Organizational Development

The Power of Coalitions with Xaver Kandler

This podcast episode explores the power of grassroots organizing and coalitions to further environmental justice through climate policy. In this podcast episode, we hear from Xaver Kandler, Campaigns Director at NY Renews. NY Renews is a coalition of over 380 environmental, justice, faith, labor, & community groups, working to further legislation to support climate, jobs, and justice in New York State. This episode discusses NY state policies including the Climate Leadership and Communities Protection Act, the New York Heat Act, the Just Energy Transition Act, the Climate Superfund Act, and more.

Active & passive support

Mass movements work by organizing ordinary people to work together and withdraw consent from the status quo. As the Momentum participant guide explains, “For instance, the boss relies on the tacit consent of the workers to work; if the workers don’t show up, the boss’ power is empty – he rules over no one.” With a social view of power in mind, movements need many, many participants in order to have the power to win – not just a few core organizers. To bring supporters on board to a movement, we can categorize support as “passive” or “active.” The difference between passive and active supporters is exactly what it sounds like; active supporters walk the passive supporters’ talk.

Anyone Can Become a Climate Advocate. Here’s How.

People need help both becoming effective advocates and staying engaged, and that’s where groups and communities come in. To make change, find a group. There are a lot of great climate groups out there. Some are geared more towards young people; others are geared towards older demographics. Some are faith-based. Some are more or less disruptive. Some focus narrowly on a singular priority, while others advocate for a range of priorities. There are groups advocating through a lens of partisan identity from different points along the ideological spectrum. Second, carve out the time because effective advocacy takes longer than a few clicks. Third, make it a habit as sustained engagement is critical. Fourth, be bold and ready to level up quickly. Fifth, make sure your climate advocacy casts a long shadow.

The Power of a Communications Audit – From Ghosted Posts to Click-Worthy Content

A comprehensive communications audit can transform your organization’s messaging. The audit digs deep into your newsletters, emails, social media, and website to uncover what’s working and what needs a little TLC. A comms audit is a deep dive into everything from newsletters to reels, uncovering what’s working and what’s… well, just taking up space. If your audience engagement feels like it’s on life support, an audit can prescribe exactly what you need to revive it. By highlighting the strengths and revealing missed opportunities, an audit streamlines your messaging and boosts audience engagement. Pausing to ask questions like, “Why is that the most clicked link?” or “Do we really need another group photo on Instagram?” can supercharge your next move. This interactive audit tool will highlight strengths, identify weak spots, and help.