Core Group Model

DO YOU HAVE A CORE GROUP?

By Annie Russell

There are four types of people who show up and continue to come to events as you are trying to get your group off the ground. In order to have the time and money you need to make your group a reality and get to the next step you need a sufficient number of these folks. However, no one can really tell you what that number is. It depends on what you need to get your group to the next step.

What is the next step that needs to be accomplished, and how much time and money will that take? Do you need to put an option on land or buy it, do you need to hire a developer, do you need to fund the costs for architect and other professional to take you through the entitlement process?

What kind of work needs to be accomplished by the group? You need people who will plan meetings, design flyers and other advertising, make coffee, talk to everyone they know and many other tasks.

Once you’ve made a quick analysis of these factors you will know approximately what you need to get your group to the next step. Now take a look at the folks who are showing up and figure out how many are in each category. Do you have enough folks in the right categories to get you to the step you’ve outlined above?

You need Pioneers to get your project moving and keep it moving. Here are the types of folks that are likely showing up at your meetings. Put some numbers to these categories in terms of number of people and time and money available in each category.

Pioneers:

Pioneers are willing to risk time or money or both to get this project off the ground. They may have limited resources in one of these categories but will give everything they can to help move the project along to the next step, and hopefully continue supporting the project as it moves forward. There are three types of pioneers.

Burning Soul

More than the minimum time and money to invest in this project. These people will eagerly contribute as much as they can to get the project moving. Make sure they don’t burn out.

Advocate

Time but little money to invest. These folks haveenough money to meet the minimum financial requirements to buy a home and are willing to jump in and help get things done.

Angel

Money but little time. These are not outside investors, but members of the group who want to live in this community when it’s built. They can contribute more than the minimum amount of money. They meet the minimum participation requirements, but for legitimate reasons can’t contribute anymore time.

*Spectator or Settler

Invests minimum time and money because they are hesitant to fully commit. They’re either not sure what they want, or not sure if the group will pull it off. They’re waiting in the wings to see how things will develop.

*Don’t count these people in your core group. They may decide to become core group members later by meeting the above criteria, but they won’t help you in the near term build your community. Keep in touch with them through a news letter or meeting announcements, but invest your time in looking for people who will fit in the first three categories.