Initiate Justice Action - Membership Optimization

Founded and led by people harmed by the carceral system, Initiate Justice Action mobilizes the power of people impacted by incarceration to advance progressive policies in California. The organization elevates the voices, priorities, and experiences of impacted Californians whose perspectives are often neglected in policy discussions.

Overview

With a grant from Progressive Multiplier, Initiate Justice Action developed a comprehensive membership value proposition and marketing strategy to grow their paid membership base. By creating clear messaging about membership benefits and streamlining their onboarding process, IJA built a foundation for sustainable growth while strengthening their connection to the communities they serve.

Key Strategies & Tactics

IJA's membership growth initiative consisted of several integrated components designed to clarify the value of membership while making it easier for people to join:

• Value Proposition Development: Creating clear messaging about why membership matters, emphasizing community leadership, skill building, political power, and the opportunity to drive criminal justice reform in California
• Marketing Asset Creation: Developing one-pagers, infographics, and recruitment materials tailored for different audiences including formerly incarcerated people, family members of incarcerated individuals, and community allies
• Website Redesign: Rewriting membership page content to connect the urgency of mass incarceration with the power of collective action, highlighting member wins like Prop 17 and current campaigns like ACA 4 Free the Vote
• Streamlined Onboarding: Redesigning the membership application and orientation process to clearly communicate member benefits including advocacy training, legislative co-governance, and candidate endorsement participation
• Merchandise Program: Developing an e-store with voter-based gear and apparel in collaboration with values-aligned designers to generate additional revenue while building visibility

Lessons Learned

• Connect Personal Experience to Systemic Change
  Messaging that acknowledged the diverse ways people are impacted by incarceration created multiple entry points for membership
• Make Benefits Concrete
  Specific examples of member activities and wins helped potential members understand what they would gain by joining
• Invest in Infrastructure First
  Building systems for data management, list sharing between c3 and c4 entities, and streamlined processes created the foundation for sustainable growth
• Lead with Values Before Asking
  Inviting people to endorse positions and engage with the work before soliciting membership dues built stronger relationships
• Clarify the Path to Impact
  Showing members how their participation directly influences policy advocacy and electoral strategies helped them see their role in creating change

Impact

The project established critical infrastructure for IJA to grow their membership program as a sustainable revenue source for their 501(c)(4) work. By articulating a clear value proposition that connected lived experience to political power, IJA created pathways for system-impacted people to lead on both policy advocacy and electoral strategies.

The new marketing materials positioned membership as more than financial support. Members gained access to monthly advocacy and community organizing trainings covering topics from hosting ballot parties to running for elected office. They learned to engage legislators, research candidates, and compile voter guides. This skill-building approach recognized that formerly incarcerated and system-impacted people bring essential expertise to criminal justice reform efforts.

The membership page redesign confronted visitors with stark realities. California's jails have been in federal receivership for 18 years for failing to provide constitutional levels of care. The state has the highest prisoner suicide rate in the country. For site visitors, the message was direct: if you are recently returning or you have been out for a while, if your loved one is incarcerated or you are looking to counteract the devastating effects of state-sponsored violence in your community, this membership is for you.

IJA's emphasis on co-governance meant active members would vote on both the policy platform and candidate endorsements. This structure created accountability to the communities most affected by carceral policies. The project laid groundwork for IJA to track membership conversion rates longitudinally, comparing results before and after the summer 2024 launch of their new marketing assets.

By building this foundation during a period when both their c3 and c4 organizations were restructuring, IJA demonstrated commitment to financial sustainability even amid organizational complexity. The work positioned them to reduce dependency on institutional funding that can shift with political climates, creating a more stable base for their advocacy work in California's 2024 election cycle and beyond.