Building Local Advocacy Infrastructure Led by Multi-Disciplinary Partners
Opportunity
Detroit launched a first-of-its-kind economic justice table bringing together cross-sector leaders across workforce, human services, advocacy, grassroots organizing, research, policy, employers, and philanthropy.
The effort required clarity of purpose, structure, and coordination to function effectively as a coalition capable of advancing shared economic justice priorities.
Our Approach
We worked with coalition partners to clarify the table’s role, design governance and
decision-making structures, and build the foundational infrastructure needed to support sustained collaboration and policy influence.
Our work focused on:
Defining purpose, positioning, and priorities Designing governance and decision-making structures
Building infrastructure to support coordination, research, and advocacy
What We Did
Strategic Direction & Role Clarity
- Clarified the role of the table within the broader economic justice ecosystem
- Defined learning goals, priorities, and coalition direction
Governance & Coalition Design
- Co-designed governance structures, group commitments, and decision-making processes
- Established feedback loops to support authentic member engagement
Infrastructure & Organizational Development
- Co-developed the coalition’s name, vision, mission, and foundational documents
- Built structures to support prioritization, coordination, learning loops, and ongoing collaboration
Research, Policy & Advocacy Strategy
- Led original research and developed a foundational policy platform
- Designed strategies connecting advocacy, organizing, and policymaker engagement
- Supported narrative development and external positioning
What Changed
A cross-sector coalition structure was established to support coordinated economic justice efforts
Governance processes and shared commitments were defined to guide collaboration A foundational policy platform was developed to anchor advocacy priorities
The coalition established a clearer role within the regional ecosystem
Key Deliverables
Policy platform and research-backed strategy Foundational advocacy and organizational infrastructure Governance structures and coalition processes Advocacy, narrative, and power-building strategies Ongoing Engagement
This work continues as the coalition evolves and advances its priorities.