How do you pick community organizing tools that work for everyone?

1 Factor 1: Purpose

The first factor to consider is the purpose of your community organizing tool. What are you trying to accomplish with it? Do you want to raise awareness, educate, persuade, mobilize, or empower your community? Depending on your goal, you might need different types of tools that can help you reach, engage, and activate your audience. For example, if you want to raise awareness about a local issue, you might use social media, flyers, or posters to spread the word. If you want to educate your community about a complex topic, you might use webinars, podcasts, or newsletters to share information. If you want to persuade your community to take action, you might use petitions, surveys, or testimonials to show support. If you want to mobilize your community to participate in an event, you might use text messages, emails, or phone calls to remind and confirm. If you want to empower your community to lead and organize themselves, you might use online platforms, networks, or forums to facilitate and support.

2 Factor 2: Audience

The second factor to consider is the audience of your community organizing tool. Who are you trying to reach and connect with? What are their characteristics, preferences, and needs? How do they access and consume information and communication? Depending on your target group, you might need different types of tools that can appeal to their interests, values, and motivations. For example, if you are trying to reach young people, you might use social media, video games, or music to capture their attention. If you are trying to reach seniors, you might use phone calls, newsletters, or face-to-face meetings to build trust. If you are trying to reach people from diverse backgrounds, you might use multilingual, multicultural, or inclusive materials to show respect. If you are trying to reach people with disabilities, you might use accessible, adaptive, or assistive technologies to ensure accessibility.

3 Factor 3: Resources

The third factor to consider is the resources of your community organizing tool. What are the costs, benefits, and risks of using it? How much time, money, and energy do you need to invest in it? How much impact, feedback, and data do you expect to get from it? Depending on your budget, capacity, and evaluation, you might need different types of tools that can balance your inputs and outputs. For example, if you have limited resources, you might use low-cost, low-tech, or low-maintenance tools that can still reach a large number of people, such as word-of-mouth, flyers, or stickers. If you have more resources, you might use high-cost, high-tech, or high-maintenance tools that can offer more features, functions, and feedback, such as websites, apps, or databases.

4 Factor 4: Values

The fourth factor to consider is the values of your community organizing tool. What are the principles, ethics, and norms that guide your use of it? How does it align with your mission, vision, and strategy? How does it reflect your identity, culture, and voice? Depending on your values, you might need different types of tools that can express your authenticity, credibility, and accountability. For example, if you value transparency, you might use tools that can disclose your sources, methods, and results, such as reports, audits, or infographics. If you value participation, you might use tools that can involve your community in decision-making, planning, and implementation, such as polls, workshops, or co-creation. If you value diversity, you might use tools that can represent and celebrate the diversity of your community, such as stories, art, or festivals.

5 Examples of tools

Now that you have considered the factors of purpose, audience, resources, and values, you might have a better idea of which community organizing tools work for you. If you need more inspiration, consider exploring and adapting social media platforms like Facebook, Twitter, Instagram, or TikTok. These can help reach a large and diverse audience, but also require constant monitoring and engagement. You may also look into online platforms like Slack, Zoom, Google Docs, or Trello for communication and collaboration. Additionally, networks like coalitions or alliances can connect with other organizations that share your goals and values. Forums like town halls or roundtables offer opportunities for dialogue and feedback. And events like rallies or marches can mobilize your community to show solidarity and demand change. However, each of these tools require careful preparation and consideration of potential risks.

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?