The world of social media that we live in means that continual communication and transparency is good because you then develop long-term relationships with your constituents. Our new world also means that you can’t hide the ball. You can’t use marketing speak and emails to fundraise and then, when it counts, not to be there for your cause. And if you missed it, then you will get called on it and the best response is one that’s honest.

I was thinking about this this morning when I read Andrew Sullivan’s spanking of Human Rights Campaign. In the wake of the Prop 8 loss in California, which outlawed gay marriage, there is a lot of wondering, “How did we lose?”

Here’s a simple statistic that might help shake us out of complacency: HRC claims to have spent $3.4 million on No On 8. The Mormon church was able to spend over $20 million, by appealing to its members. Why are non-gay Mormons more capable of organizing and fund-raising on a gay rights measure than the biggest national gay rights group? I mean: they claim (absurdly, but bear with me) 725,000 supporters and members. In the summer, the major problem for No On 8 was insufficient early funding. If HRC had led, they could have thrown their money weight behind it. If every supporter had given $20 – chump change for the biggest ever battle yet for civil rights – they could have delivered $14 million overnight. So why didn’t they?

Why indeed.

This line really hit home:

“How many struggles do we have to wage with these people always, always failing to lead – before we demand accountability and reform? Losing a battle this important should mean, at least, the rolling of some heads. Or we have no accountability at all. What are we: the Bush administration?”

See what is happening here? A constituent is DEMANDING accountability from a non-profit organization. He doesn’t own this organization. He doesn’t sit on the Board of Directors. He isn’t the biggest donor. But he dares to demand that the organization be accountable to it’s issue and to its constituents.

Put yourself and your organization in this place. Are you accountable to your constituents and to your issue? If the hard questions are being asked will you have good answers? Ask the questions now, yourself, and if you are comfortable with the answers, then communicate this with your constituents now, honestly and forthrightly. Don’t make them show up at your door with pitchforks and torches.

Link [Andrew Sullivan]