Community and Labor Engagement
DOE INSTRUCTIONS
Community and Labor Engagement: The Community Benefits Plan must identify and describe the State’s (ALRD) applicant’s (FOA) actions to date and its future plans to engage with historically underrepresented parties, including but not limited to Tribal governments, labor unions and community stakeholders – such as local governments, Tribal governments, labor unions, and community-based organizations that support or work with underserved and rural communities, including disadvantaged communities. Disadvantaged Communities as geographically defined for purposes of the Justice40 Initiative (FOA using the Climate and Economic Justice Screening Tool) as defined as a geographically dispersed community, or as defined by a State definition that is consistent with the most recent DOE Justice40 General Guidance. By facilitating community input, social buy-in, and accountability, such engagement can improve and accelerate code updates, content and creation and implementation.
Applicants must describe what important stakeholder substantially reduces, eliminates or stalls community engagement and slows down litigation, and other risks associated with project implementation.
States must describe what important stakeholder or community engagement and outreach strategies they will utilize to reach contractor and workforce organizations, disadvantaged communities, low-income households, and other marginalized groups. States’ communities with environmental justice concerns. Applicants are strongly encouraged to establish partnerships with and provide funding to community-based organizations, labor unions, contractor organization, utilities, existing program implementers, community colleges and trade schools, and other organizations that represent or work with underserved households to reach and engage with these communities effectively over the life of the code development, creation, design and implementation.
1: Community and Labor Engagement
Architecture 2030 Template Language & Guidance
Guidance
Topics to consider addressing when describing your jurisdiction’s experience and approach to community stakeholder engagement:
- What is your jurisdiction’s process for engaging community-based organizations, Tribal governments, labor groups and other local stakeholders in policy development?
- Has your jurisdiction already been engaging with community stakeholders in the building energy code adoption process? How and who/what orgs and groups is your jurisdiction currently engaging with and planning to engage with for the adoption of the latest energy code and IECC Appendix CC / Renewable Energy Standard?
- Has your jurisdiction already been engaging with community stakeholders in the building energy code adoption process? How and who/what orgs and groups is your jurisdiction currently engaging with and planning to engage with for the adoption of the latest energy code and IECC Appendix CC / Renewable Energy Standard?
- How will your jurisdiction draw and build from its existing engagement with community stakeholders in building energy code development in its effort to adopt the latest code and/or IECC Appendix CC / Renewable Energy Standard?
- What Workforce and Community Agreements has your jurisdiction already developed and/or entered into to benefit the local workforce and communities?
- What community benefits have those agreements produced?
Best practices for community stakeholder engagement to consider for your application:
Only by embracing an equitable policy development process can jurisdictions ensure that new policies or requirements truly support local residents’ needs and avoid perpetuating inequitable development practices. Jurisdictions should engage community members at the earliest stages of program or policy design. In working with local community organizations, local officials should consider the following principles and lessons learned from other equitable building decarbonization efforts (see below for supporting resources):
- Build Trust: In many cases, community-based organizations and local residents may be skeptical that their views and needs will be considered due to a history of being sidelined in policy decisions. By being flexible, listening and letting community groups lead, local officials can build the trust needed for true collaboration.
- Demonstrate Accountability Early: Following through on early commitments—no matter how small—helps demonstrate that local officials will hold themselves accountable to agreements made with community-based organizations, which in turn will contribute to relationship-building and help deepen trust.
- Provide Compensation: Weighing in a new policy or program takes time and resources, and for many community-based organizations and community members, both are in critically short supply. Cities, counties and states should compensate community members for their time and insights to ensure they can fully participate in the process.
- Commit The Time: True community engagement results in better policy outcomes, but it takes time. Local officials need to build in sufficient time and resources for deeper and continued community engagement to ensure the best possible outcomes.