Challenge:
The American Heart Association (AHA) launched a major candidate accountability program in four early presidential primary/caucus states. To provide immediate support for this program, AHA needed to fill an organizer position in each targeted state. The presidential campaigns were major draws for experienced organizers, which made it difficult to recruit, identify, and hire well-qualified organizers for this program. Once hired, the new organizers required immediate training to prepare for the hectic summer events and public meetings season.
Solution:
grassroots solutions conducted a nationwide search to identify and recruit candidates to fill the AHA’s part-time organizer positions. By utilizing our extensive company network, developing new and local avenues for recruitment, and posting job descriptions and networking online, grassroots solutions developed and screened a pool of highly-qualified candidates. grassroots solutions worked with the AHA to design, organize, and conduct trainings for the newly hired staff, adapted to the experience level of each organizer. The two-day trainings introduced the new staff to the AHA and its top issues, familiarized them with the field plan, and honed the grassroots advocacy skills necessary to carry out the plan successfully.
Results:
- grassroots solutions built an extensive pool of qualified candidates for the AHA organizing positions, resulting in AHA successfully hiring the required number of skilled organizers.
- The training received overwhelmingly positive evaluation from the new hires, as well as the seasoned AHA staff who attended.
- The four new AHA organizers successfully implemented the candidate accountability field plan. A number of the organizers went on to fill permanent positions with the AHA.