How to Start a Grassroots Movement

Are you burning with the desire to gather the masses together for attention to some critical issue or project? Grassroots organizing can be harder than it sounds: a mix of social networking, savvy funding, and judicious decision-making can go a long way. Think about how to grow your grassroots group wisely to make it last a long time.

Instructions

• 1

  Define your movement. Start by thinking about what issues will and won't be addressed by your movement. Try to focus on a certain issue or even write up a kind of list of items or "manifesto" you can use while growing your group.

• 2

  Get body. Reach out to others, whether through flyers, word of mouth, sponsorship, or public events. Get a number of people in your court and let the ball keep rolling.

• 3

  Find ways of keeping in touch. Use email, phone lists, or regular meetings to keep your members on the same page.

• 4

  Delegate. Find some way to appoint committees to handle the specific tasks of the group. If your grassroots group grows into something that could be called a "movement", it's too big for one person to be in charge of everything. Let smaller groups move within the larger body of the movement to draft actions or address specific concerns.

• 5

  When you have achieved critical mass, make your presence known. Whether through the Internet, local government, the print media, or other venues, show the world that you exist to get publicity for your causes and to attract others to your side.