Run a Short Term Campaign
Aug 24, 2017 · 2 min read

Run an issue campaign
Want to make policy change? Running an issue campaign on something you are passionate about is your key to doing this. These campaigns take loads of work but with a team of dedicated organizers and strong planning, young people can make history.
PLANNING
- Get started with some solid planning. Here is an Issue Campaign Planning Checklist the Alliance has compiled from years of experience changing policy.
- Here are a few more tips we at the Alliance compiled in our Issue Organizing Lessons Learned from the Ford Foundation Report
STRATEGIES & TACTICS
- One of the key components to winning in your campaign is Power Analysis and Mapping: tool used to identify who you need to influence, how to influence them, and who can do the influencing in order to gain political power among decision makers.
- Using the media to get our message out there is critical to any campaign. Check out this guide on How to Pitch the Media from Generation Progress
- Beautiful Rising created a Tactics Guide full of incredible strategies used around the world by organizers. From setting up a blockade to running a phone bank, they got you covered.
- Volunteers are essential to running a successful direct action regardless of the size. Here are some Tips for Managing Volunteers from Wellstone
EXAMPLES
- The Movement for Black Lives is a hub for radical organizing. Their resources page is a prime example of what a good campaign needs: great comms materials, solid policy briefs, and definitive call to action.
- Need some more inspiration? Check out the issue campaigns the Alliance is working on — Democracy Done Right (on voting rights) and Broke AF (on economic justice)
Organize a campaign on your campus.
We love organizing on campuses. Why? So much young people power all in one place. Here are some tips and resources for organizing a campaign on your campus.
STRATEGIES & TOOLS
- One of the key components to winning in your campaign is Power Analysis and Mapping: tool used to identify who you need to influence, how to influence them, and who can do the influencing in order to gain political power among decision makers.
- Wellstone has some top-notch resources on Leadership and Effective Meetings when organizing fellow students on campus.
- Get started with some solid planning. Here is an Issue Campaign Planning Checklist the Alliance has compiled from years of experience changing policy.
EXAMPLE
- Know Your IX has a stellar campaign toolkit for campuses organize students. If there is a campus campaign to learn from, this is it.

