Introduction
This report about rural organizing in North Carolina, United States outlines lessons, actions and recommendations for rural organizers and communities in organizing and building political power.
About the Report
Two weeks, 1,600 miles, 11 hotel stays, 13 organizations.
In June 2021, Bethsaida Ruiz (a Spirit in Action trainer and board member) and Linda Stout took a road trip to eastern North Carolina, meeting with folks who have been part of our TAKE 10 trainings whom we’d only seen on Zoom. Over the last year and a half, Blueprint NC, a partnership of organizations committed to building independent power for an anti-racist, inclusive democracy, had asked us to provide these groups with training and coaching in organizing and civic engagement. We were then asked to make a deep assessment of the region’s strengths, weaknesses, opportunities and threats, using in-person interviews with their partners and stakeholders who had been part of TAKE 10.
Our assessment resulted in this final report, “How Rural Organizing Can Build Power.” The report contains many important recommendations that, we hope, will improve our state’s ability to engage with and support rural organizing in eastern North Carolina and serve as a model for other states.
If you want a community to trust you, they need to believe that you understand their pain. pg. 2 – Stacey Abrams
Rural Organizing is Different
For funders and supporters of the work these groups do, who desire to help them build the power they need, we provide these caveats:
1. Every county is different. Some counties have more community representation and others have none. Most are controlled by white supremacists in government and business, a constant reminder of a precarious political situation.
2. Groups in eastern North Carolina’s Black Belt organize differently and talk about organizing differently. Groups need to be able to speak in their own words and be believed when they say, “This is what our communities need and this is how we know it.”
3. Groups are so integrated into their communities that traditional needs assessments or strategic plans drawn up by outsiders are ineffective.
4.People in eastern North Carolina value their lived experience and relational organizing that recognizes the importance of service.
Recommendations
Systems
Build organizational capacity that is appropriate for the groups, where they are now and what they seek to be. All need to develop organizational systems — some have varying degrees of systems and some have none.
We are recommending that better systems will benefit them significantly over the long-run, such as:
- Data Collection
Some rural organizers do not collect data or keep lists of contacts because they know everyone. Their networks — the churches, the PTA, sororities, the local hairdressers and barbershops — allow them to call everyone they know when they need people to help or volunteer. Many do not have the systems in place, do not know how to collect and input data, and do not have the time to do what they see as work that takes them away from their primary mission. While these networks and knowing people is a strength of rural organizing, it is also a weakness, since they are not using the contacts they have as a tool to develop leadership and reach more people. Consequently, they reach the same people every time. - Membership/Volunteer Systems
This is a priority and notably, where data collection is crucial. Having these systems in place allows groups to grow their leadership. Most do not have the technology or people to input this kind of data. - Fundraising
None have any individual donor fundraising and many do not know how to write proposals for foundations. No group had a fundraising or development plan. - Finance
Almost all need training about developing budgets, managing budgets and explaining financial statements. Very few could produce an annual budget that was comprehensive. Or if they had a budget, it often did not reflect their actual expenses and income. Many could not even envision a budget to grow their organizations. - Technology/Social Media
We think all need support around technology and maintaining websites that tell the whole story. Many older organizers need training in utilizing technology for organizing. There is definitely a digital divide due to lack of training and resources. Some lack any digital infrastructure. - Human Resources
One group described needing to hire an HR person and others talked about needing help with increasingly complex HR issues. There may be a non-profit network or outside group that could provide this service when needed and alleviate this concern.
Education
- We are recommending education and training in strategic planning and how to build capacity, using popular education methods, supplemented by on-going coaching.
Opportunities for Growth
- General Operations
All need increased funding for general operations and capacity building. - Develop the Narrative
Groups require help to talk and write about issues of survival, and the ways it affects their constituencies’ daily lives and the work that they do. They are often responsive, rather than proactive about what they need. - Evaluation
Groups need to evaluate their programs and get feedback from constituents. - Needs Assessment or Listening Project
We recommend that all groups do a needs assessment with their communities though this is not the language we would use. Groups need training on how to bring their community together to conduct a “listening project,” a way of reaching out and determining what folks want to improve, hear their concerns and talk about what they love. - Funding
Funding from outside their community is desperately needed. - Avoiding Burnout
Some of the group leaders were on the edge of burnout, often because they are doing two jobs at once: working for the organization and going to another, paying, full-time job as well.
Report Excerpts
Download Full Report
About Authors
- Blueprint NC
Blueprint NC works towards inclusive and anti-racist democracy rooted in civic engagement through movement building and mobilization. Blueprint NC is a partnership of almost 60 formal partner (C)(3) organizations and a web of network allies committed to building independent power for an anti-racist, inclusive democracy. - Spirit in Action
Provide trainings that are positive and action-oriented, and based on the fundamentals of grassroots organizing, strategic planning and collaboration.