Climate Showcase Communities
    Local Climate and Energy Program
                                 Effective  Practices for Implementing Local
                                 Climate and  Energy Programs:
                                 Working  with Institutional Partners
 Lessons Learned by Communities for Communities
 The views expressed in this document are those of the Climate Showcase Communities grant recipients. U.S. EPA does not endorse any
 products or commercial services mentioned.
WHAT IS IT?
Partnering with organizations, such as other jurisdictions, utilities, complementary
programs, community-based organizations, and others, can help you implement your
program and achieve your collective goals.
WHY DO IT?
•   Institutional partnerships extend your program's reach and effectiveness, and can give
    you credibility with a broader range of audiences.
•   Partnerships allow sharing of best practices and fill gaps in capacity and services.
•   Partners can provide access to new audiences, outreach and education opportunities,
    and potentially new sources of funding.
WHAT WORKS?
•   Focus on networking and ongoing relationship building (for example, through in-person
    meetings, social events) with people in organizations who have the time, resources, and
    interest to work with you.
•   Understand partners' goals, skills, and constraints.
•   Identify common goals and opportunities.
•   Identify what your program offers partners. Help them fill gaps in their capacity and
    services.
•   Set clear expectations and roles. Formalize commitments and collaboration in writing, if
    needed.
•   Collaborate on cohesive messaging and watch for inconsistencies.
WHAT SHOULD YOU WATCH OUT FOR?
•   Ensure that partners are sharing accurate information about your program.
•   Recognize that your partners may have varying levels of experience.
•   Recognize that interest  can wane if partners are not seeing the value.
•   Anticipate competing agendas or priorities between your organization and your
    partners.
•   Recognize that well-established programs may not have the flexibility to work with
    alternative or progressive programs and/or approaches.
•   Anticipate that managing partnerships can be time intensive.
WHAT RESOURCES HAVE PROJECTS FOUND TO BE USEFUL?
•   EPA's Local Climate Action Framework, Reach Out and Communicate phase:
    www.epa.gov/statelocalclimate/local/implementation/communicate.html
                                                                   "You can gain new
                                                                   contacts, knowledge, and
                                                                   networks through working
                                                                   on a project with new
                                                                   partners."
                                                                   Climate Showcase Communities
                                                                   program lead

                                                                   "You can make a 'crazy
                                                                   quilt' of possible resources
                                                                   seem saner for the
                                                                   customer."
                                                                   Sarah, Cold Climate Community
                                                                   Solutions, Duluth, Minnesota
£EPA
United States
Environmental Protection
Agency
                                          April 2015
EPA-430-F-15-020

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