Quick Tips for Building A Coalition of Support

• Respond to coalition members’ concerns in tangible, quick ways.
• Communicate with members of the coalition on a consistent basis.
• Seek common ground with different groups of stakeholders.
• Recruit a prominent member of your community to become involved in the coalition. This will help give you instant notoriety and credibility.
• When telling your story about transit, make it relevant to everyday life. The messages that work best are opportunity, choice, access, and freedom/mobility.
• When starting to form a coalition, contact several existing coalitions to learn first hand about the steps they took and the lessons they learned.
• Your local transit story is rooted in the character and identity of your coalition.
• Although not necessary, becoming a 501( c ) organization also gives you more credibility when approaching public officials, Members of Congress and community organizations to promote public transportation.