you are worth listening to, which bol-
sters your confidence. This also pulls in the audience because they feel that
you are speaking directly to them.
• Sit or stand up straight. It makes you appear confident and authoritative.
• Memorize – or not. Decide on a method of jogging your memory while you
speak. This may be reading directly, speaking from notes, memorizing

43
 a speech, or speaking naturally from an outline. Practice using your method
so the delivery sounds as fluid as possible.
• Note your tone and inflection. Whether your words are excited, angry
or calm, make sure both your tone of voice and the inflection in your voice
match your message.

References
The Ruckus Society. www.ruckus.org

Ryan, Charlotte. Prime Time Activism.

Boston: South End Press, 1991.

44
 Chapter 8

Direct Actions
Although a great deal of your campaign’s work will occur
within planning sessions and logistical meetings, direct
actions will serve as one of your strongest modes of
spreading the message. Whether it’s a silent march or an
energetic rally, direct actions are designed to engage the
public with your issue. Your focus may be to educate, to
agitate, or to instigate, and this chapter will guide you
through the basics of direct action.

This chapter explains the purposes of direct action; dis-

cusses action development; and provides a checklist for
direct action media

45
 The Functions

Purposes of direct actions within campaigns:

• Announcement or alarm – Meant to shine light on a situation that you
feel calls for action.
• Reinforcement – Used when your campaign has been in progress for a
while, but you need to remind people that the evil or injustice has not gone
away .
• Punctuation – Reminds public that the issue continues to be pertinent –
often useful on anniversaries or to highlight a milestone in the injustice (eg.
The nation-wide prayers vigils after 1000 and 2000 death mark in the Iraq
War).
• Escalation – Raises the stakes in an ongoing struggle. Shows targets that
you’re serious enough about your issue to declare it publicly.
• Morale – Serves to raise spirits when your campaign has suffered setbacks.
• CAREFUL not to misuse direct action. The need to boost morale takes a
backseat to the campaign’s need in a given moment for the message and
power of s direct action. If an action won’t help you advance your cam-
paign, find another way to boost morale.

Action Development

• Key questions to ask before using direct action:

• Presuming your overall campaign goals are clear, ask yourself again: Why
is an action warranted at this particular point?
• Does the proposed action have a reasonable chance of benefiting the cam-
paign - of sending a message, moving the debate or raising its profile?
• What about the political follow-up to the action: Will you be able to ex-
ploit the political opportunity your action seeks to create?
• Crafting your action
• Brainstorm in a group. Anything goes in brainstorming stages. It may
help to move outside your common meeting places to stimulate creativity.
• Unspoken rule of activism: It’s ok to steal ideas from other groups. If you
hear about a successful action that you think will work for your group,

46
 don’t be afraid to use it. Put your own spin on it to make it personal.
• On anger: Many activists develop a sense of “righteous anger”. Be careful
that your action does more than simply express the fact that you are angry –
tell them why.
• Pick your audience and address them specifically.
• Is it the general public? Government officials? Corporate executives?
• Keep the message from getting too universal – choose an audience and
try to reach them with your action rather than trying to speak to every-
one.
• The more specific the target, the more that target will feel your energy
and power. Identify the real culprit and address them directly.
• Context
• Actions don’t occur in a vacuum. What time of year is it? What’s
going on locally, nationally and internationally that affects people’s opin-
ion of your issue?
• You have worked hard to understand your issue – your audience proba-
bly has not.
• Avoid jargon specific to your work that could confuse your audience.
• Educate and inform – press release, letters to the editor, etc. all help
to educate the public. Do this BEFORE your action.

• KISS – Keep it Short and Simple. Important for actions because people
have a limited capacity to absorb new information. Hit the most impor-
tant information and send them out to think and act.

Checklist for Direct Action Media

• One month to one week before

• Designate a few people as the heads of media strategy. A committee
will never reach a consensus on press releases, sound bites, etc. Desig-
nate people you trust and let them work without second-guessing their
decisions.
• Select a simple message that highlights only the key points.
• Choose visuals that speak for themselves. If they require explanation,
many viewers won’t understand.
• Create a sound bite – A media team job. Keep it under 10 seconds.

47
 • Choose a date and time:
• Morning events are more likely to be covered by the following day’s
paper.
• Monday through Thursday are the best days. Viewership is lowest on
Friday. Monday is the best day- as the week goes on, it becomes more
and more likely that another big story will eclipse yours.
• Consider the above points in relation to the other events going on.

• One week to a few days before

• Write a press release. Share, discuss and revise.
• The press release is an advertisement for the action – it is not the
message itself. Headline is key.
• Update press list.
• Practice sound bites and mock interviews.
• Assemble a press kit. Include a press release, fact sheets, background
papers, maps, or anything that gives reporters NECESSARY information.
Don’t overwhelm them or they won’t read it.

• The day before

• Finalize press release.
• Alert the media. Let them know as much as you’re comfortable, which
may mean sending them a map and may mean an entire press kit. Call
the reporter who will be covering that action or the local news editor and
be prepared to tell in 30-60 seconds:
• What you’re doing,
• Why you’re doing it,
• Why it will make a good story.

• The night before

• Gather everyone involved to review the press release to emphasize the
main message and the sound bite.

• The morning of
• Call again to make sure someone got the message.

• As soon as the action begins (which means as soon as participants

arrive or as soon as you unveil your banner or symbol)
• Call news outlets and tell them calmly and in a businesslike way that you
48
 have a peaceful protest underway. Tell them where and why you’re hav-
ing it.
• After the action
• When the action ends, call the reporters who expressed interest in the
story and tell them that the action ended, what time it ended, and what
was the outcome. Give them your contact information where you will be
reachable for the rest of the day and into the following day.

Need Ideas?
Most people are familiar with the sit-in, the boy-
cott, the vigil, the protest, and the rally, but the
list goes on and on. We recommend Gene
Sharp’s The Politics of Nonviolent Action which
holds his list of “198 Methods of Nonviolent Ac-
tion”. Check it out, and get creative.

References
The Ruckus Society. www.ruckus.org

Sharp, Gene. The Politics of Nonviolent Action.

Boston: Porter Sargent, 1973.

49