Over the past few years educators have been faced with both unprecedented challenges and exciting new opportunities. Whether it’s fighting attacks against public education, standing up for social and educational equity, bargaining a local contract, or winning a school board campaign, strong organizing is the cornerstone of building union capacity and of any successful local chapter campaign.
The CTA Organizing Plan was developed to support local chapter organizing in three core areas: Strong Local Unions and Organized Sites, Community Organizing for Public Education, and CTA Structures: Data and Alignment of Resources.
This CTA grant program provides release time to local union presidents to lead and carry out a site-based organizing program within their chapter. All local chapters that meet the criteria, are willing to do site-based organizing work, and submit a timely application will be accepted into the program.
The program will launch in January 2024 and run through June 2025 in three semester programs: Spring 2024, Fall 2024, and Spring 2025. Presidents will have the opportunity to apply for and join the program at the start of each new semester.
The deadline to apply for the Spring 2024 has passed. Applications for the Fall 2024 semester will open in the spring.
- Grant Guidelines and FAQs
- Guidance on Requesting Release Time
- Local President Release Time for Organizing Grant Reimbursement Form
- Informational Flyer
Local presidents currently on full-time release cannot apply for additional release time through this program. They may submit for Organizing Project support instead. More details are forthcoming.
The Organizing Plan offers resources that include training opportunities, worksite and chapter organizing checklists, and local planning worksheets to support chapter leaders as they build their organizing program. View individual resources or download the full toolkit using the button below.
Regular conversations with members are key to good organizing and regular site visits are the most effective way to accomplish this. The Plan offers tools and training opportunities to help leaders conduct successful site visits. View individual resources or download the full toolkit using the button below.
- Overview: Planning a Site Visit Program
- What Does a Site Visit Plan Look Like?
- Site Visit Checklist
- Site Visit Planning Worksheet ( PDF · Word )
- Sample Tracking Sheets ( PDF · Word )
- Site Visit Conversation Tracker ( PDF · Word )
- Sample Meeting Agenda & Talking Points
- Training for Site Visit Team
- Select Readings/Case Studies for Discussion
The Organizing Plan offers new grants to facilitate release time for strategic planning sessions, meeting expenses, and site visits. These new grant opportunities are in addition to already existing member engagement grant opportunities.
- Grant Guidelines
- Organizing Grant FAQs
- Online Grant Application
- Local Planning Grant Application ( Apply Online · PDF Copy )
- Local Site Visit Grant Application ( Apply Online · PDF Copy )
- Sample Release Time Letter
- Local Planning Grant Expense Reimbursement Form
- Site Visit Grant Expense Reimbursement Form
- Member Expense Guidelines