query: number of CO groups

Wed Oct 10 09:06:32 CDT 2007

[ed:  thanks to Mark, Michael and Richard for continuing the search.]

From: "Mark Sherman" <Mark at progressivetech.org>

To: Mark Warren and others,

We posed the same question on this list a while back. We were interested
in determining whether the number of organizing groups was trending up
or down.  We never did get a usable answer from anyone.

We have a database of about 800 groups. It is built from grant
applications and requests for information on our web site. We're pretty
sure that it's incomplete in a number of ways:
One - the definition of a community organizing group is a challenge. We
are particularly interested in what we call community-led organizations
working on systemic change in low income communities and communities of
color, but our database includes coalitions and other forms that aren't
easily pigeon-holed.
Two - there are branches(if that's the word) of national organizations
that we don't have
Three - organizations are always coming into existence
Four - many, many organizations have never heard of PTP

Our working theory is that we have identified less than half the groups
out there. 

On a tangential note -
we are working on some software to publish an online directory of
community organizing groups that will be available to any organizing
group that wants to list itself. We expect it to be functional in the
fourth quarter of the year.  If this site gains traction, we'll all
finally have a way to track and promote community organizing nationally.
We welcome suggestions from the COMM-ORG list participants on how to
structure and promote the site (funds for the software developers would
be welcome as well!).

Mark Sherman
Executive Director
PROGRESSIVE TECHNOLOGY PROJECT
Strengthening COMMUNITY ORGANIZING with EFFECTIVE TECHNOLOGY
www.progressivetech.org
2801 21st AVE S STE 132E
Minneapolis, MN 55407
612-724-2600 Ext 15
Toll Free 866-298-6463
FAX 612-395-9153

******************************

From: MBrown7387 at aol.com

Since Cheryl Honey suggested to ask me, I would ask about the impact, 
rather than the number.  I recall one article when someone in Chicago 
went thru a low income neighborhood and tried to find all the "assets" 
-- which included all kinds of community groups -- including a bell 
ringing group in a church.  I think the definitions are so varied the 
"number" question is less important than how we make more and make those 
exist more powerful.  I would suggest some "action reserach"  -- not so 
much counting numbers of wildly diverse animals (volunteer neighborhood 
associations like one I am involved in versus a staff congregation based 
organization of 90 congregations!) -- but research about how they make 
more of an impact by trying to get the have more of an impact! -- 
Michael Jacoby Brown

*************************

From:  Richard Smith <smithrichardj at berkeley.edu>

 > From: Mark Warren <warrenma at gse.harvard.edu>
 > Date: October 5, 2007 3:49:10 AM PDT
 > To: Richard Smith <smithrichardj at berkeley.edu>
 > Subject: Re: Counting community organizing
 >
 > Thanks Richard,
 > I'm going to follow up on these. In the meantime, maybe you want to 
forward this message, or a variant of it, to COMM-ORG, since I think 
others would be interested.
 > I did sum up the networks, but that leaves out so many independents 
and those in smaller state or regional networks,
 > Thanks,
 > Mark
 >
 > --On Monday, October 01, 2007 12:36 PM -0700 Richard Smith 
<smithrichardj at berkeley.edu> wrote:
 >
 >> Prof. Warren,
 >>
 >>
 >> Getting back to a census of community organizing, NCCED has a 2005 
report
 >> of CDCs and found that about half of 4200 CDCs engage in community
 >> organizing:
 >>
 >>
 >> http://www.ncced.org/documents/NCCEDCensus2005FINALReport.pdf
 >>
 >>
 >> A keyword search in Wiser Earth, a wiki directory of over 100,000
 >> non-profit organizations pulls up about 350 community based, activist
 >> organizations. 
 >>
 >>
 >> 
http://www.wiserearth.org/organization/search?q=community+organizing&r=1&
 >> 
keywords=&country=United+States&name=&type=Community+Based+Organization&s
 >> tate=&scope=community&exclude_words=&city=&activity=Activist&area=&zip=
 >>
 >>
 >> I punched in "community organizing" into Guidestar Basic
 >> (www.guidestar.org) and it hit the max of 500 organizations.  For
 >> California alone, 71 records were returned, including Sierra Club, which
 >> I would not consider community based nor involved with organizing.  They
 >> have great posters and mutual funds I hear:-).
 >>
 >>
 >> I think you could have a graduate student play with these and compare it
 >> to results.  It might be just as easy to sum the number of PICO, IAF,
 >> DART and Gamaliel affiliates.
 >>
 >>
 >> http://www.thedartcenter.org/affiliates.html
 >> http://www.gamaliel.org/CRI/DIRECTORY/default.htm
 >> http://www.piconetwork.org/
 >> 
http://www.industrialareasfoundation.org/iafaffiliates/iafaffiliatesnat.h
 >> tm
 >>
 >>
 >> Please share your results with the list.
 >>
 >>
 >> Cheers,
 >>
 >>
 >>
 >>
 >>
 >> Richard Smith
 >> CalSWEC
 >> School of Social Welfare
 >> 6701 San Pablo #420
 >> Berkeley, CA 94720
 >>
 >
 >

Discussion list for COMM-ORG wrote:
> --------
> This is a COMM-ORG 'colist' message.
> All replies to this message come to COMM-ORG only.
> --------
>  
> [ed:  thanks to Steven and Cheryl for the referrals, but we are still 
> looking for the magic answer.  I remember a database too, but haven't 
> been able to find it.]
>
> From: Steven Taylor stevetaylor at preventharm.org
>
> Hi Mark -
>
> Somebody did a count of this and I think a website/database. I can't
> remember at the moment, but I'm sure you'll hear from others on the list
> with the details.
>
> *Steven Taylor
> Organizing Director
> Environmental Health Strategy Center
> &quot;Preventing harm where we live, work and play&quot;
> www.preventharm.org
> (207) 782-7151 (ofc)
> (207) 504-2555 (cell)*
>
> *******************
>
> From: Cheryl Honey, fsni at verizon.net
>
> Recommend asking Michael Jacoby Brown who published Building Powerful
> Community Organizations. He's worked in the field for over 30 years.
>
>  http://www.buildingpowerfulcommunityorganizations.com/michaeljacobybrown.html            
> Telephone: 781.648.1508           Michael Jacoby Brown            10 
> Brattle Terrace            Arlington, MA 02474, USACheryl Honey, 
> C.P.P.Master WeaverFamily Support Network, 
> Int'l206.240.2241www.familynetwork.orgwww.communityweaving.org
>
> Discussion list for COMM-ORG wrote:
>   
>> --------
>> This is a COMM-ORG 'colist' message.
>> All replies to this message come to COMM-ORG only.
>> --------
>>  
>> [ed:  please feel welcomed to copy COMM-ORG with responses to Mark's query.]
>>
>> From:     Mark Warren <warrenma at gse.harvard.edu>
>>
>> Dear COMM-ORG friends,
>> Does anyone know of any recent estimate of the number of community 
>> organizing groups active in the U.S.? I'm sure we could debate how to 
>> define a community organizing group, and estimates could vary widely 
>> depending on who gets counted. But I'm interested in any kind of estimate.
>> Thanks much,
>> Mark Warren
>> Harvard Graduate School of Education
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