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Fundamentals of Community Organizing
The Fundamentals of Community Organizing is George Goehl’s bedrock principles of organizing — the modern organizer’s bible, much as Shel Trapp’s Basics of Organizing was for George 30 years ago. Use these fundamentals to hone your craft and become a more effective organizer.
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Published March 4, 2024
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Displaying 1 - 3 of 3 reviews
January 1, 2025
useful
August 22, 2025
I picked up this book with a deep appreciation already forming for George Goehl’s work—first through his two podcast feeds, Fundamentals of Organizing and To See Each Other. Those podcasts gave me an entry point into his thinking and practice, but this compact volume brings it all together in a way that feels urgent, practical, and rooted in love for the people.
At just under 50 pages, Fundamentals of Community Organizing distills decades of organizing wisdom into a tool that is accessible without being simplistic. Goehl writes with a voice shaped by the field—someone who’s organized in the trenches, who’s sat in living rooms and across kitchen tables, who’s helped everyday people realize their power. His opening line, “I was raised by lions and trained by wolves,” signals the mix of poetics and pragmatism that follows.
The book walks us through the foundational elements of organizing—power, listening, agitation, seizing openings, winning small to build big, and building deep relationships. Goehl grounds his analysis in a deep respect for people and a firm belief in their ability to lead, but he does not romanticize. He draws clear distinctions between activism and organizing, reminds us that all organizing is reorganizing power, and affirms that organizers are not neutral facilitators—we come with a position, and we come to build power.
As someone organizing in a Black community on the Southeast Side of Chicago—and often operating in solidarity economy and cooperative spaces—I found this book particularly valuable. Too often, our movements treat “organizing” as a given, or as a thing for someone else to do. But every co-op, every timebank, every mutual aid effort is an association of people first. And people must be organized.
That’s why I bought 20 copies to distribute to my neighbors and members of our local association. I want them to read this. I want them to see themselves as the protagonists in the fight for our community’s future. Goehl’s writing provides a clear, compelling call to action: to prepare, to build base, to seize openings—not reactively, but with intentionality and love.
Whether you’re a seasoned organizer or someone who doesn’t yet see themselves that way but senses something must be done, this book is a powerful primer. It is both a map and a mirror. I give it five stars and consider it required reading for anyone serious about building grassroots power in this consequential moment.
At just under 50 pages, Fundamentals of Community Organizing distills decades of organizing wisdom into a tool that is accessible without being simplistic. Goehl writes with a voice shaped by the field—someone who’s organized in the trenches, who’s sat in living rooms and across kitchen tables, who’s helped everyday people realize their power. His opening line, “I was raised by lions and trained by wolves,” signals the mix of poetics and pragmatism that follows.
The book walks us through the foundational elements of organizing—power, listening, agitation, seizing openings, winning small to build big, and building deep relationships. Goehl grounds his analysis in a deep respect for people and a firm belief in their ability to lead, but he does not romanticize. He draws clear distinctions between activism and organizing, reminds us that all organizing is reorganizing power, and affirms that organizers are not neutral facilitators—we come with a position, and we come to build power.
As someone organizing in a Black community on the Southeast Side of Chicago—and often operating in solidarity economy and cooperative spaces—I found this book particularly valuable. Too often, our movements treat “organizing” as a given, or as a thing for someone else to do. But every co-op, every timebank, every mutual aid effort is an association of people first. And people must be organized.
That’s why I bought 20 copies to distribute to my neighbors and members of our local association. I want them to read this. I want them to see themselves as the protagonists in the fight for our community’s future. Goehl’s writing provides a clear, compelling call to action: to prepare, to build base, to seize openings—not reactively, but with intentionality and love.
Whether you’re a seasoned organizer or someone who doesn’t yet see themselves that way but senses something must be done, this book is a powerful primer. It is both a map and a mirror. I give it five stars and consider it required reading for anyone serious about building grassroots power in this consequential moment.
November 1, 2025
An easy 60 minute pocket read that any organizer should be able to reference. A good one to check before/after meetings or to help set course with a new group.
Displaying 1 - 3 of 3 reviews