You had an idea: bring people together, create connections, and make something amazing happen. But now, you’re juggling emails, planning events, and wondering how to keep it all going—and it’s starting to feel overwhelming.
At first, things are manageable. A small group of people, a shared vision, and a bit of structure to get things rolling. Then, the challenges start piling up:
• How do I get more people to join us?
• Why is it always me running everything?
• Where will the funding come from to keep this going?
• What system do I use to manage it all without chaos?
Suddenly, your simple idea feels more like running a business—and you’re left wondering how it got so complicated. That’s where the More Human Community Framework can help.
What Is the More Human Framework for Community Organisers?
The More Human Community Framework is a simple tool to help you diagnose where your group needs help and focus your energy on what matters most.
Whether you’re just starting out or already running an established community group, this framework can give you clarity and direction. It breaks down the challenges of community organising into four key areas, or quadrants:
Seek, Serve, Sustain, and Structure
Each quadrant represents a core challenge and opportunity for your group:
• Seek: Attracting new members.
• Serve: Delivering experiences that keep members engaged.
• Sustain: Securing the resources (people and money) needed to keep things running.
• Structure: Putting systems in place to stay organised.
By understanding where your group fits within this framework, you can focus on the areas that need the most attention and make a real impact—without feeling overwhelmed.
The Four Quadrants of the Framework
Let’s take a closer look at each quadrant and what it means for your group:
1. Seek: Strategies to Attract New Members to Your Community
The Seek quadrant is all about growth. Whether you’re trying to recruit new members or bring fresh faces to your events, this is where your outreach and marketing come into play.
Example:
• If attendance at your events is low or your group feels stagnant, it’s time to focus on Seek.
• Strategies might include leveraging word of mouth, creating social media campaigns, or designing posters to put up in local hotspots.
Once you’ve attracted new members, the next challenge is keeping them engaged—that’s where Serve comes in.
2. Serve: Deliver Great Member Experiences That Make Them Stay
Once people join your group, how do you keep them coming back? The Serve quadrant focuses on the quality of the experiences you deliver—whether it’s an event, a meeting, or an online gathering. This is where the magic happens: your events, gatherings, and activities bring your mission to life.
Example:
• If members are dropping off or don’t seem enthusiastic about participating, the issue likely lies in Serve.
• Think about how to make your events more inclusive, engaging, and valuable.
With members coming back, you’ll need resources to sustain your group. Let’s explore Sustain next.
3. Sustain: Secure Funding and Volunteers to Keep Your Group Thriving
The Sustain quadrant is about the resources you need to keep your group alive and thriving. This includes finding funding and building a volunteer base.
Example:
• If you’re feeling stretched thin—juggling tasks on your own or struggling to fund activities—it’s time to focus on Sustain.
• Solutions might involve applying for grants, running a fundraiser, or encouraging more people to take on leadership roles.
With resources in place, the next step is ensuring your group runs smoothly—enter Structure.
4. Structure: Stay Organised with Better Systems
Behind every successful community group is a strong foundation of systems and tools. The Structure quadrant is all about creating those foundations, so you can spend less time managing chaos and more time building connections.
Example:
• If your group feels disorganised or you’re constantly scrambling to keep track of things, Structure is your starting point.
• Imagine you’re juggling spreadsheets, email threads, and a paper sign-up sheet for your events. Switching to a tool like Alfi can save hours of time, help you track attendance, and simplify communications—so you can focus on your community, not the admin.
Quick Recap: How the Framework Can Help You
Here’s how the four quadrants work together to support your group:
• Seek: Attract more members and grow your group.
• Serve: Deliver great experiences to keep members engaged.
• Sustain: Secure funding and support to keep things running.
• Structure: Get organised and save time with better systems.
Why the Framework Works
The More Human Community Framework isn’t just simple—it’s actionable. Here’s what it can do for you:
• Help you focus on specific, solvable challenges instead of feeling overwhelmed.
• Clarify your next steps, whether you need new members (Seek), better events (Serve), sustainable funding (Sustain), or organised processes (Structure).
• Save time and energy by helping you prioritise what matters most.
• Grow your confidence as an organiser and your group’s impact in the community.
At More Human, we created this framework to help organisers like you. We believe that stronger communities start with better-equipped organisers—and that’s exactly what the framework is here to do.
How to Use the Community Framework to Grow Your Group
Using the framework is simple:
Identify your biggest challenge: Which quadrant do you struggle with most?
Focus your energy: Start with that quadrant and take small, specific actions.
Reassess regularly: As you address one area, another might need attention.
The Framework in Action
Let’s say you’re running a book club. Your events are lively and engaging, but you’re struggling to grow beyond your core group of members. That’s a Seek problem.
To address it, you could:
• Ask members to bring a friend to the next meeting.
• Create a simple Facebook page to reach more people.
• Post flyers at your local library or café.
By focusing on Seek, you’ll bring in new faces—and eventually, you can shift your attention to another quadrant, like Sustain, to ensure you have the resources to support your growing group.
Next Steps
This is just the beginning. Over the coming weeks, we’ll dive deeper into each quadrant of the framework, sharing actionable tips and real-world examples to help your group thrive.
In the meantime, take a moment to reflect:
• Where does your group need the most help right now? Seek, Serve, Sustain, or Structure?\
We’d love to hear your thoughts—let us know in the comments!
And if you’re ready to simplify your community organising right now, check out Alfi, our friendly event assistant. Alfi was built with the Community Framework in mind, helping you manage all four quadrants with ease. Try it free for two months and see how much easier your organising can be!
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