The document discusses storybanking, which is collecting personal stories from individuals to illustrate policy issues. It explains that storybanking was used to help shape debates around the Affordable Care Act and other policies. Over 5,000 stories were collected, with 700 vetted and many amplified on social media, in press, and with lawmakers. While policy goals weren't always achieved, storybanking helped humanize issues and show the scale of impact, and lessons were learned to improve the process over time.

1. americanprogress.org
The Story of Our Lives
Storybanking in the Age of Defense

2. About CAP & CAP Action
CAP is a nonpartisan policy institute dedicated to
improving the lives of all Americans through progressive
ideas and actions.
Its c4 partner, CAP Action Fund, marries the policy
ideas with a communications war room.

3. Why Storybanking?
• There was an immediate need.
• Friendly MOCs wanted examples.
• Press wanted pre-vetted stories to illustrate policy debate.
• CAP Action/partners wanted sharables.
Useful for shaping the debate, but also wound up
being the best tool for getting MORE stories.

4. Why Storybanking?
• There was an immediate need.
• Important to humanize the policy discussion.
• Show Congress the faces of ACA
• Feed social media

5. Why Storybanking?
• There was an immediate need.
• Important to humanize the policy discussion.
• Important to weaponize the data.
• Large number of responses – show scale of resistance
• Targeted responses – in specific states, with diversity

6. How did we get there?
• QUICKLY. First version
launched by Thanksgiving.
• Just a simple form at first –
with changes over time.
• Action alerts to our list +
partner orgs.
• One sharable.
• Outreach to press and hill.
• Stories stored in Salesforce
for vetting. Phone
banks/volunteers.

7. How did we get there?
• Later version with
branding, different
fields, and story
sharables.
• Additional rounds of
outreach to share
stories on social.
• New outreach track to
storytellers.
• New
partners/invigorated
effort.

8. How did we get there?
• Templatized sharables
• Click-to-share
• Mobile-friendly
• More features to come?

9. Was it successful?
• More than 5,000 stories
collected
• 700 personal stories vetted
• More than 60 press stories
• Hundreds of personal stories
amplified
• earned media
• paid media including TV and
digital ads
• national and local press
conferences
• videos
• op-eds and LTEs
• on the Hill
• social media content

10. But was it successful?
• House passed AHCA anyway.
• But we’re still fighting…

11. ACAworks.org

12. TalkPoverty

13. HandsOff.org
• Launched May 22 with a
rally featuring Pelosi and
several other MOCs
• #HandsOff taking off on
Twitter
• Already more than 200
stories from 40+ states.
• Benefitted from previous
lessons learned.

14. Takeaways
• Not for everyone; perfect fit in some cases.
• Iterative design is your friend.
• Map out goals/plan; but be flexible.
• Outreach in stages and segments.
• It takes a village.
• Staff/infrastructure
• Partners
• Networks
• Success may not be black and white.
• Make sure it plugs into other efforts.
• It is expensive, but could also attract funding.

15. Takeaways
From President Obama’s farewell address:
"Change only happens when ordinary people get
involved and they get engaged, and come together
to demand it."

16. Thank You!
Elena Berger
eberger@americanprogress.org
AmericanProgress.org
AmericanProgressAction.org
TalkPoverty.org
ACAworks.org
HandsOff.org