Building Long-Term Relationships With Local Stakeholders

The biggest barrier to clean energy isn’t technology. It’s trust. In this powerful post, our friends Jigar Shah and Jonathan Drobis remind us that building solar farms and wind turbines isn’t the hard part; it’s getting the local community to say yes. And right now, we’re losing that fight more often than we’d like to admit. 👀 If you read onward, here’s what you’ll learn: -Why “social license” matters more than permits or policy -How failing to engage communities early can kill even the best-designed projects -What it takes to earn long-term support, not just short-term approvals -Real examples of what’s working, and what’s not This isn’t just about showing up with a community benefits package. It’s about building real relationships, listening first, and ensuring people feel seen in the energy transition, not displaced by it. With the work we are doing in Hawaii, we’ve found that trust moves at the speed of relationships. Our projects start with families, not financing. Because when the community leads, the system lasts. Whether you're a developer, policymaker, or advocate, this is a must-read. 🔗 https://lnkd.in/gggg7bTk

We often talk about “miracles” in policy change, but real progress is built over time, not won overnight. In Minnesota, decades of engaging people whose voices are often excluded from democratic processes laid the groundwork for what became the “Minnesota Miracle 2.0.” As I share in my latest op-ed, published in Inside Philanthropy, this wasn’t a product of luck, but rather years of investing in community-based leadership, durable coalitions, and the necessary infrastructure to weather setbacks. The lesson for philanthropy? If we care about lasting impact, we must commit to the long view by:   ✅ Supporting organizations that are rooted in the community, with deep relationships and credibility.   ✅ Investing in infrastructure that helps these organizations collaborate.   ✅ Providing flexible, multi-year support.   ✅ Bridging the national and the local.   ✅ Attending both inside and outside strategies.   ✅ Considering joining funding collaboratives.  This is how we can invest in generational power-building. I invite you to read my full reflections and join the conversation on building stronger states together for the long haul. https://lnkd.in/gniWvAYg

How do we create change that lasts? The story of Bonton Farms in Dallas, featured in Stanford Social Innovation Review, illustrates something I’ve seen increasingly in my work with leaders across the nonprofit and business sectors: meaningful transformation happens when companies invest deeply in the communities where they operate—and when they listen and respond to local priorities. Traditional philanthropy is no longer enough. Today’s communities are asking businesses to move beyond transactional giving and engage in long-term, place-based partnerships that address root causes, not just symptoms. One of the most effective tools I’ve seen is the strategic use of skilled employee volunteers. When businesses align their talent and expertise with the goals of local organizations, they help accelerate change, bridge social capital gaps, and build trust. Done well, this work benefits everyone involved: communities receive lasting support, employees gain purpose-driven experience, and companies build stronger, more resilient cultures. This shift toward deeper, more integrated community partnerships is gaining momentum, and it’s imperative that more businesses step up. I encourage other leaders to read this piece and consider what your company can do to become a true partner in the places you call home. https://brnw.ch/21wS3Ss