The California Republican Party announced they are launching a new initiative that fundamentally changes the way the Party conducts outreach and coalition building.
For all the years I have been involved in the political and non-profit worlds outreach efforts have focused on forming affinity groups internal to an organization. For example the "Asian Outreach Committee of the Republican Party" or the "Commercial Real Estate Network of the Jewish Federation".
These groups serve a purpose, but generally require someone to sign-up, attend and get involved in a "new" group. It takes them out of their comfort space, away from their core business or interest. While they support the Party or non–profit it can be an imposition to participate in another group.
Last week CA GOP Chairman Ron Nehring announced that he has been working on a very different kind of outreach effort, one that goes to the supporter rather than making them come to the Party. If executed well over time, it will mean that Party leadership and volunteers are integrated into outside organizations of every type throughout the state, on an ongoing and regular basis.
This is a very smart idea.
ANNOUNCEMENT:
CRP Networks: A New Approach to Expanding
the Republican Party’s Reach in California
The Republican Party in California is today launching a new initiative to build and expand our network of relationships within in every community across our state.
In a state as diverse is ours, future Republican victories depend on our ability to build and expand our relationships in all the occupational, social, ethnic, and immigrant networks that make up today’s modern society.
The CRP’s new Networks Initiative is a new, permanent program of your state Republican Party to build those relationships by establishing and building leadership networks of people who share our values in each occupational, social and ethnic community in our state. Learn more
Our priorities at the Republican Party are to lead our campaign for victory statewide, and put in place the permanent structure for future Republican success in California. Expanding our Republican coalitions is at the top of that priority list because our candidates must have every advantage in future elections, and a large, broad Republican base that reaches into every community will provide that.
Our goal with this permanent initiative is to expand our party’s relationships into all communities, including those where Republicans have not been highly visible in the past. We want to strengthen existing relationships and build new ones with fellow Californians who want to make our state an even better place to live.