No. TWM is non-partisan, meaning that we work with anyone aligned with us on a particular issue, and that can change issue by issue, and over time. We like to say we have no permanent allies, and no permanent opponents. We will not endorse or oppose a political party or candidate for office.
Yes! Politics IS the process by which people organize themselves to live in a civil society.
Politics is different from partisanship (loyalty to a specific political party). Politics includes elections, but also includes the many other ways we organize and make decisions about our life together as a community.
The term “politics” has gotten a bad reputation in some circles today, but participating in relationships with others and shaping the life and future of our community IS political engagement. It is a responsibility we all have, and part of what it means to be human.
TWM has a practice of listening deeply and regularly to each other; that’s how we develop relationships and build trust. Through one-on-one relational meetings, neighborhood walks, small-group house meetings, and large-scale listening campaigns, we learn about the pressures on our families and identify problems in our community, along with the leaders and potential leaders that want to act on them.
TWM is a democratic (with a small “d”) organization, so we value decision-making by the group as a whole. Institutional representatives stay in conversation with each other regularly to share the interests of their members and make proposals for issue work. After large scale listening campaigns we hold an Issues Assembly to clarify and prioritize an issues agenda with dozens of our members. We also hold a Delegates Assembly multiple times a year, where delegations from all of our member institutions publicly approve and commit to the business of the organization, including what issues to address.
A unique principle of our broad-based organizing is the focus on institutions as the basis of power. Power is institutional in nature, so we organize institutions to build power together. Through member institutions, we can reach and engage large numbers of community members who are already organized and in relationship with one another. The durability of institutions also helps build a longer lasting organization. Our emphasis will always be on working as a collaboration of institutions, but we welcome individuals who have a heart for this approach to social change and want to participate. (To hold a leadership role, an individual must be from a dues-paying member institution in good standing.)
Social service agencies, labor unions, neighborhood associations, advocacy groups, parent groups at schools, faith communities, and more! Many of our members are religious institutions, who are accustomed to collective activity and people-centered ministry. And, we intentionally seek to broaden our base of institutions outside of the faith community to better reflect who our community is.
TWM is a non-profit social welfare organization under the 501(c)(4) section of U.S. tax law. As a 501(c)(4), we engage in public policy advocacy, community development, lobbying and political activity for the promotion of social welfare.
Our sister organization, the TWM Education Fund, is a nonprofit charitable organization formed under Section 501(c)(3) of the tax code. TWM EF focuses on training and education to equip ordinary people to be effective participants and leaders in their community.
Donations to TWM, where most of our advocacy work takes place, are not tax-deductible by law. Donations to TWM EF are tax-deductible.
We believe that leaders are made, not born. The national network that TWM is an affiliate of, the IAF (Industrial Areas Foundation), has been teaching ordinary people the skills to make social change for more than 60 years. TWM Education Fund passes on this body of knowledge by offering institutes, workshops, and opportunities to attend national training about broad-based community organizing, understanding local power dynamics, and pursuing citizen-led policy solutions. The work of TWM offers ongoing opportunities for individuals to discover their potential as leaders in their communities, with the support of an IAF trained community organizer.
