Markets & Economic Development Community Leadership Downeast Groundfish Initiative Hatchery Outreach and Education

What is Community Organizing?

Community organizing is a long-term approach where the people affected by an issue are supported in identifying problems and taking action to achieve solutions. We try to challenge those we work with to change the way things are—it is a means of achieving social change through collective action by changing the balance of power.

The tactics and strategies employed are similar to the processes of leadership including timing the issue, deliberate planning, getting the attention of the general public, framing the issue in terms of the desired solution, and shaping the terms of the decision-making process.

Why use Community Organizing?

Community organizing helps to bring out many voices to add collective power and strength to an issue. Community organizing is a key part of an overall strategy to make changes in a community that are widely felt, and that reflect the wishes of the people who are directly affected by community issues. We try to not only listen and be responsive to the community, but also to help residents develop the skills necessary to address their own issues in an ongoing way.  Our best example of this effective approach is our Community Fisheries Action Roundtable program.

Changing the Balance of Power

Community organizing is usually focused on more than just resolving specific issues. Organizing is empowering all community members, often with the end goal of distributing power equally throughout the community.  Groups that organize do not have to be statewide or national in scope, nor do the decision-makers have to be elected officials.  We pull together communities large and small.