The Grassroots Project is a four year initiative that will build, or in some cases, rebuild, the volunteer structures needed for effective and engaged activism now and into the future. Specifically, the Grassroots Project will address the strategic goals to empower volunteers, improve the impact of AIUSA's activism, better align goals with organizing, and shifts training needs to grow AIUSA leadership development.

The Project will address questions raised in the 2015 audit of the membership mobilization department and clarify opportunities and growth points in the following areas:

Activism
Training
Communication
Infrastructure

Year one of the Grassroots Project is planning and analysis, including analysis of former and new ideas in organizing, with implementation in years two through four. Changes and associated costs will be assessed so that the improvements are achievable over FY 2017-2019 budget years.

Activism
The activism subcommittee will address the volunteer experience in our student and local groups, and in our volunteer leadership. The committee will also explore what systems, structures, and opportunities AIUSA needs to build and invest in to expand upon what works in our current structure and create a plan to address growth points in our strategy and/or execution. To frame our analysis, the activism subcommittee will begin by answering the following questions:
Who are we organizing?
What are we organizing them to do?
What do they need to do it?

Training
The training subcommittee will address the volunteer experience in our regional and national trainings. The committee will explore what training needs our volunteers need to make human rights impact. The subcommittee will also assess what works in our current training approach and create a plan to make any necessary changes in our trainings. To frame our analysis, the training subcommittee will begin by answering the following questions:
Who are we training?
What are we training them to do?
What do they need to know to do it?

Communication
The communication subcommittee will address the volunteer experience as it pertains to communication, including communication between staff and volunteers and lateral communication between volunteers. The committee will explore the ways in which we can expand what works in our current communication strategy and bridge the gap between our current and most effective ways of work. To frame our analysis, the communication subcommittee will begin by answering the following questions:
What are we communicating?
Who is communicating to whom? How?
What tools and structures do we need to communicate well?


Infrastructure
The infrastructure subcommittee will address the infrastructure we need to provide a quality volunteer experience. The committee will explore the tools we need to effectively track data, engage members, and make remove barriers to engagement and involvement with respect to the tools we use to manage data and information. To frame our analysis, the infrastructure subcommittee will begin by answering the following questions:
What tools do we need for a successful activism base?
Who needs access to what tools?
What resources are needed to build and integrate these tools?

Expected Outcomes
Just as grassroots activism defined the beginning of Amnesty International and the growth and impact of AIUSA, the expected outcomes of the Grassroots Project is a radical re-imagination of the ways that we resource and execute member empowerment, and the ways that we collaborate that will define a new era of success and growth. By elevating the importance of the grassroots of the organization and looking deeply at what is possible, we expect to take concrete strides toward systems that will support alignment, purpose, effectiveness, and scale within the AIUSA movement.

Effective movement building takes time, strategy, and commitment to relationships, shared values, and a shared vision; these make up the bedrock of the Grassroots Project.  As a result of this project, it will be easy to get involved with AIUSA in increasingly meaningful ways that will enable strong and evolving systems for understanding, building, and mobilizing AIUSA’s power. Volunteers will have clear opportunities for learning with and from each other; they will be accountable to each other and confident with AI policy; and they will have the tools they need to lead impactful work.