On Friday, October 3rd and Saturday October 4th, 2025 from 10am-5pm, community members from across North Idaho are invited to a Foundations of Community Organizing 2-Day Training, led by IAF Pacific Trainers from the Spokane Alliance and Common Good Missoula. This event is designed to provide folks with the necessary skills and knowledge to become effective community leaders and understand the basics of broad-based community organizing.

This training is interactive and engaging, with opportunities to practice telling stories, building relationships, and negotiating. Participants will have the chance to engage with experienced community organizers and learn from their expertise. They will learn how to build relationships, analyze power dynamics, identify key issues, and create effective action plans and more.

Overall, this two-day institute equips community members with the skills and knowledge to understand the importance of the role of civic society in a healthy local democracy. This training provides content based on the philosophy and practices developed by the Industrial Areas Foundation (IAF) in 80 years of organizing experience. The topics include:

• Why organize? – Examine the history, traditions, and values of our labor, faith, community, and educational organizations.
• Fundamental organizing skills – Learn tools to conduct individual relational meetings, listening sessions, research, negotiations, and action to help obtain a concrete, winnable outcome.
• Strengthening our institutions – Engage people systematically in a culture that is relational, action-oriented, and reflective.
• Problems vs. issues – Focus from general problems to concrete, winnable issues by using relational power in the public arena to negotiate for the common good.

* Lunch provided both days. Food allergies?  Send note to [email protected]

Special thanks to the Northwest Intermountain Synod of the ELCA and St. Luke's Episcopal Church for supporting and sponsoring this event!