Defining your Coalition

Stakeholders: community groups, non-profit organizations, seniors, parents, students, workers, immigrants, residents, neighborhood groups, union members, and existing coalitions. Anyone who might be impacted by change. You'l draw your leadership team from this group.

Who can help with outreach: Senior Centers, Youth Groups, Religious Organizations, Non-profits, National and Local Coalitions, Unions, elected officials, voters, community organizers, news outlets, and social media influencers. Anyone who can help spread your message.

Inclusion: it is important to make sure your coalition is diverse and promotes inclusion. Ask yourself, does everyone feel welcome and included? Is there a mix of backgrounds, racial/ethnic diversity within leadership and the membership?

One way of identifying your stakeholders and supporters is to do a power mapping exercise. It can be in grid form, free-mapping, chart or anything that allows you to connect individuals and groups to each other. Your highest levels of participation will be the smallest group. You do want to create a separate section or category that includes anyone or group who are against your goals and objectives.

Power Mapping Examples

People have different levels of involvement and you need to identify which “Level” people fit in. by categorizing individuals or asking them to do so themselves, you will avoid the risk of a task not being completed according to expectations. If an organization signs on and indicates they have given it a lower priority, you will want to say your ask for when you need their connections and expertise.