Wiki_QA__##

background image Welcome to the Team!
Congratulations on being selected as a Content Writer for Convention of States. Your willingness
to step into this important role will help fulfill the mission of COS by building up the grassroots
army of educated and engaged citizens.

You have been entrusted with an incredibly important job - communicating the COS message.

The mission of Convention of States is to “Build an engaged army of self-governing grassroots
activists.”

We aim to grow a grassroots army large enough to not only call the first-ever convention of
states but also to drive the political and cultural narrative across all 50 states. We want to
see self-governance and liberty flourish in our nation and we believe the only way this will
happen is if good people like you get involved in the political and cultural battle. We want
to train you how to do this as effectively as possible.

Since it usually takes several attempts to pass our resolution in a state legislature, we just keep
growing the grassroots team and training more activists until we have enough influence to effect
the change and pass the resolution. Every additional person we educate, train, and get involved is
one person closer to victory! We often say, “There is no political problem that more grassroots
can’t fix.”

In this manual, you will find a wealth of information to equip you to handle most situations. It is
not intended to be all that you need. Rather, it should give you basic guidelines and principles for
you to use.

Some other sources of support and training you can use are

● **COSU University**: Specifically, there is a course for content writers here and another

course on digital communications here.

● Your State Team. In addition to your Regional Director, there are likely many seasoned

leaders on your state team who can help answer questions and provide support, direction,
and mentorship as you grow into this role.

● Our website. There is a vast amount of content you can look through on our website to

give you ideas and examples of content that is being used across our organization.
Important: As you start, take it one step at a time. When you have never done something
like this, learning to be an influential activist can initially feel overwhelming. Make sure
you stop and enjoy the feeling of being a part of something historic and monumental. You
are helping save the country for yourself, your loved ones, and generations of Americans.

● Make COS part of your weekly routine. Set aside time for COS and invest that time

weekly and monthly. You will be amazed at what you accomplished.

1

background image Important: As you get started, remember to take it one step at a time. Learning how to be an
effective activist when you have never done something like this before can feel overwhelming at
first. Make sure you take time to stop and enjoy the feeling of being a part of something historic
and of monumental importance. You are helping save the country for yourself, your loved ones,
and generations of Americans to come.

Make COS part of your weekly routine. Set aside the time you have for COS and invest that time
week after week and month after month and you will look back and be amazed at all you were
able to accomplish.

Your Responsibilities
As a State Communications Coordinator, you will be primarily responsible for leading a team of
volunteers to create and execute all aspects of statewide communications.

The SCC will work collaboratively and manage members of their state’s comms team. This team
consists of:

● Facebook Editors - Helps manage and post content for the State Facebook page

● Content Writers - Tasked with generating web content at least once per week.

● Social Media Warriors - SMWs go on targeted missions to support state strategy. SMWs

are tasked with reaching, teaching, and activating people for COS using the power of
social media.

● State Videographer - Gathers photos and video at important Convention of States Project

events in your state.

● Media Liaison - Communicates Convention of States Project state and national news to

journalists within the state and secures interviews.

Duties of the State Communications Coordinator include:

● Be the state comms team’s liaison to the state executive team. Proactively (at least once a

week) communicate with your state leadership team to stay up-to-date with state strategy
and identify promotional opportunities. You will need to know about upcoming events,
calls to action, and what plans the state team is working on.

2

background image ● Regularly communicate with your state comms team and direct them to take actions

based on the state’s goals and digital strategy.

● Manage state strategy for the COS website, including at least one new article per week

(i.e. local COS news, calls to action, and event RSVP pages).

● Assist in managing your state's Facebook page.
● Assist in creating state-level emails.
● Be active on the coscomms and state Slack teams.
● Attend calls involving state leadership and national comms training.
● Lead the weekly State Comms Team call. Be available to SCT members to support their

efforts and maintain organizational management of the SCT.

● Coordinate with State Videographers. You will communicate with them about current

projects and upcoming events.

● Coordinate with the Media Liaison. You will communicate with them about state

messaging, what local media outlets are being targeted, how this fits into the statewide
strategy, placing letters to the editor, etc.

● Coordinate with Facebook Editors: Is state-level content being posted regularly? Direct

him/her to post current, relevant state content. Follow COSU course directions.

● Coordinate with Social Media Warriors: Direct them to state-level missions.
● Coordinate with Content Writers and other content creators in your state to post content

to the website at least once a week.

○ Follow COSU course and CitizenBuilder training instructions

● Step into the gap whenever there is a need.

○ You should have Editor privileges on the Facebook page and create posts when

there is no active FB Editor.

○ When there is no available Videographer, appoint someone and coordinate with

them to get videos/photos at major events.

○ When there is no active writer, generate new content or task someone with doing

that.

Getting Started Task Checklist
Getting Started Checklist for State Communication Coordinators.

● Accept your email invite to Slack: A key form of communication is provided through a

tool called Slack, an instant messaging system. You will receive an email invitation to
join Slack and connect with the state and national team.

● Strategize with your State Director. Get to know him/her and get a handle on the state’s

communications needs and how you can help.

● Take the COS University course on the SCC position within the first two weeks after you

are assigned.

3

background image ● After going through the units on Facebook, obtain Facebook Editor permissions for your

state’s COS Facebook page by emailing ghumbertson@cosaction.com.

● Coordinate with any other Facebook Editors about when and what to post, i.e. one

Facebook post three times a week, etc. Establish clear expectations.

● Publish a post to your state Facebook page, perhaps a COS website link about

Convention of States news in your state.

● After taking the COSU units on posting content to the website, create a post in

CitizenBuilder and submit for review, with the help of another team member if necessary.

● Communicate with other content creators in your state to establish expectations and

communicate strategies.

● After taking the COSU units on email, use CitizenBuilder Messaging to send an email to

your state’s comms team.

● Call your State Videographers and inform them of upcoming events and video

opportunities. Since SC’s are often tasked with using their own equipment and traveling,
it may be wise to pace them. As with all of your team members, allow their creativity to
feed into the state’s strategy.

● Call your Media Liaison. Their advice will often prove invaluable. If they score a media

hit, like a letter to the editor, article, or radio interview, make sure that it is republished on
the website.

COS State Team Organizational Structure
We are a unique organization with thousands of new supporters joining every week. The
supporters for your state are placed in a database so that you can reach, teach and activate them
and then recruit them into leadership positions. Nothing excites and motivates people more than
receiving personal contact from those in an organization where they can put their efforts to work.
You will be trained to access the database and use our tools to help you and others personally
reach out to each supporter in your state.

You will want to start working with current members of your state team as quickly as possible.
Personal contact (face-to-face or on the phone) is essential to building a relationship with them,
which cannot be accomplished through email or technology. The goal is to turn members of your
team into knowledgeable, self-governing leaders who will contribute to our mission.

4

background image Your Team
Knowing the responsibilities of the other state comms team members is important for effectively
leading them. Below are the state-level comms positions with relevant expectations.

Facebook Editor

● Manage state Facebook page, including comments and engagement: instructions.
● Set goals for Reach, Likes, Engagement: i.e. 5% monthly growth.
● Post 3-7 times a week with state-level content, including calls to action, promo upcoming

events, grassroots success stories, memes, videos, volunteer applications, etc. Instruction\\ Video

● Respond to Inbox messages and comments Instruction Video.
● Promote media interviews with state leaders or national spokespeople that highlight the

state’s events and initiatives prior to the interview; AND then include a link to media hits
on the FB page after the interview.

● Know how to operate Facebook Live, look for opportunities to use. Instruction Video\\ ● Custom memes Instruction Video.
● Be active on the coscomms and state Slack teams.

5

background image ● Attend weekly calls with the State Comms Team (SCT).

Videographer

● Attends/covers events and volunteer stories and provides photos, if possible.

Videographer training video

● Upload raw footage to national, and/or provide a first cut.
● Shares footage with SCC and/or Facebook Editor to be shared on social media and

website.

● Is active on the coscomms and state Slack teams.
● Attends calls with the State Comms Team (SCT) and regular national State Videographer

call.

Media Liaison

● They are the official state media representatives
● Compile and maintain a list of media contacts within the state and state regions.
● Reach out to media contacts to offer COS spokespeople for commentary on local radio

shows.

● Active on the coscomms and state Slack teams.
● Attend calls with State Comms Team (SCT)
● Drafts media advisory/press releases with consultation from the State Director.
● Upon approval by the State Director, distributes releases to media outlets. Provides media

advisory/press release to the SCC for dissemination to the entire comms team so it can be
uploaded to the national news blog and state news blog.

Social Media Warrior

● Video training\\ ● Is active on the coscomms and state Slack teams.
● Attends calls involving the state communications team and weekly national SMW

training.

● Is active on social media promoting state activities.
● Works with SCC to take weekly messaging and events and turn it into content for social

media promotion.

● Is engaged with other social media warriors and provides commentary and responses to

news articles and social media opportunities to promote COS.

Content Writer

● Is the state’s writer, primarily for the weekly website content. Instruction Videos\\ ● Active on the coscomms and state Slack teams.

6

background image ● Attends calls involving the state comms team and national comms training.
● Turns volunteer stories into content for SMWs, MLs, and SCCs that help promote COS

externally.

● Creates high impact stories, news articles, and blog posts.
● Supports the other State Communications Team members in content creation.
● Ensures brand and voice consistency in all content created.

Legal Limits On Your Volunteer Activity
Convention of States represents a significant threat to the established powers in Washington,
D.C. They would love nothing better than to shut us down and silence our voices. We need to
keep our activities clean under the law to ensure they can't do that. As part of this, COS requires
all state leaders to complete the Legal Training Course at COS University.

Organizational Information
Who Are Citizens for Self-Governance, Convention of States Foundation, and Convention
of States Action, and How Are They Related to Convention of States?

Mark Meckler, a co-founder of the Tea Party Patriots, founded Citizens for Self-Governance
(CSG) to promote the ideals of the Tea Party beyond the partisan divide. CSG encourages the
principle of self-governance by educating citizens about their constitutional rights and defending
individuals and groups unjustly targeted by the government.

In August 2013, CSG founded the Convention of States Project to educate citizens about a
little-known but very potent power in Article V of the Constitution. Convention of States Action
(COSA) was created a little over a year later in late 2014 when it became clear that Convention
of States would require a massive legislative effort to get applications passed in 34 states.

In 2018, CSG filed to operate under the name Convention of States Foundation (COSF) to
establish more consistent messaging and make it clear how CSG was connected to the
Convention of States movement. CSG and COSF are just two names for the same organization.
CSG/COSF continues to be involved with COS by promoting the idea of a convention and
educating citizens about their constitutional power in Article V. Most of the COSis now under
COSA, which works to get the COS application passed in 34 states.

Why Have Two Different Organizations?

We have two different organizations because of how the IRS regulates nonprofit organizations.
The IRS allows different types of nonprofits to engage in different kinds of activity. According
to the IRS, COSF is a 501©(3) nonprofit organization, which means that it can educate people
about their constitutional rights but can’t promote legislation to protect those rights or get
involved in supporting or opposing candidates. COSA is a 501©(4) nonprofit organization
which can promote legislation and support or oppose some candidates as long as it does so in
accord with state and federal laws .

7

background image There are all kinds of technical differences between 501©(3) organizations like COSF and
501©(4) organizations like COSA. However, the main one you need to understand is that COSF
can’t promote legislation and absolutely can’t promote or oppose candidates, but COSA can.
COSA can talk to legislators about the COS application, collect petitions, host legislative
strategy sessions, and engage in other activities to promote the COS application. COSF cannot.

How Does This Affect You?
Most of your volunteer activity will be for COSA, so you won’t have to worry about the limit on
promoting legislation most of the time. But every so often, you may be asked to support or assist
with an event or activity sponsored by COSF. When working on a COSF event or activity, you’ll
need to remember that you can’t collect petitions, discuss legislative strategy, display COSA
materials or banners, or otherwise try to persuade people to support COSA’s specific application.
When working for COSF, you can educate people about their constitutional rights, including
those in Article V, and respond to frequent objections like claims that a convention would “run
away.”

One More Limit: No Campaigning under COSF!
Promoting or opposing political candidates is strictly prohibited for COSF and is only allowed
for COSA if specifically approved by the COSA National Legal Team. COSF cannot do any
campaigning ever. COSA can only campaign if it complies with many state and federal laws and
regulations governing campaign activity. As a COS volunteer, you can only tell people how they
should vote in the next election if you receive explicit permission from the national legal team.
You can’t send out an email to our volunteers in your district asking them to support a candidate,
oppose a candidate, volunteer for a candidate’s campaign, or join a political party. You should
not do anything even close to the line–don’t do anything that could be construed as supporting a
particular candidate or political party without checking with COSA’s Legal Team. The
prohibition against expressing a political view is an absolute rule that we strictly enforce because
any violation will jeopardize the organization’s nonprofit status.

If you want to do a limited campaigning effort in your state through COSA, please contact your
RD. The COSA Legal Team will check the laws in your state and determine if you can proceed.
If the Legal Team approves campaigning in your state, they will issue detailed instructions about
how to comply with the law. Make sure you carefully review these instructions before engaging
in any election-related activity

This restriction only applies when you actively volunteer for COS or use COS resources
(including the CitizenBuilder database). You are entirely free to support any candidates or
political parties you wish with your own time and resources.

Who Do I Contact If I Have Questions?
If you would like to get in touch with our legal team about specific questions, please reach out to
your State Director or Regional Director, who will be able to direct your inquiry to the right
place.

8

background image Continuing Education
We have many resources available. Here are a few to get you started:

● Our Resource Page is the best source to learn more, and we encourage you to visit often.
● Here are a series of short articles on various topics.\\ ● We have hundreds of educational and inspirational videos available on our YouTube

Channel.

● COSUniversity offers online training courses.
● Hundreds of research articles and historical documents can be found on our Wiki site.\\ ●

COS Briefing Book.

●

The Law of Article V by Robert G. Natelson

Personal Development
“If you want to grow and become the best person you can be, you’ve got to be intentional about
it. Many unsuccessful people who try to lead others have the mistaken belief that people will
follow them because their cause is good. But that’s not the way leadership works. People will
follow you when they believe in you.” - John Maxwell