What makes change happen? What are the strategic models that best move policies to address health disparities? What is the implicit and explicit role of community mobilization and movement building? And what are the implications for philanthropic organization and giving?
The goal of this project is to help inform The California Endowment’s strategic planning process by writing a paper that addresses the key elements of a movement building model. In order to accomplish this, Pastor and PERE will look in particular at the models used by the Partnership for Working Families and examples from a wide variety of social movements of differing political perspectives and social bases, including the Gamaliel Foundation, members of the Los Angles CWBH collaborative, and others.
This project builds upon the social movement literature in way that expands beyond the typical theoretical models by applying analytical metrics on all sides of the political spectrum. For example, examining the conservative forces that are able to build authentic bases and strong institutions engenders important lessons that are applicable to progressive agendas. In keeping with this trend, this research seeks to highlight the discipline of thinking about what works, not what one wants, is useful.
The following three questions will guide the research:
- How does each partnership define movement building and their strategies for organizing and social change?
- What is their functional structure that allows the partnerships to use their networks to move along a movement? In particular, how do they work locally while focusing regionally so as to generate movement at a national level? How does it reflect their mission, goals, and priorities?
- What are the general lessons that can be drawn from their experiences? How can these approaches inform and influence a health foundation agenda?
Publications
Making Change: How Social Movements Work - and How to Support Them
By Manuel Pastor and Rhonda Ortiz
March 2009
Presentations
Making Change: How Social Movements Work & How To Support Them
Rhonda Ortiz
4.28.09
