When starting a new campaign, the last thing you want to do is spend time and money on all the organizational details that are necessary to function in a business-like manner. You need a checking account, treasurer, post office box, and a little web presence. Alameda Citizens Taskforce (ACT) can help an organization with these functions. When “Save Alameda’s Working Waterfront” (SAWW) began, I knew these resources were available through ACT.
In addition, ACT has given SAWW an advisor to help organize us and the ACT Steering Committee serves SAWW in an advisory capacity. The ACT Steering Committee is comprised of volunteers who have served as professionals in areas that offer the experience of a unique set of backgrounds. By attending their Steering Committee meetings to give progress reports, I find the perspectives offered to be very helpful to guide SAWW through our challenges. If SAWW gets into a situation where we need to gather signatures, I know ACT will be there to help us to organize/manage volunteers and schedules. ACT members also help speak at City Council and Planning Board meetings adding critical voice numbers in the council chambers.
Some Alameda activist groups have done very good jobs at running their campaigns without ACT but I found the help SAWW has received from ACT extremely helpful and we have been able to spend our donated money directly on our campaign needs rather than on organizational expenses, both start up and on-going.