RESULTS 2012 Group Planning Guide We are all committed to “creating the political will to end poverty”. But in order to do that we must “empower individuals to have breakthroughs in exercising their personal and political power.” Many of us believe in empowering individuals, but find it challenging to do. The group planning process is an opportunity to do some critical thinking and plotting about how you will empower each other, your members of Congress, and your communities. Here is what we have provided to help you plan: Thank you for helping us reach our goal of having plans completed for every group. An outline for a group planning meeting (below) 2012 Group Plan Summary Sheet 2012 Global or Domestic Campaign Summary (forthcoming) 2012 Individual Planning Form What Can Your Group Think About at Your Planning Session? 1. How much of a champion for the end of poverty are your legislators? Assess where your members of Congress are on the Champion Scale. 2. To reach and influence your members of Congress, what resources do you have? Powermap it! 3. What new advocacy activities can you engage in? Check out our Activist Milestones for ideas and support! Sample Group Planning Meeting Agenda (1 ½ to 2 hours) I. Before the meeting, activists read 2012 Campaign Summary (forthcoming) and complete Individual Planning Form II. Set the Stage for Planning – 30-45 minutes 1. Appoint a facilitator and a timekeeper, and discuss any ground rules for your meeting. 2. Celebrate 2011 accomplishments, individual and group, by sharing a personal success and a group success of which you are proud. 3. Share in a centering activity: “What I’m most excited about for RESULTS 2012 is . . . “ 4. Share a personal or group aspiration or hope – and note them for future reference! III. Create Your Plan – 60 minutes – Spend the bulk of your time on this section of the agenda 1. Group Roles and Responsibilities. Goal: For everyone to have a meaningful role in his/her local group so that, together, you can achieve what you’ve dreamed of doing. 2. Group Health Plans Goals: To establish 2 regular meetings per month To double your group’s attendance at the International Conference To begin instructing our grassroots base on how to be a powerful coach to other RESULTS partners a. Establish group meeting dates and times. Reserve the second Saturday of each month for national conference calls, and establish at least one other meeting each month. (Groups have a better chance of thriving when they have at least 2 regular meeting times each month.) b. Talk about who will be attending the 2012 International Conference (July 21-24). We have a goal of 400 participants this year – it’s going to be exciting! What needs to happen so all who wish to attend can do so? c. Consider reading David Rock’s Quiet Leadership, a book we’ve been taking on board to help us coach and support each other better. d. Make sure you have a plan of staying in touch (phone call, e-mail, etc.) that works best for your group. 3. Outreach, Fundraising, and Partnership Plans Goals: To increase your group’s membership by a net of 1 activist To establish an Action Network Manager and increase your action network by 5 people To hold a fundraising event or have at least one activist participate in the Spring 2012 Family and Friends Campaign To make one new grasstops connection for each campaign issue covered a. What kind of outreach do you want to conduct to recruit new activists and educate? Remember that RESULTS Introductory Calls and New Activist Orientations are available to help those new to you through your outreach efforts. Contact your Regional Coordinator for more information. b. How will you develop your local action network (people additional to your group who can take quick action)? c. Make a fundraising goal, either to participate in the Spring 2012 Family and Friends Campaign or hold a fundraising event. We would like 75% of our groups to have at least one activist participating. d. What partnerships do you want to establish in the community? You may have heard the term “grasstops” – these are people of influence (like you!) in your community. Be sure to invite your new grasstops and other organizational and individual allies to the 2012 International Conference, particularly if they are stakeholders in TB/HIV work. Allies in our midst are advocacy partners and serve to expand your groups reach and impact. 4. Media Plans Goals: To have everyone think about a way they can stretch and accomplish something new in media this year To choose a Media Point Person Make some general around specific types of media action. As we encounter advocacy opportunities, we will make some organization-wide goals relevant to each campaign. But for now, think about who in your group would like to achieve some new writing accomplishments. a. Letters to the editor b. Op-eds c. Editorials inspired d. Other media e. Social media f. Media point person (person who serves as a primary coordinator for media efforts/liaison with local media/historian for media hits achieved) 5. Lobbying Plans Goals: To evaluate where your members of Congress are in terms of championing our issues To begin booking face-to-face meetings for 2012 a. Quickly assess where each members of Congress is on the Champion Scale. b. Identify 1 or 2 key actions that the group might take to move each member of Congress up the Champion Scale, and note to reassess in May, August, and December of 2012. Remember that influencing decision makers involves meeting with them. Go ahead and request lobby meetings now! 6. Additional Information - Please make sure you give us the following: a. Your groups’ website URL (if you have one) which we can link to our RESULTS site b. Your group’s Facebook page (if you have one) which we can share c. Your group leader’s name/contact information d. Name/contact information for each partner e. Feedback you have on other resources you need and/or training call ideas you have. We are currently building a training call plan for the first half of 2012 and welcome your input. 7. Send a copy of your plans to your Regional Coordinator. People stay involved in a group like RESULTS when the group meets his/her needs for making change happen in the world through meaningful action, personal growth, and human relationship. Your group offers that. Well done! Helpful hyperlinks: *Champion Scale: http://www.results.org/skills_center/champion_scale/ *Powermapping Support: http://www.results.org/uploads/files/bonnner_powermapping.pdf *Activist Milestones: http://www.results.org/skills_center/activist_toolkit/ *2012 International Conference: http://www.results.org/events/IC_2012/ *Group Roles and Responsibilities: http://www.results.org/uploads/files/2010_gr_job_descriptions_v2-17.doc *Sign-up for RESULTS Introductory Calls: http:tinyurl.com/RESULTSMeetandGreet. *Fundraising Tools: http://www.results.org/skills_center/fundraising_info/fundraising_tools/