CivicActions

Many folk don't know that the ACLU has a TV series called "The Freedom Files". Season 2 can be seen on PBS stations throughout the country. Episodes can also be viewed online at aclu.tv which we re-launched for the new season recently.

When I get asked to comment on a campaign communication or web page, I typically go through the same mantra -- who's the audience, what's the intended outcome, what are the key messages, and how will we measure success?

On July 20th, 2004, while working on several projects with Dan Robinson and Aaron Pava (as independents), CivicActions LLC was formally incorporated. The three of us had decided to join together to provide technology consulting services for progressive organizations using Free and Open Source technologies.

Since that time, we have grown. We now have 9 partners in the firm, and over 27 consultants in 6 time zones. We have remained a virtual organization.

New Clients in 2004

Two months ago, we were honored to be considered (along with Development Seed), as one of the two finalists to take on a series of sprints for the development of the new Amnesty International site. In late May, we were informed that we had been awarded the engagement. Two weeks ago in London, Ken Jordan, Jacob Singh, and I met with the Amnesty team for a 2 day engagement kick-off. We are on track to present the results of our first sprint in early July.

In just two short weeks, CivicActions launched the new California Leadership Committee (CLC) web site.

The CLC is a California state PAC dedicated to "Supporting the Best and Brightest Democrats running for office in California". Former eBay executive and California Controller, Steve Westly founded the CLC in July 2006 to help support the candidates and causes he believes in.

Through the web site you can learn more about the CLC, the candidates, upcoming events, and important policy issues like clean technology.

To kick-off the the site, the CLC has posted dozens of articles, op-eds, pictures and videos, as well as an exclusive interview with Assemblymember Joe Nation, co-author of California’s groundbreaking cap and trade policy.

CivicActions gives a special thanks - and a big shout-out - to Doug Green for his fast and furious Drupal mastery on this project!

I got an email from Ethan today who is in Brooklyn working with Arthur and Zoey and one of our newest clients. On his way from their hotel to the client's office, they spotted this poster:

ShayaIsComing.org is a campaign of the Laborers Eastern Region Organizing Fund, one of our clients!

Last fall we began working with The Montana Conservation Voters. We just launched their new website MTVoters.org. We also launched MTVotersEdFund.org, the site for their Education Fund.

The 2006 election was a big one for Conservation Politics in Montana with the election of MCV endorsed US Senate Candidate John Tester.

CivicActions launched HightowerLowdown.org on Monday. This site follows on our launch, earlier this year, of JimHightower.com and last year's Hightower Roadmap, our first project with Hightower's team.