Starting a PoD

Gather a Core Group and Set Shared Goals

Mutual aid is a team effort. Find a few like-minded people who are passionate about mutual aid – these could be friends, coworkers, fellow students, or folks you met while scoping community issues. This initial core group need not be large; even a handful of committed people can launch a project. Hold an open meeting or a series of conversations to discuss what you want to do and why. In these early meetings, work together to define the group’s purpose and shared goals. For example, is your aim to provide free meals in a certain neighborhood? To run a winter gear drive for unhoused people? To form a tenants’ support network? Clarify the scope so everyone is on the same page.

It’s also crucial at this stage to talk about values and principles – how you intend to work together. Dean Spade highlights the slogan “No Masters, No Flakes” as a guiding principle for mutual aid groups. “No Masters” means the group rejects hierarchy; no one person should dominate or act as “the boss.” Decisions will be made collectively and everyone’s input valued (more on this below). “No Flakes” means everyone commits to being reliable and accountable to the work. In practice, this looks like members showing up when they say they will, following through on tasks, and being honest if they need help or can’t complete something. By setting this tone of both horizontal leadership (no masters) and accountability (no flakes) from the outset, you establish trust. A clear, shared understanding of your mission and ways of working will align the group and prevent misunderstandings down the road. Document your goals and principles in a simple statement or notes so new members can easily grasp them too.

Structure the Group for Participatory Decision-Making

Designing a democratic, inclusive structure from the beginning will help your mutual aid group flourish. Choose a decision-making process that maximizes participation. Many mutual aid groups opt for consensus or modified consensus, where the goal is to hear all voices and find solutions acceptable to everyone, rather than out-voting each other. This can be time-consuming with larger groups, but for a small core it works well and builds trust. You might also agree on using majority votes for some decisions or forming subgroups that report back – the key is transparency and inclusion.

Make sure roles and responsibilities are shared, not concentrated in one or two people. Early on, it’s easy for the most active or outspoken person to inadvertently become the “leader” who makes many decisions; resist this by consciously distributing tasks and leadership. For example, if your goal is to run a free food pantry, you could have one team handling food sourcing, another managing distribution logistics, another doing outreach, etc., with all teams coming together to make major decisions. Encourage rotation of roles so that skills and knowledge spread to everyone, and no one burns out in one position.

Create clear channels for input: invite ideas and feedback from all members regularly, perhaps in weekly meetings or via a group chat or email list. When people get to participate in decision-making and feel co-ownership of the project, they are far more likely to stay committed over time. Conversely, if members feel their opinions don’t matter or they have no say, they will drift away. Thus, building transparent decision-making structures is crucial to keep your group healthy and growing.

Write down how decisions are made (consensus, vote, who is facilitator, etc.) and make sure everyone knows how to get involved in that process. This might involve training yourselves in facilitation or consensus if you’re new to it – investing in these skills pays off in smoother meetings and more empowered members. Remember that a strong participatory structure not only helps internally; it also signals to your community that this project truly belongs to them. Invite the people you’re serving into the decision-making as much as possible. For instance, if your mutual aid group delivers groceries to elderly neighbors, have those neighbors advise on what foods are needed or how delivery should work. Treat them as partners, not clients. This keeps the project rooted in real needs and avoids slipping into a charitable mindset. As one of Dean Spade’s guiding questions asks: “Who controls our project? Who makes decisions about what we do?” – the answer in mutual aid should be the participants themselves, collectively.

Establish Outreach Strategies

Develop an outreach plan to involve the wider community. Mutual aid thrives by mobilizing as many people as possible, both to contribute and to receive support. Start by spreading the word about your group’s mission and activities. Use multiple channels: social media pages, flyers or posters in the neighborhood, announcements at community centers, faith organizations, local libraries, or schools. If you have the capacity, knocking on doors or making phone calls can be extremely effective to personally connect with people who might need assistance or want to volunteer. Emphasize that everyone can join in – whether someone needs help, can offer help, or both. For example, you might circulate a flyer saying “Community Help Network – Neighbors helping neighbors with grocery deliveries, errands, and support. Need help or want to help? Contact us!” in relevant languages for your area.

Be accessible. Provide multiple ways to reach your group (phone number, email, social media). Assign a person or two to monitor these channels so that when someone reaches out, they get a prompt, warm response. Outreach is not a one-time thing; keep engaging new people and re-engaging folks who’ve connected before. As your project starts delivering services or aid, showcase those efforts (with consent and without exploiting anyone’s privacy). For instance, share stories of what you’ve accomplished together: “Last week, our network delivered 50 free meals to neighbors in need – join us to continue this work!” This can inspire others to get involved. It’s also valuable to connect with other mutual aid or grassroots groups in your area. Building relationships with established community organizations can amplify your outreach. They might refer people to you, co-host events, or share resources.

Since mutual aid values openness, make new volunteers feel welcome when they step up. Have a simple orientation or welcome process: explain the group’s goals, how your meetings or tasks work, and invite their questions and ideas. A welcoming, inclusive culture will encourage volunteers to stick around and tell their friends. On the flip side, ensure that community members who need support know they can come to you without fear. Make privacy and respect a part of your communication – for example, if undocumented neighbors or others wary of authorities are in your community, emphasize that you won’t collect unnecessary personal data or involve the police or government in your aid efforts. This reassurance is key to reaching those most in need, who might otherwise shy away from offers of help.

In summary, keep information flowing within your group and outward to your community. Regularly ask yourselves: Is everyone informed?, Who else can we reach? Maintaining solid communication practices as you grow will help avoid chaos and keep the network responsive.