Use When
Banks financing post-election interference or allied PACs; demand public support for certification safeguards and observer access.
Institutions profiting from opaque, conflict-ridden public contracts; require contract publication, rebids, and recusals.
Repressive-context example: lenders channel funds through fronts for international vote buying; insist on ownership disclosure and independent audits.
Instructions
- 1
Conduct Comprehensive Research: Map the target bank’s financial and political ties, focusing specifically on political contributions, contract financing, and beneficial ownership to establish a clear case for the action.
- 2
Draft Formal Demands: Create a concise one-page demand letter outlining specific requirements—such as full disclosure, contract rebidding, cessation of problematic funding, and independent audits—with clearly defined deadlines for compliance.
- 3
Build an Anchor Coalition: Recruit influential groups, including labor unions, faith-based organizations, student groups, and small businesses, to secure a broad base of support and establish a synchronized date for the mass withdrawal of funds.
- 4
Facilitate the Transition: Provide participants with a vetted list of alternative ethical institutions, such as credit unions or public-interest banks, along with comprehensive "switch kits" to minimize technical friction.
- 5
Generate Social Proof: Coordinate media coverage and encourage participants to share redacted transfer confirmations on social media to build public momentum and demonstrate the collective scale of the movement.
- 6
Escalate via Regulatory Channels: File formal complaints with relevant regulatory bodies and submit shareholder grievances to apply additional legal and institutional pressure on the bank’s leadership.
- 7
Monitor Progress and Re-entry: Launch a public dashboard to track campaign milestones and define a transparent path for re-entry once third-party verification confirms the bank has met all established benchmarks.
- 8
Provide Participant Support: Offer mutual aid or microgrants to help participants cover potential transition fees or overdraft costs while maintaining strict protocols to protect the privacy and personal data of all depositors.
Modern Examples
- Coordinated “Move Your Money” weekend: members shift checking/savings to credit unions and publish redacted confirmations.
- NGOs close treasury accounts and switch payroll to banks with verified governance standards.
- Faith coalitions withdraw endowments, announcing re-entry if audit and disclosure benchmarks are met.
Coordinated “Move Your Money” weekend: members shift checking/savings to credit unions and publish redacted confirmations.Participants
Individual
Yes
Thousands of depositors coordinated by a coalition (research, legal, comms), plus receiving credit unions/public-interest banks ready to onboard.
Helpful Materials
- Switch kit (account checklist, direct-deposit forms)
- Vetted ethical-bank list with fees/coverage, demand-letter templates, sponsor/advertiser outreach scripts
- Mutual-aid microgrant links for transition costs
- A public dashboard tracking deposits moved, disclosures released, audits launched, and re-entry status
References
Use of Action Playbook educational materials must adhere with Unruled Masses’ Terms of Service.
Stay Nonviolent. Coordinate Strategically. Take Back Your Power.