Toolkits

Searchable Folder of All Toolkits

• Choosing an Issue – Developing Objectives
  • Checklist for Choosing an Issue (Midwest Academy)
  • Checklist for Choosing a Problem and Issue (Midwest Academy)
  • Vision Questions (Citizen Involvement Training Project)
  • Setting Smart Goals (The Leadership Conference)
  • Key Questions for Developing Your Objectives (Advocacy for Social Justice: A Global Action and Reflection Guide)
  • Developing Advocacy Objectives (The Democracy Center)
  • Developing a Policy Initiative (The Praxis Project)
• Strategy and Planning

• Action Strategy & Planning Manual (Ruckus Society)
• How To Plan a Campaign (Christine Laurence)
• Campaign Strategy Chart (Midwest Academy)
• Campaign Strategy 101 (Midwest Academy)
• Campaign Strategy Grid (ICNL)
• Advocacy Strategy Planning Template (The Democracy Center)
• 9 Questions – A Strategy Planning Tool for Advocacy Campaigns (The Democracy Center)
• The Organizer’s Guide to the Galaxy: Strategic Planning (Wellstone)
• Strategizing for Change (Training for Change)
• Goal Setting tool: paper plate challenge (Training for Change)

• Tactics and Taking Action

• Tactic Star (Beyond The Choir)
• Tactical Analysis Chart (The Change Agency)
• Taking Action (The Democracy Center)

• Power Mapping

• Power Map / Influence Map (smartMeme)
• Points of Intervention Worksheet (smartMeme)
• Power Mapping (Bonner)
• Identifying Targets and Agents of Change (Community Tool Box)
• Thoughts and Exercises on Power (Lisa Fithian)

• Allies / Opponents

• Spectrum of Allies Chart (Organizing for Power)
• Map Your Allies (New Tactics in Human Rights)
• Spectrum of Allies (Training for Change)
• Moving Your Allies Training Tool (Training for Change)

• Networking and Building Alliances
  • Building Alliances Guidebook (Organizing for Power)
  • Building Advocacy Partnerships (The Democracy Center)
  • Building Diverse Community Based Coalitions (The Praxis Project)
  • Building and Sustaining Coalitions (The Leadership Conference)
  • Create, Manage, and Activate a Community Action Network of Grassroots Activists (RESULTS)
  • Little Black Book: Coalition Building (People for the American Way Foundation)

• Organizing

• Organizing Your Community (The Leadership Conference)
• Understanding The Role of an Organizer training tool (SOUL)
• Organizer Training: fear and power [oriented toward Unions] (Lisa Fithian)
• Organizational Self-Assessment training tool (SOUL)
• Jemez Principles for Democratic Organizing

• Meetings
  • Guide for Roundtables (Dimitris Riggas Shan Ashton, Kylene de Angelis, Christine Graf)
  • Open Space Technology (Kristen J. Arnold)
  • Open Space Technology (Chris Corrigan)
• Facilitation

• Effective Facilitation (EnvironmentalAdvocacy.org)
• Tips for Group Facilitators (Results Through Training)
• Facilitation: The Secret to Smooth Synchronized Meetings (Students for Bhopal)
• Meeting Facilitation: the No-Magic Method (Training for Change)
• Taking Stock of Taking Stack (Training for Change)
• Flip Chart Chart: Graphic Facilitation Techniques (Christine Valenca & Helen Spector)
• Games, Warmups, and Energizers (Levana Saxon and Joshua Kahn Russell)
• Sample Facilitation Training curriculum (Lisa Fithian)
• Decision Making / Consensus
  • Making Decisions by Consensus (Seeds of Change)
  • Making Decisions by Consensus (Achieve NJ)
  • Consensus Checklist (Vernal Project)
  • Decision Making Structures Chart (Vernal Project)
  • Toward Collective Decision Making – Some Guidelines for Activists (Prison Activist Resource Center)
  • Decision Making, Group Agreements and Working Together (Environmental Advocacy Project)

• Volunteers

• Tips for plugging people in (Beyond the Choir)
• Participant Guide – Building Teams (NOI)
• Participant Guide – Building Relationships (NOI)
• Education
  • How to Host a Movie Night (RAN)
  • Research for Radicals (Tao Collective)
  • Research for Organizing (Urban Justice Center, Community Development Project, Research and Organizing Initiative)
• Outreach
  • Tabling (EAC)
  • Tabling (RAN)
  • Tabling (PIRG)
  • Petitioning and Canvassing (RAN)
  • Phone Banking (EAC)
  • Door Knocking (The Citizen Handbook)
  • Town Hall Meetings (Results)
  • Mobilizing Students (Progressive Student Alliance)
  • Organize on Campus
  • Effective Campus Petition Drives (Students for Bhopal)
  • RAN Guide to Making Posters (RAN)
  • Make Great Flyers and Posters and Know Where to Put Them (RAN)
  • Facilitating Dialogue for Social Change (Training for Change)
• Messaging and Storytelling
  • Re:Imagining Change: An Intro to Story Based Stragey (smartMeme)
  • Re:Imagining Change: How to use story based strategy, to win campaigns, build movements, and change the world (smartMeme)
  • Story Based Strategy Campaign Model (smartmeme)
  • Story Based Strategy Chart (Center for Story Based Strategy)
  • F.R.A.M.E.S. – Creating Effective Messaging (Center for Story Based Strategy)
  • Narrative Power Analysis (smartMeme)
  • Narrative Power Analysis Worksheet (smartMeme)
  • Narrative Power Analysis Worksheet (Center for Story Based Strategy)
  • Battle of the Story Worksheet (Center for Story Based Strategy)
  • Why Stories Matter (Marshall Ganz)
  • Message in a Bottle (Wellstone)
  • Frank Luntz’s Playbook (Frank Luntz)
  • Participant Guide – Story of Self (NOI)
  • Participant Guide – Story of Us (NOI)
  • American Opportunity – A Communications Toolkit (The Spin Project and The Opportunity Agenda)

• Media and PR

• Occupy the Media PR 101 (Rachael Perrotta, Occupy Chicago Press)
• Media Manual (Ruckus)
• Strategic Communications Planning (The Spin Project)
• The Little Black Book – Media and Messaging – (People for the American Way Foundation)
• Planning for Media Advocacy (The Praxis Project)
• Media Strategy: A Resource Guide for Anti-Occupation Activists (Center for Media Justice)
• Effective Communications (Oxfam International Youth Partnerships)
• Communicating Effectively (The Leadership Conference)
• What Is News? (RAN)
• Media and PR Tactical How-To Guides
  • Creating a Press Kit (Center for Media Justice)
  • How to Write a Letter to the Editor (RAN)
  • Letters to the Editor Worksheet (Center for Media Justice)
  • Sample Op-Ed (Opinion piece) (RAN)
  • How to Write Media Advisories and Press Releases (RAN)
  • Holding a media event (RAN)
  • Public Speaking Success for Candidates (American Majority)
  • Spokesperson Tips (smartMeme)
  • Interview Tips (Center for Media Justice)
  • Media Spokesperson Tips (ADHA)
  • Tips for Television Interviews (RAN)
  • Pitch Rap Worksheet (Center for Media Justice)
  • Pitching Your Story (RAN)
  • Video Camera Tips Training Manual (Ruckus Society)

• Social Media

• Using Social Media (The Leadership Conference)
• Organizers Guide – Social Media (Wellstone)
• The Virtual Activist 2.0 (Net Action)
• Online Politics 101 – tools and tactics for advocacy (Colin Delany, ePolitics)
• Using the Internet for Outreach and Organizing (Net Action)
• Twitivism – (American Majority)

• Political Lobbying

• Advocacy Guide – How You can Make a Difference (Life Services Network)
• State Advocacy Day Playbook (USGBC)
• How to Pass a Local Resolution (RAN)
• Educating and Engaging Public Officials (The Leadership Conference)
• Political Campaigning
  • Campaign Manual (Green Party)
  • Political Campaign Planning Manual – Step by Step Guide to Winning Elections (National Democratic Institute for International Affairs)
  • Winning Your Election – A Comprehensive Guide for Candidates and Campaign Workers (Wellstone)
  • 18 Steps to Win a Local Election (Independent Candidate Action Network)
  • Vote Goal Worksheet (American Majority)

• Nonviolent Direct Action & Civil Disobedience

• Action Planning Training Manual (Ruckus)
• Direct Action Planning Steps (Ruckus)
• Organizing Toolkit (Backbone Campaign)
• How to Organize a Demonstration (RAN)
• Introduction to Nonviolent Direct Action (RAN)
• Overview of Nonviolent Direct Action (Trapese Collective)
• 198 Methods of Nonviolent Protest and Persuasion (Gene Sharp)
• Handbook for Nonviolent Campaigns (War Resisters International)
• Finding Tactics that Matter training tool (Training for Change)
• Dilemma Demonstrations – Using nonviolent civil disobedience (New Tactics in Human Rights)

• Direct Action Tactical How-To Guides

• Security Culture for Activists (Ruckus)
• Security Tips and Resources (Ruckus)
• Scouting Manual (Ruckus)
• Creative Direct Action Visuals Manual (Ruckus)
• Balloon Banner Action Manual (Ruckus)
• Boycott Organizer’s Guide (Co-Op America)
• Checklist for Effective Direct Action Media (Ruckus)
• Street Medic Handbook (Occupy Chicago)
• Street Medic Handbook (Chicago Action Medical)

• Legal

• Know Your Rights (Midnight Special Law Collective)
• Know Your Rights – Dealing With Police (Midnight Special Law Collective)
• Know Your Rights – Basic Legal Info (Midnight Special Law Collective)
• Know Your Rights – Legal Steps and Choices Chart (Midnight Special Law Collective)
• Know Your Rights – Police Misconduct Report (Midnight Special Law Collective)
• ACLU Guide to Civil Disobedience at Public Universities (ACLU)
• ACLU Guide for Demonstrators (ACLU)
• Know Your Rights – Wallet Card (National Lawyers Guild)
• Know Your Rights While You Protest (For Non Citizens) – (National Lawyers Guild of Chicago)
• You Have The Right To Remain Silent (National Lawyers Guild)
• Legal Observer Training Manual (National Lawyers Guild)

• Fundraising

• Raising Money (The Leadership Conference)
• A Grassroots Fundraising Guide for Social Justice Organizations (Vanguard Public Foundation)
• Grassroots Fundraising Principles and Best Action Toolkit (MAG-Net)
• Fundraising – Raising Cash and Writing Funding Applications (Seeds of Change)
• How to Get Stuff Donated (RAN)
• How to Coordinate a Raffle or Silent Auction (RAN)
• Doing a Friends and Family Mailing with Sample letter (RAN)

• Full Toolkits

• Creating Grassroots Movements for Change: A Field Manual (Alliance of Youth Movements)
• Grassroots Campaigns and Advocacy (The Leadership Conference)
• The Citizen’s Handbook – (Vancouver Citizen’s Committee)
• Public Participation Toolbox (Vancouver Citizen’s Committee)
• A Guide To Effective Nonviolent Struggle (CANVAS)
• Nonviolent Struggle – 50 Crucial Points (CANVAS)
• NOI Toolbox (New Organizing Institute)
• Youth Organizing for Community Power / Movement Building (SOUL)
• Organizing for Justice (Democratic Socialists of America)
• Developing a Strategy: Advocacy Roadmap (Jim Shultz)
• Advocacy Tools and Guidelines – Chapters 1-4
• Advocacy Tools and Guidelines – Chapters 5-7
• Advocacy Tools and Guidelines – Chapters 8-10
• Advocacy Tools and Guidelines – Samples
• Activist Toolkit (Amnesty International)
• Activist Toolkit (PIRG)
• Advocacy and Campaigning Course Toolkit (International NGO Training and Research Centre)
• Student Activist Handbook (Christine Donovan and Felipe Witchger)

• Issue Based Toolkits

• Campus Guide to Fossil Free Divestment Toolkit (350.org)
• Building a Successful Antiwar Movement (Beyond the Choir)
• Indigenous Peoples’ Guide, False Solutions to Climate Change (Indigenous Environmental Network)
• Making Oppression Backfire (CANVAS)
• Handbook for Nonviolent Campaigns (War Resisters League)
• An Integrated Anti Oppression Framework (Training for Change)
• Build Your Own Solidarity Network (Workers Solidarity Alliance)
• Student Worker Solidarity Organizing Kit (Service Worker Solidarity Campaign)
• Organizing: A Working Model (Iraq Veterans Against the War)
• Stages of Social Movements

• 5 Stages of Movement Development (George Lakey)
• Strategizing for a Living Revolution: 5 Stages for Social Movements – George Lakey
• The Eight Stages of Successful Social Movements – Bill Moyer