# Political Action Hub Exemplars — Web Research

Research date: 2026-07-29  
Scope: Public-facing IA and home-page patterns for rebuilding [phyllisschlafly.com](https://phyllisschlafly.com) as an organizational action hub.

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## 1. Current phyllisschlafly.com

### Top-level navigation

Primary nav ([home](https://phyllisschlafly.com)):

| Item | URL | Notes |
|------|-----|-------|
| About | `/about-ps-eagles/` | Mission, issue planks |
| Events | `/events/` | Eagle Council, Collegians, regional dinners |
| Media | `/media/` | Radio, alerts, press, one-pagers |
| Archives | `archives.phyllisschlafly.com` | Separate subdomain |
| Contact | `/contact/` | |
| Shop | `store.phyllisschlafly.com` | External store |
| Subscribe | `store.phyllisschlafly.com/subscribe` | External |
| Donate | `store.phyllisschlafly.com/donate` | External |

Footer adds org depth not in primary nav: Staff, Locations, Internships, Partners, Phyllis legacy, and five publication categories (Report, Column, Radio, Pro America Report, Education Reporter).

### Home page structure

1. **Header** — logo only; no persistent Join CTA.
2. **"Topics" block** — one featured story, then a reverse-chronological article feed with 150×150 thumbnails, excerpts, and "Continue Reading" links. Categories include Constitution, Family, National Sovereignty, Daily Radio Commentaries.
3. **Sidebar** — Education Reporter promo button, legacy photo, short founder blurb with link to `/phyllis/`.
4. **Footer** — org links plus a full Publications column.

The home page has no hero for events, campaigns, membership, or chapter/local activity. Action content lives on subpages but does not rank on the home page.

### Organizational assets (buried but real)

- **Events** ([`/events/`](https://phyllisschlafly.com/events/)): Eagle Council 54, Collegians D.C. Summit, Naples luncheon, Pennsylvania dinners, Christmas festivals. Strong training/conference model.
- **Media** ([`/media/`](https://phyllisschlafly.com/media/)): Legislative alerts, amicus briefs, one-pagers, press releases, radio — action tooling, not just commentary.
- **Locations** ([`/locations/`](https://phyllisschlafly.com/locations/)): Phyllis Schlafly Center (Clayton, MO), Operations Center (Alton, IL), Capitol Hill office (Washington, DC).
- **About** ([`/about-ps-eagles/`](https://phyllisschlafly.com/about-ps-eagles/)): Issue planks (sovereignty, identity, Constitution, feminism, education) plus mission statement.
- **Archives** ([`archives.phyllisschlafly.com`](https://archives.phyllisschlafly.com)): Separate product with 4,491 documents — good separation of heritage from current ops.

### Strengths

- Nav already includes Events, Media, Shop, Donate — the right buckets for an action hub.
- Archives on a subdomain keeps historical content from crowding current org messaging.
- Events page sells flagship programs (Eagle Council, Collegians) with clear registration CTAs.
- Media page groups advocacy tools (legislative alerts, one-pagers, amicus briefs) separately from opinion columns.
- Physical presence is documented (three offices).
- Social links point to YouTube, Facebook, X, Instagram ([`@eagleforumeducationandlegal`](https://www.youtube.com/@eagleforumeducationandlegal)).

### What reads as "just a blog"

- Home page title area is **"Topics"** — blog taxonomy, not org mission.
- Above-the-fold content is a **chronological article river** with small thumbnails. No event hero, no action card, no join path.
- Publication types dominate the footer. Organization links are secondary.
- No **Join** or **Take Action** in primary nav. Eagle Forum's sibling site [`eagleforum.org/join`](https://eagleforum.org/join/) offers membership tiers; PSE does not surface this.
- Category URLs (`/constitution/`, `/family/`, `/national-sovereignty/`) frame the site as a magazine.
- Sidebar promos (Education Reporter, founder photo) feel like a 2010s WordPress blog layout.
- Shop/Donate/Subscribe leave the main domain — friction for conversion.
- "Media" and "Archives" compete with article feeds for attention without a clear hierarchy.

---

## 2. Exemplar table

| Site | Home hierarchy (top → bottom) | How articles rank | Chapter / local model | Donate / join | Video | Top-bar pattern |
|------|------------------------------|-------------------|----------------------|---------------|-------|-----------------|
| [**Eagle Forum**](https://eagleforum.org) | (1) Rotating Eagle Council promo bar → (2) Mission pillars hero (Life, Family, Religious Liberty, Border Security) → (3) Join CTA → (4) Eagle Forum Report feature → (5) Recent Updates mix → (6) Legislative Alerts → (7) Politics/Q&A → (8) Eagles in Action photos | Report newsletter is featured; blog-style "Recent Updates" is mid-page, below mission and join | National org + **state chapter network**; join page routes to state sites ([`/join/`](https://eagleforum.org/join/)) | Join ($25–$100 tiers) and Donate in footer; Council registration prominent | Interview embeds in content blocks | **Sticky promo bar** for Eagle Council 54 registration across pages |
| [**Turning Point USA**](https://tpusa.com) | (1) Movement hero (Charlie Kirk legacy) → (2) Latest & Upcoming **events** → (3) Campus stats (3,500+ schools) → (4) Student Programs → (5) Featured video shows → (6) News feed (last section) | News is **last major section** on home; labeled "News" not home hero | **Campus chapters** (900+ college, 1,200+ high school); [`/get-involved`](https://tpusa.com/get-involved) for chapter signup | Donate + Join Student Movement in get-involved flows | Heavy: Culture Apothecary, Prove Me Wrong, TPUSA Originals, Turning Point Tonight | Event-driven hero rotation (memorial stream, summits, AmericaFest) |
| [**SBA Pro-Life America**](https://sbaprolife.org) | (1) **Rotating hero carousel** (Declaration campaign, Gala, polling, Scorecard, Donate, Election Report) → (2) Inline donate widget → (3) Mission block → (4) Latest News (below fold) | News is **section 4+**; nav puts News **last** (after About, Impact, Resources, Take Action) | National + **student deployments**, voter contact program, endorsed candidates — not county chapters | **Donate** is top-nav item + hero slides; Take Action nav with events, petitions, fundraisers | Gala speech embeds, podcast | **Multi-slide hero** promoting campaigns, scorecard, donate — not articles |
| [**Moms for Liberty**](https://www.momsforliberty.org) | (1) **Rotating header banners** (store, SPLC response, AI academy, impact report, opt-out guide, membership) each with Join + Donate → (2) Tagline hero ("Parental Rights do not stop at the classroom door") → (3) WE ARE / WE BELIEVE / WE FIGHT identity blocks → (4) Find Your People (chapter finder) → (5) Start a Chapter CTA → (6) Liberty Shop → (7) Social gallery | **No article feed on home**; news lives in subpages and campaigns | **320+ county chapters** in 48 states; Chapters nav → Find My Chapter → county pages ([`/start-a-chapter/`](https://www.momsforliberty.org/start-a-chapter/)) | **JOIN THE FIGHT** + **DONATE** on every hero slide and sticky header | YouTube channel linked; podcast (Fire of Liberty) promoted in carousel | **Rotating campaign carousel** with paired Join/Donate CTAs on every slide |
| [**Heritage Action**](https://heritageaction.com) | (1) Scorecard hero → (2) "Fighting for America's Future" agenda → (3) Four action cards: Donate, Become a Sentinel, Take Action, Scorecard → (4) Newsletter signup | No article river; policy agenda and activism tools only | **Sentinel** grassroots program (national activist network) | Donate + Become a Sentinel are **equal hero cards** | Minimal on home; scorecard is the product | Clean single-message hero; no rotating bar |
| [**Americans for Prosperity**](https://afphq.org) | (1) "Reignite the American Dream" hero + Get Involved CTA → (2) Impact stats (advocates, chapters, doors knocked, victories) → (3) Priority action cards → (4) Get Involved block → (5) Email signup → (6) Newsroom (3 posts) → (7) Grassroots story videos → (8) Scorecard + Key Vote Alerts | Newsroom is **mid-to-late page**; action and stats come first | **State chapters** in all 50 states; localized Get Involved portal | Get Involved is primary CTA; subscribe for alerts | Grassroots Stories video section (3+ min each) | Single hero; no rotating bar |
| [**Family Research Council**](https://www.frc.org) | (1) Washington Watch **live broadcast** promo → (2) Washington Stand subscription CTA → (3) Featured issue article → (4) About FRC block with issue pillars | One featured article, not a feed; radio/broadcast leads | **State Groups** in About menu; national policy org | Donate in header; Store link | Washington Watch daily radio is **home hero** | Broadcast "LIVE NOW" treatment as hero |
| [**Live Action**](https://liveaction.org) | (1) Donate widget hero → (2) **Video carousel** (investigations, debates) → (3) Short article list (6 items) → (4) Mission / Founder / Investigations / Impact cards → (5) Get Involved paths (Life Defender, Events, Campus Chapters, Ambassadors, Fellowship) | Articles below video; **video is primary** | **Campus chapters** + Ambassador program + events | Donate widget is **first element**; monthly "Life Defender" program | YouTube-native; home is a video gallery | Video carousel auto-rotates investigations |

**Not selected:** [NRA-ILA](https://www.nraila.org) — strong action tools (state law lookup, alerts) but home reads as a legal/news wire. [FreedomWorks](https://freedomworks.org) — site returned errors during research.

---

## 3. Patterns to steal

### Information architecture

1. **Action-first nav order.** SBA orders: About → Impact → Resources → **Take Action** → News → Donate. PSE should add **Join**, **Take Action**, or **Get Involved** before any publications link.
2. **Separate "News" or "Insights" from "Media."** FRC keeps Washington Watch (broadcast) and News as distinct items. PSE already has a Media hub — route columns and radio there; do not let them own the home page.
3. **Chapter / local finder.** Moms for Liberty and Eagle Forum both center "find your people." PSE has Locations (offices) and partner orgs but no chapter map. A **Find Eagles Near You** or state-chapter directory would match the Eagle Forum model ([`eagleforum.org/join`](https://eagleforum.org/join/)).
4. **Campaign landing pages as first-class nav items.** SBA promotes Declaration of Independence for the Unborn, Scorecard, and voter contact as hero-level destinations — not blog posts.
5. **Keep archives off the home page.** PSE already splits archives to a subdomain. Maintain that pattern.

### Home page layout

1. **Hero = org mission + primary CTA**, not latest article. Eagle Forum: pillar values + join. AFP: dream + get involved. M4L: parental rights + join.
2. **Rotating promo bar or carousel for flagship events.** Eagle Council, Collegians Summit, and regional dinners should rotate in the hero — mirroring Eagle Forum's Council bar and SBA's multi-slide carousel.
3. **Impact stats block.** AFP shows advocates, chapters, doors knocked, legislative wins. PSE can surface Eagle Council attendance, states represented, alerts sent, amicus briefs filed.
4. **Action cards row.** Heritage Action's four-card pattern (Donate | Join/Sentinel | Take Action | Scorecard) maps directly to PSE: Donate | Join Eagles | Contact Congress (alerts) | Eagle Council Register.
5. **Programs section before articles.** TPUSA ranks Student Programs and campus stats above News. PSE should rank Collegians, Teen Eagles, Next Generation, and internships above columns.
6. **Articles as "Latest" section below the fold.** Label it Insights, Commentary, or From the Eagles — not "Topics."
7. **Video / radio block.** FRC leads with live radio. PSE should feature Pro America Report, daily radio commentaries, and YouTube — not bury them in footer publication links.
8. **Shop as merch/support, not main nav clutter.** M4L puts shop mid-page ("Liberty Shop"). PSE can keep store linked but demote it below Join and Events.

### Conversion

1. **Persistent Join + Donate in header** on every page (M4L, SBA, Eagle Forum).
2. **Membership tiers** like Eagle Forum ($25 / $50 / $100 with Report subscription).
3. **Inline donate on home** (SBA, Live Action) — not only an external store link.
4. **Email/alerts signup** paired with legislative alert content (AFP, NRA-ILA, Heritage Action).

### Top-bar / carousel pattern

| Pattern | Example | Fit for PSE |
|---------|---------|-------------|
| Single sticky event bar | Eagle Forum Council registration | Eagle Council 54, Collegians 2026 |
| Multi-slide campaign carousel | SBA, Moms for Liberty | Rotate Council, Collegians, donate, legislative alert |
| Live broadcast badge | FRC Washington Watch | Pro America Report when live |
| None (clean hero) | Heritage Action, AFP | Use if carousel feels too busy |

**Recommendation:** Start with Eagle Forum's single sticky bar for the next flagship event. Add a carousel only if multiple concurrent campaigns need promotion.

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## 4. Anti-patterns to avoid

| Anti-pattern | Why it feels like a blog/news site | Seen on PSE today |
|--------------|-----------------------------------|-------------------|
| Reverse-chronological article river as home hero | Visitor assumes "news site"; org mission is invisible | **Yes** — Topics feed dominates home |
| Category taxonomy in nav ("Topics", issue silos) | Magazine IA, not org IA | **Yes** — Constitution, Family, etc. as URL structure |
| Publication types in footer outweigh org links | Signals content publisher, not movement | **Yes** — five publication links vs four org links |
| "Continue Reading" / excerpt cards | Classic blog card pattern | **Yes** — all home items use this |
| No Join / Take Action in primary nav | Visitor cannot see how to participate | **Yes** — missing |
| External donate/shop with no on-site CTA | Feels like a content site with a store bolted on | **Yes** — store subdomain only |
| Sidebar widget column (ads, promo buttons) | 2010s blog layout | **Yes** — Ed Reporter button, filler image |
| Mixing press releases with opinion columns in one undifferentiated feed | Reads as newsroom | Partial — press releases exist but share the home feed |
| Leading with "Archives" or historical content | Museum, not movement | Mitigated by subdomain, but Archives is in primary nav ahead of action items |
| Featured single article as entire hero | Even one big story says "read this" not "join us" | Featured president announcement is news, not action |

### Sites that drift toward news (use with caution)

- **NRA-ILA** — useful for state law tools and alert signup, but home is a legal news wire with dated posts.
- **FRC** — strong org framing, but Washington Stand article promo can read as media outlet. Radio-first hero is the saving pattern.
- **Live Action** — video-first (good), but article list still visible mid-page. Acceptable because video dominates.

---

## Sources

All URLs accessed 2026-07-29 via public fetch:

- https://phyllisschlafly.com
- https://phyllisschlafly.com/about-ps-eagles/
- https://phyllisschlafly.com/events/
- https://phyllisschlafly.com/media/
- https://phyllisschlafly.com/locations/
- https://archives.phyllisschlafly.com
- https://eagleforum.org
- https://eagleforum.org/join/
- https://tpusa.com
- https://tpusa.com/get-involved
- https://sbaprolife.org
- https://www.momsforliberty.org
- https://www.momsforliberty.org/start-a-chapter/
- https://heritageaction.com
- https://afphq.org
- https://www.frc.org
- https://www.frc.org/washingtonwatch
- https://liveaction.org
- https://www.nraila.org