Associate Organizer

Organization Overview

Common Ground (CG) is a multi-racial, multi-faith, non-partisan alliance of 44 member organizations with 50,000+ everyday people dedicated to building power to advance racial equity and economic justice, hold elected and corporate officials accountable, and create positive change in the Greater Milwaukee area. CG’s success is rooted in the commitment of our member organizations: congregations, neighborhood groups, nonprofits, small businesses, unions, and schools. We’ve won tens of millions from big banks to repair damage caused by predatory lending, created our own nonprofit healthcare cooperative, secured permanent statewide funding for driver’s ed, and gotten new leadership at the Housing Authority. We listen deeply, set daring goals, create savvy strategies, and are willing to stand up to powerful interests. We get results.

Tenants United (TU) is a member-driven organization of public and private housing tenants and allies who are building power to address housing-related issues across Greater Milwaukee. TU is unique because it grew out of, and is deeply connected to, Common Ground. In 2023, after a high-profile, 3-year campaign to reform the Milwaukee Housing Authority, we won hundreds of building and unit issues fixed from removing black mold to exterminating bed bugs; city jurisdiction to inspect and fine HACM for unresolved maintenance issues; and a new HACM executive staff and board focused on reform. Now, we’re taking on private corporate landlords, currently “evicting” David Tomblin of Highgrove Holdings LLC—a large private equity investor landlord—and continuing to build power to advance tenant interests.

Position Summary

The TU Associate Organizer is responsible for helping grow and develop a unique tenant organization in Greater Milwaukee that focuses on building and wielding power to address issues facing tenants. The CG Northside Associate Organizer will work to identify and develop community leaders in the Northside of Milwaukee to build power, and take action for racial justice and the common good. Both Associate Organizers will be supported and coached by Common Ground staff.

Responsibilities

• Collaborate with community members, tenants, allies, and other staff to build the organization and campaigns.
• Set up and conduct 15 one-to-one meetings per week or the equivalent in canvassing. Meetings are to build relationships, listen for issues, and look for leaders..
• Canvass in target neighborhoods or properties to build an organizing team.
• Find and develop leaders.
• Build and work with teams of leaders through the organizing cycle: Identify and research issues and solutions, develop an analysis of where the power lies and who the decision makers are, and then take action to get results.
• Help raise money by recruiting new dues-paying members, assisting with grant writing, relating to philanthropic organizations, and soliciting individual Friends of Common Ground gifts.
• Participate in local and national trainings on organizing skills (e.g., relational meetings, power analysis, self-interest), organizing principles, how to run an issue campaign, and more; learn to eventually lead trainings.
• Write a weekly reflection and participate in a weekly check-in with supervisor and coach. Participate in CG staff and Strategy Team meetings.
• Stay abreast of news and politics, locally, statewide, and to a lesser extent, nationally.

The work schedule includes evening and weekend meetings and events, as necessary. It is not a strictly 9am-5pm position.

Experience and Qualifications

A combination of education and training equivalent to the below will be considered.

• Some personal or professional history of standing up to a bully or standing up for some positive change;
• 0-1 year of organizing experience for the CG Northside Organizer and 1-2 years of organizing experience for the TU Organizer;
• Valid driver's license and access to a vehicle able to be used for work;
• A Bachelor’s degree preferred;
• Bilingual Spanish fluency desired, but not essential.

• $6,112 yearly health insurance stipend
• Paid time off
  • 15 days (after 90 days of employment), increases after 1 year and 5 years
  • Nearly 3 weeks of holidays and days when Common Ground is closed
  • Sick days as needed
  • Bereavement leave
  • Up to 12 weeks paid Family and Medical Leave
• Expense and travel reimbursement; $750 annual tech allowance; 90% of cell service