“Craver, it’s perfectly fine to believe in miracles, but let me tell you, it sure helps to organize for them.”

With those words my first fundraising mentor left me with an indelible understanding that while great things can and do happen, the probability of success increases markedly with careful and meticulous planning.

Which brings me to the ‘miracle’ of the ACLU’s swift, precision-like response across the nation to civil liberties threats triggered by the election and inauguration of Donald Trump.

As millions of concerned Americans reacted to the President’s Muslim ban and other constitutional threats, the ACLU was ready. Within days the 97-year-old organization was not only in court, it had launched a massive People Power network providing organizing and action tools for concerned volunteers in virtually every community across the nation.

I think we’re all aware of some of the fascinating factoids of how President Trump’s actions affected the ACLU’s fundraising: $24 million from 356,000 online donations contributed in just a few days following announcement of the Muslim Ban … the quadrupling of ACLU supporters to 1.4 million dues paying Members … enlistment in the organization’s activist e-mail list to 2.2 million.

Few are probably aware that the ACLU spent the last decade — and $39 million — meticulously planning and strengthening its affiliates in key states.

Therefore, those Agitator readers interested in organizational change, leadership, innovation and financing will find the story of how — even before 9/11 and then with even greater urgency following that event — the organization put in place the infrastructure, a set of quality control metrics, and new skill sets that found it ready and able to battle anti-civil liberties threats from the Trump.

The most recent issue of Stanford Social Innovation Review, in a piece titled A Revamped ACLU Takes on Today’s Fights, reveals in detail the trials, tribulations, processes and outcomes of the 10 year plan undertaken by the ACLU.

Written in fascinating detail by the ACLU’s Executive Director Anthony Romero and Geri Rozanski, director of Affiliate Support & Nationwide Initiatives, the authors not only share the ‘how’ and ‘what’ of this major initiative, they illustrate the successes.

For example, how this Strategic Affiliate Initiative (SAI), helped ACLU of Arizona hire its first full-time development director, who in turn secured the affiliate’s first six-figure gift, just in time to combat the state’s anti-immigrant laws.

Or how ACLU of Florida could open offices in Orlando and Pensacola and tackle a range of important issues in this key state. And how other state affiliates have benefited in similar ways. (Full disclosure: I’m a member of the ACLU of Florida’s Board.)

This is the story of a ‘miracle’ that is the result of foresight, perseverance and ten years of investment, innovation and hard, hard work. If you want to understand why positive organizational change doesn’t fall from the sky or happen overnight, this story is for you.

Roger

P.S. If you don’t already subscribe to the Stanford Social Innovation Review I urge you to do so today. Just click here.

P.P.S. And if you haven’t signed up to become part of the nonpartisan People Power network I also urge you to do that immediately. You can find what People Power events are underway in your community right here.