“From the Ground, Up”

A Quick Definition Merriam-Webster defines grassroots as: – The very foundation or source – The basic level of society or of an organization especially as viewed in relation to higher or more centralized positions of power In basic terms, a grass roots movement starts from nothing Like actual grass roots, they start from the ground and grow up

Definition It should be emphasized that grassroots organizations are bottom, up movements They are the opposite of top, down organizations Grassroots essentially means run by the common people

Bottom Up Grassroots are not controlled or started by the people already holding power Started by local organizers rather than upper echelon members of society Recognize these people? No.   John Dalhuisen, Director of Amnesty International Jim Leape, Director of the WWF

Famous Examples The Civil Rights Movement of the 1960’s Began by a small group of people with a common goal Used methods like church meetings, sit- ins, letter writing, and marching to get their message across The Occupy Wall Street Movement Modern example that most people today can relate to Started with the idea of a few, but that idea resonated with many

Famous Examples I provided two examples of major grassroots movements, can you think of any others? Do grassroots movements have to be marches and protests to be considered? What else defines a grassroots movement?

More Common Forms Though things like the Civil Rights Marches and Occupy are very popular, they are only a tiny proportion of what makes a grassroots movement Most organizations are focused individuals who start with a basic idea and expand from there What are the most common types?

Non-Profits These are generally the most common types of grassroots movements Use revenue to achieve its goals rather than distributing as revenue They usually have a small amount of paid workers, but volunteers are generally the corps of the organization

Well Known NPO’s Amnesty International The Red Cross World Wildlife Fund for Nature SOS Children’s Village

NPO Stats According to the National Center for Charitable Statistics, there are over 1.5 million non-profit organizations in the U.S. It is estimated that NPO’s employ, in a broad sense, around 10% of the U.S. population The NCCS also runs a website to help people find data and opportunities for non-profits story/nonprofits-numbers story/nonprofits-numbers

More Locally Based Just because an organization is not a non- profit, does not mean they aren’t a grassroots organization Remember, grassroots by definition means it is an organization that when started, is unconnected to anything else like the government Do we have any grassroots around Portland?

Local Grassroots Zapoura provided some great links to educational organizations for this week – – – These are three great options but there are tons more

A Few More In PDX Upset about the budget cuts and lack of school funding? So is UPSET! – 5/grant_high_schools_grassroots.html 5/grant_high_schools_grassroots.html Want to help support children from the cradle to career? – Learn to eat sustainably and support those who go hungry in our community –

What Can You Do? Much like the volunteering we started this term, participating in a grassroots movement seems daunting Just take your time, figure out what you are passionate about Look at the links provided or do a quick Google search to find something that suits you and your passions

Can You Help? Absolutely. Keep in mind, most grassroots organizations are non-profits and need all the help they can get Most welcome volunteers and people willing to donate time and energy I know most of us are poor but donating money is always appreciated as well

Essentials Grassroots organizations are generally started by individuals and small groups with a focused idea They may broaden or narrow their focus after starting, but always have a specific mission in mind – (i.e., bettering education, feeding the hungry, helping the impoverished) Built on ideas but kept running by dedicated workers and tons of volunteers

Questions What are some major grassroots organizations you can think of? What good can these small movements do? Are grassroots movements ever effective? Do the movements have to be big and popular to effect change or can a small group do just as well? What are the implications if we don’t have grassroots movements within our society?