Stronger Together

Overview

As public power utilities face increased competition and evolving customer expectations, there is a critical need for consistent, high-quality messaging that reinforces the value of public power, including local control, affordability, reliability, and long-term community benefit. The Stronger Together Community Engagement Playbook & Toolkit project, spearheaded by the Middleborough Gas and Electric Department (MGED) and Milepost, will provide all 40 Massachusetts public power utilities with an evidence-based communication framework that strengthens and unifies public power advocacy and enables consistent community engagement across the state.

MEAM MEMBERS ONLY: CLICK HERE TO ACCESS THE TOOLKIT

Community Engagement Playbook and Toolkit Components

The project will develop a comprehensive and customizable communication toolkit used and tested for Massachusetts public power utilities, and templatized for future, broad scale adopted by utilities of any size and any location. The toolkit includes:

• An audience mapping template

• Message frameworks and locally adaptable talking points

• Implementation guides including visual and narrative guidance for consistent storytelling

• Digital and print templates for the Stronger Together campaign community outreach

• Engagement timelines

• Internal onboarding materials for utility employees

• Supporting resources such as FAQs

The resources will be designed to be tailored to allow each utility to modify materials to match their local needs while maintaining the unified statewide public power narrative. The project includes an employee training resource that encourages buy-in for consistent messaging between internal and external customers. Facilitated work sessions will guide development, align around message application, outreach planning, and ongoing statewide legislative advocacy efforts in collaboration with Municipal Electric Assoc. of Massachusetts (MEAM), Massachusetts Municipal Wholesale Electric Company (MMWEC), Energy New England (ENE), and Northeast Public Power Assoc. (NEPPA). Regular meetings will enable coordinated rollout, shared learning, testing, and refinement.

The Stronger Together Approach

This project involves research, testing, and iterative development to ensure the toolkit is practical and effective. The work includes:

• Synthesizing best practices in public sector communication, utility engagement, and community outreach

• Developing standardized content and validating recommendations through workshops, meetings, and collaboration with participating utilities

• Building a modular toolkit designed for scenario-based use

• Conducting nine months of field testing to maximize reach, measure engagement, and community response

• Providing quarterly progress reports and a final project evaluation summarizing results, improvements, and recommended updates

  
  

This approach ensures that the final toolkit is grounded in real utility needs, field-tested for effectiveness, and ready for broad adoption.