From Engagement to Mobilization

One of the important benefits of the relationship with Iconico has been how they’ve challenged me to think differently about the engagement and advocacy we are doing with partners and members, thinking of new, more effective avenues and creative solutions to put more power into the work that we do.”
-Carlos Amador, Organizing Director for CIPC

Our Partner
The California Immigration Policy Center (CIPC) is an advocacy organization that works to improve the lives of immigrants across that state of California. Founded in 1996, in the aftermath of Proposition 187 (and other harsh federal copycats), it has become the premiere immigrant rights policy institution in the state. CIPC seeks to improve the lives of all Californians by promoting and protecting safety, health, and public benefits. They also offer a multitude of integration programs for immigrants.

CIPC’s success comes from their legislative and policy advocacy, using strategic communications, institutional organizing, and capacity building to engage policymakers and advocates all across California.  CIPC focuses on building partnerships and coalitions with multiple groups, pushing for policy changes at the state and local level.  With 85 member organizations, and nine regional coalition partners, CIPC has played a critical role in advancing progressive immigrant justice policies, including but not limited to:

• The Safe and Responsible Driver Act
• The TRUST Act
• The One California Initiative
• The E-Verify Bill
• The California Values Act

The Challenge
CIPC was looking to redesign an engagement and membership model that helped them maximize their partners’ mobilization efforts, coordination, and communication. Comprised mostly of member organizations, CIPC also wanted to find a clear path for non-organization members have more intentional engagement with CIPC’s efforts.

Our Approach
Coaching:
The first step was a series of challenging discussions that helped us identify their engagement model, and how it could be structured to move supporters to a higher level of involvement.  By way of weekly one-on-one coaching sessions that allowed for analysis of their internal communication channels and supports needed, a new engagement model began to emerge.  Brainstorming new ideas and developing new tools for event planning, organizing, goal setting, and internal communication processes, Iconico was able to help CIPC build capacity to help attain desired outcomes.

Defining:
We assisted CIPC in restructuring their engagement model to have a targeted pathway that moved both organization and non-organization members to have deeper connections and opportunities for engaging and mobilizing with CIPC’s regional coalitions, and campaign efforts.

Planning Meeting Facilitation:
A refined engagement model, including defined roles for members, was only one part of setting up CIPC for continued success.  With members being engaged by multiple departments, and most departments working on separate campaign efforts, Iconico facilitated a conversation with leadership from across the organization to coordinate and streamline the new engagement model, aligning efforts with each department goals.  This group was also able to develop a year-long timeline for both member communications and engagement efforts that the organization, which helped build on each other’s efforts and ensure successful integration.

What I really appreciate about Iconico is that they have been able to lead us in the direction of independence, making sure we are the ones leading, taking on the reigns of the work towards manifesting the vision we have created together.”
-Carlos Amador, Organizing Director for CIPC