After the enormous outpouring of volunteer actions in 2020, a group of activists from grassroots groups across the country wanted to explore how they could direct this energy to its most effective use. In the summer of 2021, they formed the Field Leaders Network for Research and Innovation (FLRN).
Participants include members Red2Blue, 31st Street Swing Left, Activate America, NOPE, Swing Blue Alliance, VoPro Pros, the Virginia Grassroots Coalition, and others. Many members bring a lifetime of experience in research and related endeavors. Other participants include group leaders who want to learn and apply the information.
The goal of FLRN is to find answers to these and related questions:
- Are we leveraging the power of our network?
- What research can we find and what research might we create?
- What are the implications of this research?
- What could we do to have more influence on election outcomes?
- How can we make sure we are deploying tried-and-true tactics correctly?
- How do we evaluate results published by organizations that depend on donations to continue their work?
Friendly, low-key discussions of how research informs our political volunteering are held over a private Slack channel on the Swing Blue Alliance Slack workspace. Monthly Zoom meetings are an opportunity for presentations and discussion. We cordially invite volunteers who are serious about doing and/or applying good quality research in real-life situations to apply. To learn more about the FLRN, contact susan@swingbluealliance.org.