Grantee Question: How can grantees better engage their communities with ARRA projects?

The TAP team responds:
One of the key success factors of any ARRA-funded project is maintaining broad-based public support and recognition.  Engaging the local community with a positive communications strategy and publicizing information about energy saving projects, job creation, and smart growth, helps local and county governments build support for successful and sustainable clean energy programs into the future.

In some cases, a grantee’s communication strategy may be focused on alerting local citizens to the availability of funds, or is intended to attract potential borrowers considering residential retrofits to apply to a revolving loan program. 

Other grantees may wish to highlight the opening of a new bike lane or trail, or promote the launch of a utility partnership.The following strategies highlight approaches grantees are using to engage their communities and broadcast the success of their projects:

• Take advantage of local and regional events you are already participating in to showcase ARRA funded work that is already completed and having a positive effect in the community.  Appropriate events include ribbon cuttings, grand openings, conferences and fairs, among others.  If you are having an event, let us know about it and we will help you see if a DOE representative can attend the event.
• Use ARRA branding for signs and postings, which helps connect local efforts with the big-picture of job creation and national economic revitalization.  Details on using the branding can be found here:  http://www.energy.gov/recovery/documents/Recovery_Emblem_Guide.pdf
• Take a whole-neighborhood approach – whenever possible, target outreach efforts on a neighborhood level, which can help form lasting bonds among neighbors and local businesses. 
• Perform neighborhood sweeps of targeted areas, where city employees and volunteers knock-on doors to promote the ARRA funded activity.  These sweeps are sometimes linked with on-the-spot energy audits.
• Partner with established community centers and other trusted organizations to spread the message.  This is particularly important in communities that have been the target of predatory lending activity in the recent past.
• Partner with the local business associations like the Chamber of Commerce, who may be able to provide an appropriate forum to connect with the citizenry.
• Partner with an existing government agency known for the quality of its programs to help build credibility.
• Participate in your state Energy Corps program if one exists in your state – this volunteer based approach is based on the Americorp model.  If an Energy Corps does not already exist, start one!
• Post your success stories on the DOE Energy Empowers website.
• Make a request for FREE direct Technical Assistance and get advice from an expert – e.g., if you are setting up a revolving loan fund, experts contracted by the DOE can give you feedback on your brochure and application materials, provide links to other similar programs around the country, and generally discuss possible ways of attracting participants, at no cost to you.

If you have first-hand experience implementing any of these ideas, or want to add a community engagement strategy of your own, please comment below.

Interested in inviting a DOE representative to take part in an event?  Talk to your local Technical Assistance Regional Coordinator — a conduit to direct technical assistance, available to all EECBG grantees through DOE’s Technical Assistance Center (TAC).