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The Community Organizing Assessment Tool encourages organizations to involve a variety of stakeholders in assessing its capacity to engage in community organizing along four capacity elements:
1) Internal operations, administration, and management
2) Community organizing skills
3) Fundraising and financial management
4) Participation in collaborations
For each capacity element, the tool allows organizations to rank themselves at one of four levels. Each level is described in detail in a straightforward and accessible manner, giving concrete example of the skills and capacities expected from a group at each level while also recognizing that groups may fit into different levels simultaneously.
Though no direct pathway to developing capacity is outlined in the plan, by having clearly delineated characteristics and skill sets defined for each level, the tool give organizational leaders a clear sense of the areas in which they are doing well and where they need to grow. | 
