Theory of Change
Our Theory of Change
In our framework, a Theory of Change is a hypothesis about how our people can use the resources we have to build the power we need to get the change we want. Click on the highlights to learn more about our Theory of Change:
If our team of organizing coaches and program builders use their training experience to support campaigns with tailored, intensive, and values-based organizing leadership and sustainable structure, then progressives will be enabled to practice a powerful politics that can elect leaders and advance policy change, because campaign leaders will be prepared to translate their infrastructure and power-building into real electoral and community-based organizing wins, before and after Election Day.
Our people
Constare is built by a community of progressive organizing trainers, program builders, and campaign staffers. Our folks have both worked on campaigns and seen the power that values-based organizing can have.
Our resources & action
We partner directly with campaigns to engage in a five-stage program designed around the specific needs of each partner. By training campaign leaders and providing on-going coaching, we support folks in creating community infrastructure that outlives any one campaign.
Our change
Constare is working towards a more progressive future where communities have self-determination and feel a sense of true community. Our entry-point is ensuring that progressives have the tools to win elections, co-govern, and organize to create change.
Our reasoning
We move closer to our change by ensuring that campaign leaders—from staff to volunteers—can organize, not just mobilize, their communities. We help transform time-bound campaigns in lasting community movements.
The Problem
Right now, campaigns treat organizing as a tool for time-bound mobilization: it’s largely about hitting numbers of doors knocked, phones called, and texts sent. Campaigns often have short run ways, and the end goal is to win the election, so this often makes sense.
However, this doesn’t “organize” people. Campaign infrastructures tend to dissolve right after the campaign ends, win or lose. Previously-mobilized people demobilize and wait for the next election cycle. Motivated voters stay unengaged and don’t have a pathway to level up their engagement.
At Constare, we believe that we can both win elections and organize our communities.
Our Change
We’re working to build progressive communities that are enabled to actually engage in the practices of power and politics: communities who can elect leaders, put pressure on opposition, and co-govern with elected officials to advance policy.
We believe that campaigns can be labs for democratic leadership, where we can support volunteers and community members in stepping up and organizing their people. In doing so, they gain the skills to organize and build structure that will support the electoral campaign in winning and build a sustaining base of community members ready to practice cogovernance, working together to bring progressive change to their communities.