Publisher's Synopsis
How can civil society strengthen its influence on that most fragile form of government-democracy? Successful leaders of 31 civic institutions, representing 16 Western Hempishere countries, demonstrate that citizens can indeed have a significant impact on public decisionmaking.
Latin American, Caribbean, and North American women discuss their hard-learned lessons in this accessible, practical volume. To sustain grassroots initiatives, they stress, civic organizations must learn how to broaden their financial support and enhance their planning, advocacy, coalition-building, and fund-raising skills. The contributors also provide strategies for assuring sustainable democracy, holding government accountable, and building consensus for public-policy changes.
This revised edition includes new funding resources and contacts, new educational and training resources, a new chapter on sustainability, and an updated, expanded Women's Civic Network listing. Dorrit Marks, a seasoned civic leader, has enchanced the second edition with many fresh ideas and methods for empowering citizens' groups as they struggle to assert influence on their governments in positive ways.
