The funders want to see hard results - changes in policies, new jobs in the community, reductions in health hazards and more. The Importance of Developing Community Leaders. Any business, governmental unit, nonprofit organization, or foundation rises or falls with the quality of its leadership. For CO groups, the importance of identifying and developing responsive and effective leadership from the community cannot be understated. Hence, leadership development is critical.
Every member is encouraged to take leadership roles.
Members and leaders make all organizational decisions, from bylaws to slogans. Members raise and select organizational issues based on the self-interests of the group, and broad agreement among members is necessary before the organization will pursue an issue. Most grassroots organizations work on many issues at once. Decisions regarding strategy, tactics, and targets are made by leaders and members, using staff consultation. Pressure activities are implemented and evaluated by members.