Lay a solid foundation for a campaign by working backwards from long-term goals to identify the conditions that must be in place in order to achieve those goals, and why. This is a campaign planning methodology that forces participants to get specific about how social change happens. Participants start with the long-term goal of the campaign, and then work backwards to identify all the conditions needed to achieve that goal. Next, get specific about what actions participants can take to create those conditions. Developing a theory of change can be particularly helpful during the early stages of campaign planning. It guides participants to choose the right tactics to most efficiently achieve those outcomes, and helps avoid the common mistake of jumping immediately into action without connecting today’s tactics with tomorrow’s strategy. This also includes a training guide to lead participants through an exercise to devise their theory of change.

Nonviolence is based on a desire to end all violence – whether physical violence or what's been called 'structural violence' and 'cultural violence' – without committing further violence. Nonviolent activists also want their activities to be an expression of the future they are trying to create, and their behavior reflects the world they want. When they use phrases such as 'speaking truth to power', 'affirming life', or 'respecting diversity', they are invoking fundamental values that themselves are a source of strength for them and a point of contact with those they want to reach. Nonviolence strengthens a campaign in three main ways: 1) Among participants in a campaign; by fostering trust and solidarity among participants, they usually are put in touch with the sources of their own power to act in the situation, facing their fears. 2) In relation to a campaign's adversary; nonviolence aims either to inhibit the violence of an adversary or to ensure that violent oppression will 'backfire' politically against them. 3) In relation to others not yet involved; nonviolence changes the quality of communication with bystanders or 'outsiders' – people not yet concerned about the issue or not yet active in a movement, or people who could be potential allies.

Here are the four simple questions that could transform your advocacy strategy and increase your impact. Campaigners and advocates try to influence change and make a difference on the issues, and for the people, that they care about. However, processes of change are complex and unpredictable, so it is often difficult to decide exactly what to do. Faced with this complexity or messiness, when planning campaign strategies, advocates often try to simplify by: identifying a problem and a solution; producing campaign messaging, policy proposals and research which supports the analysis; and communicating core messages to as many people as possible using multiple channels (media, lobbying, social media, supporter mobilization, etc.). Developing a theory of change can help you to: “zoom out” and better understand your role in the context of the broader processes of change; reflect on and theorize about how change might unfold and what role you can play in it; build a common understanding within your team and strengthen critical or evaluative thinking which is vital for effective advocacy and campaigning; remain focused on the change you are working towards and how what you do makes a difference, so when the context changes you don’t lose your way; strengthen your understanding of your progress and results and your contribution to change; and develop a framework for measuring your learning and effectiveness.

Building narrative power helps to achieve three important things: building a future where frontline narratives are dominant narratives; shifting who owns and run the narrative ‘means of production’; and making community-led policy change and culture change durable. To design narrative research, begin by understanding the narrative landscape within which an issue or dynamic is operating and assessing the collective capacity to drive narrative change; then test narrative interventions, like mini-campaigns. Employ advisors on our research projects is helpful to understand the nuance and complexity of a policy agenda or a lived-experience. Choosing research participants who are typically engaged in the issue area being explored is helpful (for example, organizers with a local organization managing volunteers, a policy advocate for a specific community or issue area, a lawyer who utilizes the legal system to highlight solutions for the challenges workers and migrants face, an artist who uses their craft to raise up voices and awareness). Moreover, interviews are key to understanding what is needed to build and hold a shared understanding of the narrative landscape in which these communities exist.

The narratives swirling around us right now are potent, messy, and constantly shifting—and that’s exactly why we need to make sense of them, together. This resource analyzed the narratives leading up to the 2024 election, focusing on economic issues, immigration, voting rights, race and gender justice. The mood and tone in election conversations were agitational, authoritative, urgent, concerned, informative, hopeful and empowering. Core values included equity, accountability, compassion, justice, empowerment, autonomy, integrity, community, safety and security. It is clear movement strategists, organizers and allied formations must: pool resources, invest the time and capacity together, expand reach, and tell better stories.

Here is a roadmap based on the social change ecosystem framework for how individuals, collectives, and organizations can try to meet this moment, and prepare for what is ahead. Spend time with anger, grief, and disappointment. Lean into curiosity and reflection. Find local community ecosystems. Map our roles. Pace ourselves with quarterly check-ins.

Here are practices based in the science of motivation, performance and well-being to improve the quality of political organizing trainings. Connect the activity to its impact on other people or the world. Present goals and timelines as valuable information that is necessary for achieving a shared goal. Be clear about any requirements, guidelines, or boundaries. Provide a meaningful rationale for requests and requirements. Acknowledge and accept negative feelings and affect. Provide appropriate scaffolding (training, shadowing, role-plays, etc.).

Underdogs can use the same strategies as more powerful actors do against their powerful opponents. In this podcast episode, Deepak and Stephanie discuss some great examples of how to counter corporate power, use PSYOPS against white supremacists, and drive wedges in elite coalitions. They also explore other lessons progressives can take from the “overdogs’” (i.e., more powerful actors) playbook: crafting long-term plans, recruiting based on belonging rather than belief, and using data-driven evaluation paired with the lean startup model for organizing. And overdogs today invest in strategic education at a scale that dwarfs anything on the left. Their commitment is captured in the slogan of the right-wing Leadership Institute, which has trained over 200,000 people: “You owe it to your philosophy to learn how to win.”

Lynsy Smithson-Stanley and Jack Zhou join The Great Battlefield podcast to talk about their work on the Climate Advocacy Lab's latest report A Blueprint for Multiracial Cross-class Climate Movements.

Young people bring critical perspective, expertise, and energy to our movement spaces -- but traditional organizing and mobilizing structures can leave them feeling undervalued, tokenized, or burnt out. 

How do we design ladders of engagement that truly support youth leadership development within our climate organizing work?

Participants will leave this Lab training with:

• Evidence-insights into the challenges and opportunities of youth climate organizing