Campaign Management Guide¶

This comprehensive guide covers how to create, manage, and optimize policy campaigns using Coalition Builder's campaign management system.

Overview¶

Coalition Builder's campaign management system enables you to:

Create and manage policy campaigns with detailed information
Associate bills and legislation with campaigns
Track campaign status and progress through various stages
Collect and manage endorsements from stakeholders
Organize campaign-related content and resources
Monitor campaign engagement and effectiveness

Understanding Campaigns¶

What is a Campaign?¶

A campaign in Coalition Builder represents a coordinated effort to advocate for specific policy changes. Each campaign includes:

Campaign Information: Title, description, goals, and status
Associated Bills: Legislative bills related to the campaign
Stakeholder Endorsements: Public support from organizations and individuals
Resources and Materials: Documents, links, and media
Timeline and Status: Campaign phases and progress tracking

Campaign Lifecycle¶

Typical Campaign Stages:

Planning: Initial campaign setup and strategy development
Active: Public launch with endorsement collection
Monitoring: Tracking legislative progress and engagement
Completed: Campaign goals achieved or concluded
Archived: Historical campaigns for reference

Creating a New Campaign¶

Accessing Campaign Management¶

Navigate to Django Admin
Go to your admin interface (/admin/)
Look for the "Campaigns" section
Click "Campaigns" to view existing campaigns
Add New Campaign
Click "Add campaign" button
You'll see the campaign creation form

Essential Campaign Information¶

Basic Details:

Title: Clear, descriptive campaign name
Slug: URL-friendly version (auto-generated from title)
Description: Comprehensive campaign overview
Status: Current campaign stage (draft, active, completed, etc.)

Campaign Content:

Overview: Brief summary for public display
Goals: Specific objectives and desired outcomes
Background: Context and rationale for the campaign
Key Messages: Primary talking points for supporters

Visibility Settings:

Is Published: Controls public visibility
Featured: Highlights campaign on homepage
Allow Endorsements: Enables public endorsement collection

Adding Campaign Details¶

Rich Text Content:

Use the rich text editor for formatted content
Include links to relevant resources
Add bullet points for easy reading
Keep content accessible and engaging

SEO Optimization:

Meta Description: Brief description for search engines
Keywords: Relevant terms for discoverability
Use clear, descriptive titles and headings

Managing Campaign Bills¶

Adding Bills to Campaigns¶

In Campaign Edit View:
Scroll to "Campaign Bills" section
Click "Add another Campaign bill"
Bill Information:
Level: Choose between "Federal" or "State"
Bill Number: Official legislative identifier (e.g., "123" for federal, "456" for state)
Title: Official bill title
Chamber: Select the appropriate legislative chamber:
- Federal: U.S. House or U.S. Senate
- State: State House, State Senate, Assembly, House of Delegates, etc.
Session: Congressional session (e.g., "119") or state session (e.g., "2023-2024")
State: For state bills only - select the state where the bill was introduced
Status: Current legislative status
URL: Link to official bill text or legislative page
Related Bill: Optional - link to companion bill in the other chamber
Bill Display:
Federal bills display as: "H.R. 123" or "S. 456"
State bills display as: "California AB 789" or "Texas HB 100"
Bill Relationship:
Position: Support, Oppose, or Monitor
Priority: How central this bill is to the campaign
Notes: Internal notes about the bill's relevance

Managing Multiple Bills¶

When Campaigns Involve Multiple Bills:

Use consistent naming conventions
Clearly indicate the relationship between bills (especially companion bills)
Set appropriate priorities for each bill
Keep bill status information current
Track both federal and state versions of similar legislation
Use the "Related Bill" field to link companion bills across chambers

Multi-Level Campaign Coordination:

When your campaign involves both federal and state legislation:

Create separate bill entries for each level of government
Clearly distinguish between federal and state bills in your campaign materials
Track different legislative calendars (Congress vs. state legislatures)
Note that state legislative sessions vary significantly in timing and duration

Bill Status Tracking:

Introduced: Bill has been filed
Committee: Under committee review
Floor: Scheduled for floor vote
Passed: Approved by chamber
Signed: Enacted into law
Failed: Did not advance

Note: State legislative processes may have additional or different status options depending on the state.

Campaign Status Management¶

Status Options¶

Draft: Campaign in development

Not visible to public
Use for internal planning and preparation
Can be edited extensively without public impact

Active: Campaign is live and accepting endorsements

Visible on public website
Endorsement collection enabled
Regular updates and engagement activities

Paused: Temporarily inactive

Public visibility maintained
Endorsement collection disabled
Used during legislative recess or strategic pauses

Completed: Campaign goals achieved

Public visibility maintained for reference
Endorsement collection disabled
Success stories and outcomes documented

Archived: Historical campaigns

Limited public visibility
Used for old campaigns that are no longer relevant
Maintains historical record

Changing Campaign Status¶

Status Change Considerations:

Notify stakeholders before major status changes
Update campaign content to reflect current status
Preserve endorsements when changing status
Document outcomes when completing campaigns

Endorsement Management¶

Enabling Endorsements¶

Campaign Settings:
Check "Allow Endorsements" in campaign edit form
Ensure campaign status is "Active"
Verify campaign is published
Endorsement Form Configuration:
Customize endorsement form fields
Set moderation requirements
Configure confirmation messages

Managing Campaign Endorsements¶

Review Process:

Endorsements appear in admin queue after email verification
Review each endorsement for appropriateness
Approve legitimate endorsements for public display
Reject spam or inappropriate submissions

Endorsement Display:

Approved endorsements appear on campaign pages
Endorsement counts are displayed prominently
Featured endorsements can be highlighted
Stakeholder types are clearly indicated

Campaign Page Endorsement Features¶

Coalition Builder includes sophisticated endorsement display features designed to maximize engagement and encourage new endorsements:

Smart Social Proof:

Automatically detects when campaigns reach 10 or more endorsements
Displays current endorsement count with encouraging language ("Join X others supporting this campaign")
Updates in real-time as new endorsements are approved
Helps build momentum by highlighting existing support levels

Early Supporter Appeals:

For campaigns with fewer than 10 endorsements, displays special early supporter messaging
Encourages participation with "Be among the first to endorse this important campaign"
Uses early adopter psychology to avoid potential discouragement from low numbers
Maintains authenticity while optimizing for engagement

Momentum Indicators:

Tracks recent endorsement activity within a 7-day rolling window
Shows momentum badges when 2 or more recent endorsements are received
Creates urgency with dynamic messaging like "X new endorsements this week"
Demonstrates active campaign growth to encourage participation

Dynamic Engagement Elements:

Intelligent sticky call-to-action that appears when users scroll past the endorsement section
Automatically hides when users interact with the form to avoid confusion
Responsive design optimized for both desktop and mobile devices
Smooth scrolling to first form field with automatic focus for immediate interaction

Campaign Resources and Media¶

Adding Resources¶

Resource Types:

Fact Sheets: Key information documents
Position Papers: Detailed policy analysis
Media Coverage: News articles and coverage
Talking Points: Brief messaging guides
Graphics and Images: Visual campaign materials

Media Management¶

Image Guidelines:

Use high-quality images relevant to the campaign
Optimize for web display (under 2MB)
Include descriptive alt text for accessibility
Maintain consistent visual branding

Document Management:

Upload important documents directly to the campaign
Use clear, descriptive filenames
Keep documents current and relevant
Provide context for each document

Campaign Analytics and Monitoring¶

Key Metrics to Track¶

Engagement Metrics:

Page views and visitor traffic
Time spent on campaign pages
Endorsement submission rates
Social media shares and engagement

Stakeholder Metrics:

Number of endorsements received
Types of endorsing organizations
Geographic distribution of supporters
Growth rate of endorsements over time

Legislative Metrics:

Bill advancement status
Committee hearing schedules
Vote counts and outcomes
Media coverage and mentions

Reporting and Analysis¶

Regular Review Schedule:

Weekly engagement reviews during active campaigns
Monthly stakeholder analysis
Quarterly campaign effectiveness assessment
Post-campaign comprehensive analysis

Campaign Communication¶

Stakeholder Updates¶

Regular Communications:

Campaign Launch: Announce new campaigns to stakeholder networks
Progress Updates: Share legislative developments and milestones
Action Alerts: Mobilize supporters for specific actions
Success Stories: Celebrate achievements and progress

Content Strategy¶

Effective Campaign Content:

Clear messaging that resonates with target audiences
Regular updates to maintain engagement
Compelling narratives that explain why the campaign matters
Actionable information that empowers supporters

Legal and Compliance Considerations¶

Important Legal Notice

This software is designed for policy advocacy and coalition building. Organizations using Coalition Builder must ensure compliance with applicable laws, including but not limited to:

Campaign Finance and Political Activity Laws¶

Before Using Coalition Builder:

Consult legal counsel familiar with campaign finance and lobbying laws in your jurisdiction
Understand your organization's tax status and any restrictions on political activities (especially 501©(3) nonprofits)
Review coordination rules between organizations and political committees
Ensure compliance with contribution tracking and disclosure requirements

Key Legal Areas to Consider:

Lobbying Registration: Activities may trigger lobbying registration requirements
Campaign Finance Reporting: Coordination with campaigns may require disclosure
Political Activity Limits: Tax-exempt organizations face restrictions on political activities
Foreign National Restrictions: Prohibitions on foreign national participation in U.S. political activities

State and Local Laws:

Requirements vary significantly by jurisdiction
Some states have additional disclosure and registration requirements
Local ordinances may impose additional restrictions

Privacy and Data Protection¶

Data Protection Compliance:

GDPR: Required for any stakeholders in the European Union
CCPA: Required for California residents
State Privacy Laws: Growing number of state-level requirements
Sector-Specific Laws: Additional requirements may apply to certain organizations

Data Handling Requirements:

Obtain proper consent for data collection and use
Provide clear privacy notices to stakeholders
Implement data retention and deletion policies
Ensure secure data handling and breach notification procedures

Disclaimer¶

Coalition Builder is a tool for organizing advocacy efforts. It is not legal advice and does not ensure compliance with any laws or regulations. Organizations are solely responsible for ensuring their use of the platform complies with all applicable laws. Always consult qualified legal counsel before launching advocacy campaigns.

Best Practices¶

Campaign Planning¶

Before Launch:

Clearly define campaign goals and success metrics
Identify target stakeholder groups
Develop key messages and talking points
Plan timeline and major milestones
Prepare supporting materials and resources

During Campaign:

Monitor engagement and adjust strategy as needed
Keep content fresh and updated
Respond promptly to endorsements and inquiries
Track legislative developments closely
Maintain regular communication with supporters

After Campaign:

Document outcomes and lessons learned
Thank supporters and endorsers
Archive campaign materials appropriately
Analyze effectiveness for future campaigns

Content Guidelines¶

Writing Effective Campaign Content:

Be specific about policy goals and desired outcomes
Use plain language that non-experts can understand
Include concrete examples of how policies affect people
Provide clear next steps for supporters
Keep information current and factually accurate

Stakeholder Engagement¶

Building Strong Coalitions:

Identify diverse stakeholders across different sectors
Provide multiple ways for people to get involved
Recognize and thank supporters publicly
Share success stories that demonstrate impact
Maintain relationships beyond individual campaigns

Troubleshooting¶

Common Issues¶

Low Endorsement Rates:

Review endorsement form for complexity
Check if campaign messaging is compelling
Verify endorsement process is working correctly
Consider outreach strategy effectiveness
Leverage built-in engagement features like social proof and momentum indicators
Ensure campaign has reached the 10-endorsement threshold for automatic social proof display

Content Management Problems:

Ensure proper permissions for content editors
Check for formatting issues in rich text editor
Verify image and document uploads are working
Test campaign pages on different devices

Status and Visibility Issues:

Confirm campaign is published and status is correct
Check homepage display settings
Verify navigation and linking
Test from public user perspective

Technical Support¶

For Technical Issues:

Check Django admin error messages
Verify database connections and permissions
Test campaign functionality systematically
Contact system administrator for server issues

Advanced Features¶

Campaign Categories and Tags¶

Organization Tools:

Use categories to group related campaigns
Add tags for cross-campaign themes
Create filtered views for different audiences
Enable advanced search capabilities

Integration Options¶

External Tool Integration:

Connect with email marketing platforms
Integrate with social media management tools
Link to external advocacy platforms
Connect with legislative tracking services

Automation Features¶

Automated Processes:

Scheduled campaign status updates
Automatic stakeholder notifications
Regular reporting and analytics
Integration with legislative tracking

This guide provides comprehensive coverage of campaign management in Coalition Builder. For advanced customization or technical questions, consult your system administrator or development team.