It All Adds Up To Cleaner Air- Who Can I Ask For Help?

Building a Coalition: Who Can I Ask For Help?

Enlisting the support of organizations in your community can help extend the reach, impact, and credibility of your program and messages. A coalition—an alliance of various parties, unified for one purpose—can also help you gain the support and strength of important allies.

Increasingly, public education initiatives are using coalitions to mobilize public involvement at community, state, and national levels. They address myriad issues, from public health and safety to politics and education. Local coalitions can be very effective and powerful. For example, Mothers Against Drunk Driving (MADD) has been instrumental in changing public attitude, and thereby, laws on drinking and driving.

You could create an air quality and transportation coalition that focuses only on your current program goals and objectives or one that will continue to be involved in future transportation and air quality programs in your community. (See "Success Stories" to learn how other organizations using It All Adds Up have built effective coalitions in their communities.)

Solicit the help of experts in fields such as transportation, environment, public relations, and market research. Also consider seeking the support of community members who have established networks that could help relay your messages. (See "ACAT" to learn how public and private organizations united to advance the It All Adds Up messages locally and across the country.)

Benefits to Forming a Coalition

There are many advantages to bringing together a broad spectrum of organizations to focus on specific issues. Collaboration can be an effective and rewarding method of identifying and pursuing common objectives and strategies, with both short- and long-term benefits. Advantages include:

effective and efficient delivery of messages and programs to increase public knowledge of the issues and available resources;
increased communication and coordination among similar and potentially opposing organizations, reducing antagonism and duplication of efforts;
a network of community leaders to share limited human, financial, and other resources;
development of widespread public support for issues, actions, or needs;
development of innovative, multi-level solutions to complex problems;
mobilization of organizations to achieve joint actions that would be unattainable if pursued independently; and
improved public image of the program and all organizations involved.

Recruiting Coalition Members

Determine your needs and who or what organizations could best fulfill them. Have a clear vision of what you want them to contribute and select partners who meet those qualifications, such as:
- genuine interest in and commitment to the issue;
- established influence with the target audience(s);
- positive reputation in the community;
- ability to commit resources (time, staff, funds, etc.); or
- track record of teaming with community agencies.
Potential coalition members should have a stake or interest in reducing traffic congestion and air pollution (e.g., state and local government officials, transportation industry representatives, environmental advocacy groups, public health professionals, leaders of influential community groups), as well as those who are indirectly involved (e.g., businesses, consumer groups, media, civic organizations, health-care providers). See the list at the end of this section for categories of prospective coalition participants.
Research the individuals or groups you want to recruit so you can relate to their interests and goals when you contact them. It is also important to determine an organization's credibility, status and potential to be controversial.
A key to sustaining success is involving a diverse range of partners. The messages of the It All Adds Up to Cleaner Air initiative are proven to attract and bring together a diverse group of stakeholders.
Draft a letter to potential coalition members inviting them to participate in an initial organizing meeting. Follow up by phone to discuss coalition membership and answer any questions or concerns they may have. In recruiting participants, peer-to-peer contacts are valuable. If you want to attract CEOs or chairpersons, a high-level person or chair of your organization should be involved in the recruitment process.
When any coalition member speaks or meets with a potential member, he or she should provide a brief history of the coalition and the program, summarize the purpose of the coalition, and clearly explain what is expected from the potential member to support the initiative, why they have a stake in supporting it, and what benefits they will experience by getting involved.The It All Adds Up Web site includes a variety of useful materials, such as an overview of It All Adds Up, a summary of the research behind the initiative, and its core messages.

Conducting Your First Coalition Meeting

Once you have recruited the key members of your coalition, schedule an introductory meeting. The agenda should include a review of It All Adds Up program goals and objectives, the target audience, key messages, and timeline.

Depending on the size of your coalition, consider dividing the participants into committees based on their talents and desires, and select committee heads. Determine a schedule for future coalition and committee meetings (e.g., holding committee meetings once a week and overall coalition meetings once a month during ozone season, and as needed during the rest of the year for planning and preparation of materials and activities.)

The initial meeting can also serve as a brainstorming session. Review the program activities, including marketing campaign, media and outreach you have planned, and ask for ideas. Identify coalition members who have key connections or suggestions about how to work with other organizations or the media to help meet the program's objectives.

Establishing Group Processes

Once the coalition has been established and is ready to begin work, it is important to agree upon group processes, especially an efficient system for communications and coordination. Each coalition develops its own pattern of interaction, which goes through various phases as the group evolves. Following are some basic guidelines to keep in mind:

All coalition members should be apprised of upcoming events, programs, and discussions.
Establish agreement among the participants on next steps to take as a result of each meeting.
Following meetings, send out a letter of appreciation along with a summary of the information discussed and the next steps. Be sure that all members, even those not in attendance, receive summaries and/or minutes of the meeting.

Ways Coalition Members Can Help the Program

A diverse group of coalition members can support your program in a variety of ways, such as:

Urging the Media to Use Broadcast and Print Advertisements as PSAs. TV and radio stations give greater consideration to airing the It All Adds Up ads for free if they receive endorsement calls and letters from public officials, industry experts, business leaders, and consumer groups. Also, consider recruiting newspaper editors and radio and television station representatives as members of your coalition for more direct access to and support from the media.

Seeking Support of Local Decision Makers/Opinion Leaders. Identify and recruit coalition members who are influential with your town, city, or state government officials. Take advantage of their position and contacts to extend the reach of your program messages.

Developing Network and Resource Linkages. Leverage your coalition members' skills, talents, and links to various resources, in order to meet your objectives and/or disseminate your messages. Look to members with advanced Internet experience, graphic design skills, or copywriting talent, for example, to provide expertise in those areas.

Recruiting Others. Encourage your members to recruit others who have missions similar to their own. People are more willing to join a cause when invited by colleagues and friends whose advice they trust. Don't give up if your membership seems small at first; some people are more willing to join an effort after it demonstrates progress and success. Recruitment is an ongoing process.

Helping to Conduct Research. Consider recruiting members with experience in market research and evaluation. Their skills will be valuable in assessing the current knowledge, attitudes, and behaviors of your target audience(s), as well as the overall effectiveness of your initiative in meeting its objectives.

Providing Different Perspectives. Your coalition members may already have been involved in a similar program and can bring a contrasting viewpoint, fresh ideas, or the benefit of lessons learned from previous activities.

Writing Guest Opinion Columns. Coalition members who are respected community leaders may be willing to byline a letter to the editor or a guest opinion column in your local newspaper. This letter or column offers a citizen's viewpoint of the issue and can promote the program messages. (See "Media Outreach" for a sample Op-Ed letter)

Disseminating Program Materials. Request that some members serve as "dissemination partners" by using their organization's distribution networks to deliver materials and messages.

Conducting Workplace Outreach. If there are business leaders on your coalition, they may be willing to distribute program messages to their employees through internal vehicles such as an interoffice newsletter, Web site, or bulletin boards in common areas.

Sustaining Your Coalition

Maintaining the vitality of a coalition is critical to achieving successful outcomes. Following are some general tips to consider:

Address coalition difficulties as they occur. If conflicts arise, resolve them quickly.
Share the power and leadership responsibilities among participants. Make a conscious effort to keep all members active and involved.
Recruit and involve new members. A mix of new and seasoned members gives the coalition a winning combination of enthusiasm, energy, and experience.
Maintain open communications among members.
Support the lead agency and allocate resources so that no one group or person is bearing undue responsibility. For the coalition to be effective in reaching its goals, it will need to operate over a significant period of time, so take steps to revitalize the group and assure that the workload is appropriately shared.
Celebrate and share successes to maintain the group's morale. Recognize short-term gains and achievements. Acknowledgements may take the form of thank you letters, awards, citations and committee chair appointments, or announcements in newsletters and at meetings.
Stay in touch with your partners to gauge the progress of assigned activities, provide any needed support, and make adjustments to their roles as needed.
Evaluate your progress. Ongoing assessment is an important part of the process and allows members to report to their own organizations about the success of the coalition.

Challenges to Forming a Coalition

Along with the many advantages of coalitions, there are several challenges, which you are better able to meet if you anticipate them. Some of these difficulties may include:

Maintaining group cohesion and building relationships that supersede personal and organizational conflicts.
Focusing organizations on common, not controversial, issues.
Encouraging collaboration among groups that desire to maintain their own identity.
Minimizing name-only involvement resulting from lack of commitment, time, or resources for participation.
Providing a range of roles so that organizations can participate on a level commensurate with their resources and goals.
Identifying appropriate coalition members; individuals who have the authority to make a commitment or decision on behalf of their organization.
Sustaining the group, especially during crisis situations.

Summary

In summary, there are several key elements to establishing and maintaining a successful coalition, which are:

Common Goals: The need or desired change must be understood and agreed upon by all involved.

Acknowledge the importance of every member: Each participant should perceive him/herself as an important part of the whole, contributing to its success.

Ownership: Each member should have input into the development of goals, methods, and decisions and should be given opportunities for individual accomplishments. Foster a sense of responsibility for activities and results.

Efficient, effective meetings: Keep coalition meetings moving toward agreed-upon goals, objectives, and tactics. Each meeting should make progress on implementing the initiative.

Process and procedures: Establish a format for conducting meetings and decision-making early in the development of the coalition.

Shared or Situational Leadership: It is important that several members of the coalition share leadership responsibilities.

Member Recognition: To keep your coalition members involved and enthusiastic about the initiative, strive to recognize their work whenever possible.

Potential Coalition Participants

State and Local Government: Governors; State regulatory commissions; State departments of transportation; State departments of health; County and city health officials; State departments of education; State departments of motor vehicles; State and local legislators; City council members; Mayors; Metropolitan Planning Organizations; Local and regional transportation authorities; State highway and transportation officials

Transportation Industry: Automobile manufacturers; Local transit operators; Trucking companies; Freight companies; Transportation companies

Auto Interest Groups: Motor vehicle administrators; Automobile manufacturers; Vehicle service stations; Automotive dealers; Vehicle inspection stations

Fuel & Utility Industry: Gasoline stations; Fuel and oil companies; Local utility companies

Environmental/Public Health Groups: State medical associations; Local air pollution control officials; State air quality management officials; State and territorial air pollution program administrators; Public health officials; Health professionals

Businesses: City and state chambers of commerce; Major local companies

Driving Public: State driver education association; State and local automobile associations; State and local highway safety groups

Advertising/Public Relations: Advertising agencies; Public relations agencies; Advertising/public relations clubs; Market research firms

Civic/Service Organizations: Jaycees; Rotary club; Lions club; Kiwanis; Neighborhood associations; Fraternities and sororities; Faith-based organizations

Youth Groups: Boy Scouts/Girl Scouts; 4-H Clubs; Student councils

Media: Local news wire services; Newspapers; Newsletters; Magazines; Radio stations; Television stations; Cable stations; High school and college newspapers

Educational Groups: Teacher unions; Parent-teacher associations

Who's Talking