Challenge:
In 2006, the Minnesota Nurses Association (MNA) wanted to refocus their political program to put more resources into internal organizing. In the past, MNA had concentrated much of their political program and volunteer resources on endorsing candidates through in-person screenings in nearly every local, legislative, and statewide race across Minnesota. Heading into the 2006 mid-term elections, however, the MNA sought to revamp their political program to maximize impact in the November elections, and with an eye towards building a more strategic long-term political program.
Solution:
In 2006, grassroots solutions conducted a rapid and comprehensive assessment to identify the MNA’s grassroots strengths and resources, as well as the potential obstacles or barriers to better organizing. Following the assessment, grassroots solutions participated in planning meetings that established clear goals for the political program, strategies for accomplishing those goals, and recommendations for moving the program forward. grassroots solutions also developed a candidate targeting matrix, and helped MNA craft a new endorsement and resource allocation process. Based on the assessment, planning meetings, and the targeting matrix, grassroots solutions crafted a comprehensive 2006 Political Plan for MNA. In 2007, grassroots solutions helped MNA to even better focus and coordinate their internal organizing efforts by working with MNA to create a preliminary draft of the 2008 Political Plan that included new goals and benchmarks, an updated endorsement and resource allocation process, a targeting process for races and members, a member-to-member communication plan, a volunteer recruitment and management program, a budget and timeline, definitions of staff and volunteer roles within the plan, and recommendations for how to evaluate the plan at the end of the election cycle.
Results:
- Outlined a program that turned out MNA members for endorsed candidates.
- Helped MNA contribute to wins for pro-union and pro-health candidates throughout the state in 2006.
- Effectively refocused and revamped the political plan and strategy for the 2006 and 2008 election cycles.
Helped MNA to focus their internal organizing and become an active and effective operation in Minnesota.