Check List for a Compassionate City Campaign

The following list includes examples of key elements that can be incorporated at all stages of a Compassionate City Campaign. While the examples are written for campaigns in the United States theycan be adapted for use nternationally.

Planning
Planning is an essential element in the success of every Compassionate City Campaign.  Campaign planning includes:

• Setting short and long-term goals (6 months, 1, 2 or 3 years)
• A value proposition (Who will be served?) What value will the campaign bring to the community? What impact will it have?)
• Areas of focus (What will you be working on?: poverty, homelessness, underserved children, housing, community space, jobs, etc.)
•  Timelines, with key milestones
• Staffing and volunteer requirements
• Facilities and equipment requirements
• Legal and account services requirements
• Budgets
• Evaluation (What factors suggest that the campaign will successful? How will it be measured?)
• Funding (fund-raising and revenue streams)
• A partnership strategy

Fund-Raising
Fund-raising includes sponsoring events and appeals, arranging for sponsorships, and other revenue generating activities.  If the campaign is formally organized (incorporated in the state where the campaign is located) but does not have a nonprofit tax status, you can check with local non-profits to see if they will incorporate the campaign into their organization or become a fiscal sponsor for the campaign.

Web Presence
A web presence is an important component of a Compassionate Cities Campaign.  Elements includes the following:

• A campaign web site (domain name, web host)
• Other social media (Facebook, Twitter)
• A blog (free services such as Blogger are available)
• An e-mail newsletter                                                                                                                                         
  

These elements can be linked and coordinated to give the campaign an effective combined tool to communicate, inform, and involve others in the campaign.

Collateral Materials

• Posters
• Handout cards
• Brochures
• Fact sheets
• Bumper stickers
• T-shirts
• Holiday cards

The materials can be distributed via:

• Campaign partners
• Coffee shops
• Book stores
• Libraries
• Human Resource departments
• Schools
• Employee pay envelope stuffers

Partnerships
Partnerships are a central part of a Compassionate Cities Campaign.  Partnerships should be established before the mayor and city council affirm the Charter for Compassion and proclaim support for a multi-year Compassionate City Campaign.  This assures that the campaign will not appear as political “window dressing” and that the community is actively involved in creating a culture of compassion.
Partnership candidate examples include:

• K-12 schools
• Colleges/universities
• Businesses and corporations
• Criminal justice organizations (police, courts, detention facilities)
• Social service organizations
• Public health agencies
• Governmental agencies (local, county, state, federal)
• Parenting groups
• Healthcare providers
• Service groups (Rotary, Salvation Army, etc.)
• Arts groups
• Youth groups
• Senior groups
• Faith groups

Speakers Bureau
A speakers bureau is an effective element in a Compassionate City Campaign. Sources for speaker include:

• The campaign organization
• Partner organizations
• The Compassionate Action Network International
• Community leaders
• Youth
• Those who have ben personally touched by compassion

Compassionate Action Network International (CAN) can provide materials for your presentations. Examples of groups who could provide excellent speaking venues include all of the groups named above under Partnerships.

Education Programs
Setting up and scheduling meetings and programs for the general public and groups is another campaign element.  Information about how to facilitate a meeting and some great ideas about special projects can be found in the City Compassion Reader.

Public Information
Public awareness of and support for a Compassionate City Campaign includes the following:

• Press releases
• Newspaper and magazine op-ed pieces and articles
• Radio and television interviews
• Campaign web-based information
• Videos produced b the campaign (appearing on the campaign website)
• Compassionate Action Network website, YouTube, and other outlets
• Fact sheets
• “White Papers” (essays about the campaign that can serve as background pieces for the media
• Materials (print, audio, video) from CAN
• Outreach Teams

Outreach teams can add strength and visibility to a Compassionate City Campaign. Volunteer groups can assist in areas such as:

• Youth mentoring
• Conflict resolution
• Coordination of social service assets to meet specific challenges (underserved children, integration of immigrants, homelessness, financial hardship, etc.)
• Social service activism
• Assistance to the terminally ill
• Assistance to the aged

Additional Information

The Compassionate Action Network International provides a growing body of information through our website.  We may also be able to work with you to customize some of our materials to fit your local campaign.