Last updated on Aug 16, 2024

What's the best way to set a goal for your community organizing campaign?

Community organizing is a process of building collective power and action to achieve social change. Whether you want to improve your neighborhood, fight for a cause, or challenge injustice, you need to have a clear and realistic goal for your campaign. A good goal can motivate, inspire, and guide your community organizing efforts. But how do you set a goal that is both ambitious and achievable? Here are some tips to help you.

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1 Identify the problem

The first step to setting a goal is to identify the problem you want to solve or the issue you want to address. What are the root causes, the effects, and the stakeholders of the problem? How does it affect you and your community? How does it relate to your values and vision? You can use various methods to research and analyze the problem, such as surveys, interviews, focus groups, mapping, or storytelling. The more you understand the problem, the better you can define your goal.

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2 Choose a target

The next step is to choose a target for your campaign. A target is a person, group, or institution that has the power to make the change you want. For example, if you want to improve public transportation in your city, your target might be the mayor, the city council, or the transit authority. You should choose a target that is specific, identifiable, and accessible. You should also consider the relationship, influence, and interests of your target in relation to the problem and your community.

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Jorge P.

“CEO of BratislavaCity SRS, Founder of the Central European-Latin American Chamber of Commerce and Industry and the Skal Club Slovakia, CEO of the newspaper Buenos Días Austria! and Buenos Días Bratislava!”
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Es crucial que el objetivo sea tangible y que la comunidad pueda influir en él. Investiga quién tiene el poder de tomar decisiones sobre el problema que has identificado. Ejemplo: Si deseas mejorar el acceso a servicios de salud, tu objetivo podría ser la autoridad municipal responsable de los transportes, para que aumenten las rutas de autobuses hacia los centros de salud.

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3 Formulate a demand

The third step is to formulate a demand for your campaign. A demand is a concrete and measurable action that you want your target to take to address the problem. For example, if you want to improve public transportation in your city, your demand might be to increase the frequency, affordability, and accessibility of buses and trains. You should formulate a demand that is clear, concise, and compelling. You should also make sure that your demand is within the scope and capacity of your target and your community.

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4 SMART criteria

The fourth step is to apply the SMART criteria to your goal. SMART stands for Specific, Measurable, Achievable, Relevant, and Time-bound. These criteria can help you refine and evaluate your goal and make it more effective. For example, if your goal is to improve public transportation in your city, you can make it SMART by specifying the amount and type of improvement, the indicators and methods of measurement, the feasibility and resources of the campaign, the relevance and impact of the issue, and the deadline and milestones of the action.

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Jorge P.

“CEO of BratislavaCity SRS, Founder of the Central European-Latin American Chamber of Commerce and Industry and the Skal Club Slovakia, CEO of the newspaper Buenos Días Austria! and Buenos Días Bratislava!”
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Aplicar los criterios SMART es clave para medir el éxito de tu campaña. Asegúrate de que cada elemento del objetivo esté bien definido. Si tu objetivo es aumentar las rutas de autobuses, podrías establecer que el número de rutas se incremente en un 20% en los próximos seis meses, con indicadores claros para medir el progreso.

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5 Communicate and revise

The final step is to communicate and revise your goal. You should share your goal with your community members, allies, and potential supporters and solicit their feedback and input. You should also monitor and assess your progress and challenges and adjust your goal accordingly. You should be flexible and responsive to changing circumstances and opportunities, but also consistent and focused on your vision and mission.

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6 Here’s what else to consider

This is a space to share examples, stories, or insights that don’t fit into any of the previous sections. What else would you like to add?

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What's the best way to set a goal for your community organizing campaign?

1

2

3

4

5

6

1 Identify the problem

2 Choose a target

3 Formulate a demand

4 SMART criteria

5 Communicate and revise

6 Here’s what else to consider

Community Organizing

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What's the best way to set a goal for your community organizing campaign?

1

2

3

4

5

6

1 Identify the problem

2 Choose a target

3 Formulate a demand

4 SMART criteria

5 Communicate and revise

6 Here’s what else to consider

Community Organizing

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