Tools and Tactics are replicable templates Connectors can use to multiply and amplify action and collaboration in their communities. We find they also make for great stories about people all over the world who are promoting good in interesting ways.

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A great thing about the Idealist Network is that everyone brings their own skills, connections, and knowledge to the table. A great thing about Google Docs (or even a spiral notebook) is that they allow you to use a simple template to create an inventory of all these resources. Share the knowledge, Team!

Below, Connector (and Idealist video producer) Liz Morrison of the Brooklyn, New York Team tells us a little about her experience starting such a resource inventory.

Team Brooklyn. Liz is on the left.
(photo courtesy Liz Morrison)

Q: What’s been the biggest challenge of creating or maintaining your resource inventory and how have you addressed it?

A: The biggest challenge has been getting people to start using it! I’ve mentioned it at meetings, posted it on our Team page’s discussion board, and talked it up to every Brooklyn and New York Connector I’ve met. We’ve started to see people filing out the first sheet with contact information, which is great and helpful. But the next step is to get them to complete the info in the other tabs—that includes memberships/affiliations, meeting locations, and existing action resources.

In order to continue growing this document, I’ll keep giving friendly reminders about it at meetings and explaining the various information categories people can contribute to; post it again on our discussion board; and maybe print a paper copy for people to fill out on-the-spot at our next meeting. Hopefully as more Teams start creating their own resource inventories (like San Diego), more Connectors will learn about the concept and start using it as a matter of course!

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To learn more, read the Tool and Tactic here. Interested in becoming a Connector? Get started here!