Necessity is the mother of invention. This is true now more than ever as businesses in every industry adapt to remote work and social distancing. At Mobilize, we’ve had the pleasure of working with our partners—from large electoral campaigns to small c3s and c4s—as they quickly and creatively adjust their organizing strategy in light of social distancing. Below, we’ve outlined five unique ways that Mobilize partners are mobilizing their supporters virtually during this chaotic time. We encourage you to use these examples as inspiration and as a reminder that organizing does not have to stop due to social distancing. If anything, people need community now more than ever. 

Protect the Vote ‍

Make sure constituents know where and when to vote safely. With many states expanding access to mail-in ballots, the voting process for constituents across the country is changing. The Democratic Party of Virginia is taking the lead by hosting phone banks to ensure that Virginia residents know where and when to vote, if their polling place has moved, and how to access their mail-in ballot if applicable. It’s never too early to start getting out the vote. 

Make sure every citizen is counted

Mobilize around the 2020 Census to make sure every citizen is counted. In the midst of the COVID-19 public health crisis, we are acutely aware of the Census’s enormous implications for the health and wellness of all Americans. Host virtual phone banks to call citizens across the US to remind them to fill out their census form and help them understand the importance of this 5 minute task.

Train your volunteers‍

Invite volunteers into your virtual volunteer office and teach them how to phone bank, how to become a virtual brand ambassador, and more. Ensure that your volunteers are equipped with the tools they need to effectively advocate for your organization. By growing volunteers into super volunteers, they can help train others and expand the network.

Special guests

Invite “special guests” to partake in volunteer calls and provide “inside baseball” or community updates to convert your volunteers into true stakeholders. The presence of a guest speaker helps convey to your volunteers how much you appreciate their time and efforts. A special guest can be a candidate, a community leader, or a super volunteer—get creative!

Community building events

Bring your volunteers together around a piece of content, a meal, or a Q&A. Distribute an article or book to your volunteers and reconvene for a virtual coffee or happy hour to discuss the piece. Plan events around mealtimes so your volunteers can multi-task and even break bread together (literally).

People seek community ties now more than ever. Make the most of this unique and difficult time in history by providing your supporters with opportunities to engage with like-minded folks near and far. 

Have other ideas for how to organize virtually? Please submit them here. Want to chat virtual organizing in-depth? Email me at kit@mobilize.us—I’d love to hear from you.