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This chapter provides a description of the potential role of broad-based community organising in the promotion of adult literacy. Broad-based community organising is defined as a deliberate attempt to 'cross lines of race, class, religion, and geography to build organisations with sufficient power to stand for the whole and address 'common-good issues' in local communities'. It is suggested that this is achieved by connecting 'mediating institutions' such as neighbourhood and other voluntary associations. The role of adult literacy as one key part of the effort to improve the quality of life is identified and broad-based community organising is located within emerging theory and research on 'social capital'. The ways in which social problems are brought to public attentions and resources attracted are outlined and suggestions are made as to how to implement a city-wide, broad-based organising effort on behalf of adult literacy.