Once you are clear on who you need to move and who can move them, you can build out your “inside/outside” strategy (see The Miami Story). An inside/outside strategy will help you move a policy agenda with actors positioned “inside” local government, such as agency staff, political allies, and aides, and people positioned “outside,” such as community leaders, business leaders, advocates, and faith-based leaders.

The right insiders can provide valuable details about how a system works and help you pinpoint the most effective ways to make a change and navigate around political landmines. Outsiders can help you build the political will and pressure to make the change. An inside/outside strategy will be particularly important for comprehensive, complex, or contentious changes.

It’s important to note that inside/outside strategies are not always easy, especially when the inside people being targeted for pressure are also collaborating with the outside people, as is often the case. Laying the groundwork for a productive relationship that has room for inside negotiations and outside pressure requires careful attention. It may mean avoiding the most extreme tactics while also making clear that it’s ok to disagree. In some cases, the inside parties can even be helpful in saying what kind of public pressure might be effective. Acknowledging that everyone is playing their role in good faith can help keep inside/outside strategies moving.

Begin by using the diagram below to assess the contributions of each partner you listed in the Alignment/Action diagram in the previous section. Contribution analyses like this help you identify how people can align their resources, relationships, and talents to achieve a collective result. Note whether each partner is playing an inside or outside role.

Look over the contribution analysis and see if anything you need to move forward is missing. Is there a regulatory process you need more help to understand? Do you need a lawyer to help draft model legislation? Do you need a funder to support an advocacy or organizing staff position?

Thinking Politically

Stakeholder	CLT Director	Community Organization Leader	Developer CEO
Relationship to Issue	Director of THE land trust in the market	Black-led organization focused on housing; North Square displacement narrative holder	Leading Community Development Organization association; was real estate agent in SE City – deeply steeped in issue
Contribution to result	Will need a land steward; will have to do a lot of work in land trust format	Takes up a lot of airtime; need that airtime to be in support of this initiative rather than against Potential contributor to pipeline	Identify, prepare buyers, providing down payment assistance, lead nonprofit developer contingent; Housing Development Organization Board Member
Preferred outcome	Not be a detractor or offline critic; are perceived as effective and capable land trust at scale	Give him all the money and let his organization do it all – market control	Many more Black homeowners; keen interest in Local Bay
Noblest values	Racial equity component Believes in land trusts as a solution	Commitment to North Square; historical anti-Black racism	Coalition builder, laser focus on supporting things that increase quality of life for Black folks Former Deputy Mayor – relationships, bringing people
Loyalties	Loyal to land trust model and organization	Loyal to family origin and historic activists/activism Loyal to community trying to support	Energy against the structural racism continues to see/experience
Potential Losses	Will attributed to organization; feels like they aren’t affirmed/recognized already – hard in coalition	Side credit for work, perceived loss of resources if not seen as organization’s win Grieving North Square cultural displacement	???
Hidden Alliances	Neighborhoods		Relationship with bankers and real estimate industry

For more information about contribution analyses, see the Center for Evaluation Innovation’s Contribution Analysis Tools.