SPAN offers accessible community-based trainings to support rural leaders and organizers across the Sierra. Whether you're running a local issue campaign, joining a commission, or building a coalition, we help you lead with clarity, strategy, and community.

Trainings That Build Local Power

Grow Your Skills. Grow Your Impact.

Thurman Roberts

Tribal Workforce Development and Training Coordinator

Calaveras Healthy Impact Product Solutions

"There was a lot packed into two days. For me the most influential take away was the importance of knowing where power comes into any and all interactions with people. Power in the sense of how to initiate chance, who has influence to do so, how to effectively work with that dynamic; this was solidified by role playing. As participants we fell right into our usual way of interacting but once it was highlighted and questioned, where is power dynamic I feel everyone realized, ok we new understand.

I thank you for this realization. Those who participated are definitely people I'll be working with in my future efforts."

Emily Markstein

Mammoth Lakes, CA

“I attended the Auburn community organizer training. I used the campaign spreadsheet and tools learned in the training to design a campaign for my local organization No Hot Creek Mine.”

Rebecca Campbell

Auburn, CA

"Great introductory workshop. Brief and informative-thank you! Presenters gave a great overview of the opportunities available, first-hand accounts of what folks can expect if they pursue serving and next steps to take.. our club would love to offer this training as a way to engage our members and give them an opportunity to not only do something but have real impact.

Thank you so much for putting this together.. as was mentioned this seems like the critical starting point for building a progressive minded bench of folks who can serve at varying levels. Look forward to seeing more trainings from your organization. This is the second training I attended that the CD3 Partnership put on and you all do an amazing job."

Tyx Pulstamp

$mall¢hange4BIG

Jackson, CA

“It was interesting to hear the reframe of organizers as constantly evaluating power and leveraging that power to accomplish their goals. I had never thought about power in this sense. The organizing I have done is more about instinct, desire, existing resources etc. Scaling goals would be easier with this approach. I will need to reorganize my own thinking in order to do so.”

Sheryl Rider

Foresthill, CA

"Very valuable info. I’d like to work with this group to bring the info to grassroots orgs."

Robbie DiPaolo

Mono Lake Committee, Restoration Field Technician

Lee Vining, CA

"The strategy chart component of the training seemed to most directly relate to my work and some of the advocacy campaigns my environmental NGO is focused on. I wonder if there are tribal representatives that would be interested in this kind of training."