Community Resource Directory
This space is normally devoted to the Community Resource Directory (CRD), a "directory" of news and information about the activities of local grassroots groups and human service organizations. This month, however, AGENDA is devoting this space to explaining to the general public WHAT the Directory is and HOW groups can publicize their activities in it. Please clip these guidelines out and keep them handy for future reference. Also, make sure to check AGENDA'S own listing in the Community Resource Directory every month for guideline updates and revisions.
WHAT s the Community Resource Directory? The mainstream press does not always adequately "cover" events in the local progressive community. AGENDA gives the activist community the chance to "cover" itself. The CRD exists for that purpose. It is a place where activist groups can tell the public what they're doing and how to get involved.
The Directory is a practical guide to the local political maze for both activists and the general public. It gives the purpose of the organization and the information needed to attend their events, use their services or become a member.
To this end, we encourage activist groups to publicize their activities in this space so that the general public is made more aware of the activities available to them. We will not necessarily agree editorially with everything printed here, but believe that the open form promotes action and participation which are good for our community. It is the CRD's express purpose to encourage social responsibility and to provide a way for people to find their way into the sociopolitical process.
HOW can a group get listed in the Community Resource Directory? Many readers get mad as heck when they hear the latest news from Central America, the Middle East, or South Africa. Many readers are also very disturbed by local concerns like the affordable housing crisis, racism in our schools, and the quality of our drinking water (to name a few.) The Directory exists to provide a conduit for that anger and frustration. When people get mad enough to do something, then the Directory is there to point them in the right direction - to a meeting, to a protest, to crisis intervention training - to organizations working for social change and justice.
The Directory is written entirely by individuals from the represented groups and is subject to little besides stylistic editing. AGENDA suggests a certain format but is open to the needs of each group wanting to participate. The format calls for each group to define its purpose, goals, philosophy and strategy as background material to their "current news." Other background categories include community services, organizational structure, meetings and membership.
While the background material may stay the same for every issue, the "current news" section must be fresh and constitute 75% of the total listing. AGENDA has been lax on this requirement in the past and has received numerous complaints of too much repetition in the Directory. With this in mind, we must insist that "current news" be 75% of any listing in the future.
"Current news" is defined as news appropriate for the month of publication. It should be in narrative form and include details about recent activities and events planned for the future. If your group held a successful protest, letter-writing campaign, or even a bake sale in the recent past, the Directory is the place to tell the public about it. If your group is planning a march, needs volunteers and new members (and what group doesn't?) the Directory is a great place to make those needs known.
FORMAT & FEES: The format of the Directory has changed over the past two years and will continue to evolve as time goes by. The following list is a set of our present standards. Please stay tuned to AGENDA'S monthly CRD listing each month for updates.
1. There is a $20 charge for each Directory listing up to 2000 characters (about 1 1/4 pages, typed and double-spaced). Each additional character is one cent; please do not exceed 4000 characters. (Our computer measures characters, not words. The total character count will appear at the end of each listing and the organization will be billed accordingly.)
2. Each listing should have some elements of the following FORMAT: a) Statement of purpose: One or two paragraphs. b) Meetings: topic, place, time, and phone. We'll automatically get meetings into the calendar if provided with enough information. c) Services: Give the basic information on your services and instructions on how to use them. d) Current news: This section is your space to publicize and talk up your current work. If you need volunteers, want people to attend something, to let people know who to write or just want to keep the public informed on what your group is thinking, write it here. e) Events for the month: Please follow our calendar format: date, event, sponsor, one to two sentence explanation, time, place, telephone. This part of the listing will end up in the calendar.
3. We prefer to receive listings on microfloppy disc. There is incredible access to Macintosh computers on campus for students. Of course this is not mandatory, but if you can possibly get it on disc, it saves us the retyping.
4. 75% of your listing must be new material each month. You should consider the CRD an ongoing conversation with your readers. It is to the benefit of your group to provide new and up to date information. With this depth of information you can expect more participation in your activities and an increase in your membership.
5. The deadline for your listing is the 15th of the month prior to the month of publication For example, the deadline for the May issue is April 15th. Either mail or drop listing at 202 E. Washington, #512 , Ann Arbor, Ml 48104.
AGENDA is your paper. We invite you to participate in whatever capacity you feel suits your organization. We are always looking for articles on topics that aren't covered by the mass media, for different viewpoints and for educational information. Also, don't forget to let us know about events that we should be covering. If we print an error or you feel misrepresented, let us know and we'll correct it. And please let us know what you like and don't like. We don't always have enough perspective, although we certainly try! Please encourage members of your group to subscribe to AGENDA. The $20 charge for Directory listings does not represent the cost of the CRD to us; we intend it as a service to the community and hope you will support us in return.