History of Southeastern Wisconsin Common Ground, a PowerPoint presentation created in August 2009 (to be updated occasionally), for use on commongroundwi.org and at meetings. It is intended to give some basic background to this non-partisan, broad-based organization in Southeast Wisconsin. Our leaders and members come from diverse racial, ethnic, religious, cultural and political backgrounds. What they share in common is the desire to achieve positive changes in our community. It is an affiliate of the Industrial Areas Foundation.

1. COMMON GROUNDTransforming Lives. Strengthening Communities.

2. WHY DO WE NEED COMMON GROUND? Southeastern Wisconsin has much to offer — and much to fix. We have a health care crisis, there aren’t enough jobs, and crime is out of hand. We created Common Ground to address these critical social issues. Our members come from all races, religions and political backgrounds, but we share a common goal: To replace despair with hope in our community.

3. WHO WE ARE Common Ground is a new broad-based organization in Southeastern Wisconsin made up of leaders and members from diverse racial, ethnic, religious, cultural and political backgrounds all sharing the desire to achieve positive changes in our community.

4. WHO WE ARE We are 52,000 people in 50 member organizations, actively working with politicians, business leaders and each other to transform lives and strengthen our communities. We are ordinary people doing extraordinary things.

5. WHO WE ARE

6. WHERE WE COME FROM Common Ground is just one organization in a national network affiliated with the Industrial Areas Foundation (IAF). IAF is the oldest and largest institution for professional organizing in the United States.

7. WHERE WE COME FROM The IAF has been successful in: Passing legislation that extends affordable, quality healthcare to over 300,000 people in Massachusetts. Getting 3,000 affordable housing units built in New York. Instituting school reform and effective job training in Texas. Urban reinvestment in Washington, DC. Many other social issue campaigns.

8. OUR MISSION To build and support an organization to address Southeastern Wisconsin’s critical social issues in an effective, non-partisan way.

9. OUR MISSION

10. CYCLE OF ORGANIZING The Organizing Cycle is a process we constantly move through in an effort to identify and develop new leadership, to continually seek out the most pressing issues, and to move into action on the important issues in our community.

11. HISTORY 2003-2006 A group of 38 religious, civic and business leaders raised $700,000 in seed money to launch our grassroots organization, then known as Greater Milwaukee Sponsors. The seed money came from the congregations and religious groups affiliated with the Roman Catholic Church, Lutheran Church Missouri Synod (LCMS), Presbyterian, Episcopal and United Church of Christ (UCC). Foundations, individuals and unions have also contributed.

12. HISTORY 2003-2006

13. HISTORY 2007 Both research and action agendas were developed in order to begin identifying issues to address. Research and action teams began addressing issues concerning mental health, unemployment/jobs, education, housing, crime immigration, youth activities, healthcare and more. A new name for the organization was introduced – Common Ground. A vote was made to have a founding convention.

14. HISTORY 2007

15. HISTORY 2008 On April 13, 2008 Common Ground was officially launched. 2328 delegates from over 50 groups came together to formally constitute the new organization and declare their membership. In May 2008 the first delegates assembly met. Issue campaigns began.

16. HISTORY 2008

17. ISSUE CAMPAIGNS We meet to determine which concerns should become campaigns. The issues we take on can be large or small, but generally must fall under the following criteria: It must be winnable. It must make a difference in people’s lives. There must be a constituency of leaders willing to work on it. It must build the organization.

19. Education

20. Jobs and unemployment

21. Economic development

22. Crime

23. Mental health

24. Youth activities

25. Immigration

26. HousingWe prioritized these areas of concern for research and then narrowed down a set of current issues to address.

27. AREAS OF CONCERN

28. CURRENT ISSUE CAMPAIGNS Youth Jobs Earn & Learn Program OnRamp Affordable Housing Habitat for Humanity Partnership Healthcare Health Insurance Cooperative Crime & Grime Neighborhood Walks More Issue Campaigns are in progress. Check out our website to learn more.

29. CURRENT ISSUE CAMPAIGNS

31. Saved Transformation City Church from eviction.

32. Were instrumental in the closing of Infinity Bar.

34. THE FUTURE

36. Businesses

37. Religious groups

38. Neighborhood associations

39. Schools

40. Non-profits

41. Unions

42. Civic groups We need people like you to help continue our success and succeed in making an impact on social issues in Southeastern Wisconsin.

43. GET INVOLVED

44. GET INVOLVED CONTACT Lead Organizer Mark Fraley Phone: 414.517.3379 Organizer Rev. Bobby Sinclair Phone: 414-745-7684 Treasurer Bob Connolly Phone: 414.272.0101

45. COMMON GROUNDBuilding a stronger community, together. Please visit www.CommonGroundWI.org