2009 Roundtable

Format for printing

Duluth, MN City Councilman Tony Cuneo, Arizona State Representative Kyrsten Sinema and Senator Al Franken at the Greysolon Plaza in Duluth, August 2, 2009

BIG IDEAS ---> LOCAL IMPACT


Hosted by the Commonweal Institute
A.H. Zeppa Family Foundation, Lead Sponsor
August 2-5, 2009
Duluth, Minnesota


NEW!! Al Franken Free Public Lecture with Q&A
August 2, 2009 @ 7:00 PM in Duluth, MN
Click here to reserve seats


VISION

The 2009 Progressive Roundtable will convene leaders from across the progressive movement to address how idea generators can work with local- and state-based community organizers and grassroots activists to build more integrated and effective processes for achieving progressive policy change. Since 2006, the Commonweal Institute has hosted Progressive Roundtable convenings that build and strengthen key components of progressive infrastructure (e.g., marketing and communications, local coalition building). The 2009 Roundtable promises to foster a policy development process that is more responsive to the needs of movement actors, and more integrated with state and local practices for building political power. The summit will achieve these goals by identifying common strategies for progressive movement building, defining innovative and effective practices for coordination between idea generators and movement actors in effecting policy change, and establishing ongoing mechanisms for developing and refining those relationships. The ultimate benefit will be more effective policy advocacy processes at state and local levels, which will propel the continued momentum of the progressive movement.


WHO'S WHO

The infrastructure of the progressive movement has evolved considerably in recent years, with collaborative networks emerging in both the policy and grassroots sectors. We have built this Roundtable around a select group of leaders from five key constituencies:
  • Progressive Ideas Network (PIN), national multi-issue think tanks and activist organizations, housed at Commonweal Institute;
  • State-based think tanks, connected by networks like the Economic Analysis and Research Network (EARN), housed at Economic Policy Institute, and the State Fiscal Analysis Initiative, hosted by the Center on Budget and Policy Priorities;
  • Campaign for Community Values (CCV), broad values-based coalition of community organizing groups, led by the Center for Community Change (CCC);
  • State Voices, which supports and connects year-round state hubs or tables of 501(c)(3) organizations that foster collaborative multi-issue policy work, economies of scale, rigorous evaluation, and civic and voter engagement; and
  • ProgressNow, state-based communications and Internet activism hubs.

The input and involvement of other sectors will also be important: elected officials to inform our inside strategy; friends in progressive media for help in broadcasting our best ideas and spokespeople; and the support and guidance of the funding community for building progressive infrastructure in every state, as well as nationally.

Groups and individuals that are not able to participate in the convening itself, because of its limited size, can still provide suggestions and information to us through the Progressive Roundtable website. They can also sign up to receive news about the Progressive Roundtable and the outcome of the convening.



Members: click here for additional and more detailed information.