Building a Better County Party April 22nd, 2009 Questions? [email_address] AIM: DFA Night School Paid for by Democracy for America, www.democracyforamerica.com, and not authorized by any candidate or candidate’s committee.

Welcome to DFA Night School! Available on ITunes Click icon to subscribe: Got Questions? Email: [email_address] AIM Instant Message: DFA Night School DFA Chair Jim Dean Questions? nightschool@democracyforamerica.com 2

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Tonight’s Trainers Matt Blizek Night School Host Democracy for America Jennifer Coken Former Chair, Denver County Democratic Party Questions? nightschool@democracyforamerica.com 3

The Democratic Party has existed since 1792 and is the longest continuing political organization in history Training Overview Recruitment & Development Fundraising Precinct Work Planning & Goal Setting All Politics are Local Your County Democratic Party: Builds infrastructure for national campaigns Anyone can get involved and make a difference Has more direct affect on your life than national politics Questions? nightschool@democracyforamerica.com 4

The Democratic Party has existed since 1792 and is the longest continuing political organization in history

Training Overview

Recruitment & Development

Fundraising

Precinct Work

Planning & Goal Setting

Your County Democratic Party:

Builds infrastructure for national campaigns

Anyone can get involved and make a difference

Has more direct affect on your life than national politics

Recruitment & Outreach (especially new voters & activists) Effective Recruitment Tactics Be Proud & Be Visible! Phone calls Email & Online Tip for Next Time: Build good relationships with state & national campaigns to get volunteer & supporter data after an election Recruitment Events Forums Trainings Potlucks Questions? nightschool@democracyforamerica.com 5

Building a ‘Leadership Rich’ Organization Setting the ‘tone’ from the top Delegate! - Create roles/jobs/positions for activists - Don’t assign tasks; Offer Responsibility! - Set expectations and learn from failures People want training - Give it to them! Run better meetings - Sample Meeting Agenda & tips Got Questions? nightschool@democracyforamerica.com 6

Setting the ‘tone’ from the top

Delegate!

- Create roles/jobs/positions for activists

- Don’t assign tasks; Offer Responsibility!

- Set expectations and learn from failures

People want training - Give it to them!

Run better meetings

- Sample Meeting Agenda & tips

Questions? Email: nightschool@democracyforamerica.com Instant Message: DFA Night School 7

Email: nightschool@democracyforamerica.com

Instant Message:

DFA Night School

County Party Fundraising Different from candidate fundraising Create a budget & set quarterly goals Tactics for County Party Fundraising - Chair call time - Recurring donor programs - Events (large & small) - Direct Mail - Email Questions? nightschool@democracyforamerica.com 8

Precinct Organizing and Building Community Recruit and train neighborhood captains See Fall 2007 Night School for tips on Precinct Organizing Organize Social & Civic activities Softball games against other local groups Drinking Liberally chapters Adopt a park or highway Other volunteer actions Questions? nightschool@democracyforamerica.com 9

Recruit and train neighborhood captains

See Fall 2007 Night School for tips on Precinct Organizing

Organize Social & Civic activities

Softball games against other local groups

Drinking Liberally chapters

Adopt a park or highway

Other volunteer actions

Planning & Goal Setting Write an annual county party plan Set specific & quantifiable goals Track metrics to determine progress Write it down! Metrics to Track New volunteers New leaders Precinct Captains Money raised Email list size Candidates recruited Questions? nightschool@democracyforamerica.com 10

Metrics to Track

New volunteers

New leaders

Precinct Captains

Money raised

Email list size

Candidates recruited

Questions? Email: [email_address] Instant Message: DFA Night School 11

Email:

[email_address]

Instant Message:

DFA Night School

Homework Attend your next County Democratic Party meeting Volunteer as a precinct captain or offer to help organize a recruiting event Help write a 2009 Plan for your county party Email us at for feedback at [email_address] Questions? nightschool@democracyforamerica.com 12

Attend your next County Democratic Party meeting

Volunteer as a precinct captain or offer to help organize a recruiting event

Help write a 2009 Plan for your county party

Email us at for feedback at [email_address]

Next Month on DFA Night School Citizen Lobbying: Health Care & other priorities Tuesday, May 26 th - 8:30pm EDT www.democracyforamerica.com/citizenlobbying Join DFA Night School for an hour long training featuring Governor Howard Dean M.D. along with other special guests on how to approach and lobby your elected officials on health care and other important issues. Got a suggestion for a Night School topic you would like addressed in 2009? Email us at: [email_address] 13

2009 Schedule Click on location to RSVP! April 25-26 Memphis, TN July 11-12 Chicago, IL May 15-16 Lafayette, IN July 11-12 Wichita, KS May 30-31 Beaumont, CA July 18-19 Birmingham, AL June 5-6 Charlotte, NC July 5-26 Phoenix, AZ June 5-6 Newark, NJ Sept 12-13 Jacksonville, FL June 13-14 Shreveport, LA Sept 19-20 Lincoln, NE June 27-28 Redding, CA Oct 3-4 Columbia, MO More 2009 trainings to be announced soon… Got Questions? nightschool@democracyforamerica.com 14

Click on location to RSVP!

April 25-26 Memphis, TN July 11-12 Chicago, IL

May 15-16 Lafayette, IN July 11-12 Wichita, KS

May 30-31 Beaumont, CA July 18-19 Birmingham, AL

June 5-6 Charlotte, NC July 5-26 Phoenix, AZ

June 5-6 Newark, NJ Sept 12-13 Jacksonville, FL

June 13-14 Shreveport, LA Sept 19-20 Lincoln, NE

June 27-28 Redding, CA Oct 3-4 Columbia, MO

Thank you for listening! Need to catch up? Order previous Night School episodes on DVD… … or become a monthly Night School donor . 15