ACTION PLAYBOOK

Contact Your State Energy Office

Let’s take action.

  • Urge your state energy office to apply for federal climate funding.

    1. Identify who to contact and find their contact info

    2. Send an email

    3. Make a phone call

    4. Tag them on social media

    5. Report back

    6. Ask a friend to do it too

1. Identify who to contact and find their contact information

For this action, you’ll need email addresses, social media handles, and/or phone numbers for people who work at your state’s department of energy.

Check this database from the U.S. Department of Energy. Every state is structured differently and has a different name for its executive agencies. Find your state in the table and click the link to visit your state energy department’s website. Choose a drop-down below to find contact information.

  • On your state energy office’s website, you should see a “Contact” page (here’s Hawaii’s as an example). Usually, you’ll see a generic email address and phone number—write those down and move on to the next step.

  • Now that you know what your state energy office is called, you can try to find contact information for specific people who work there. This takes some digging, but it’s a more effective and direct way to reach the right decision-makers.

    We’ll want to find someone who works relatively senior, but not so senior that they won’t respond to your message (i.e., not your state’s politically appointed chief energy officer or equivalent).

    To do this, head over to LinkedIn and run a filtered search for people who work in your state’s energy office. Try to find titles that include financial assistance/grants and/or renewable energy. An example title might be “Manager, Renewable Energy Financing.” This method requires you to use your discretion in selecting the right people.

    Once you have a name you’ll have to Google “[state energy office] + email format” to approximate their email address (unless it’s listed right there on their profile!). If your email bounces multiple times after guessing the address, you can either try another employee or resort to the generic contact email listed on the office’s website.

2. Send personalized emails to the energy office

Edit the template below in a blank email to the state energy office about applying for a federal climate grant. You can use the same email copy for both, but send them separately. Please bcc advocacy@climatechangemakers.org so we can track our impact.

Make sure to customize the sections in brackets and carry over any links (they’re an important part of your message!), and save a copy of your email to use as a phone script. Once you’ve hit send (🎉), return here to this playbook.

Click to populate a new email or copy/paste a template below.

  • SUBJECT: Help champion ambitious climate programs

    add bcc: advocacy@climatechangemakers.org

    Dear [STATE ENERGY OFFICE],

    My name is [NAME], a proud resident of [CITY/TOWN], and I’m writing to confirm that our state still plans to apply for the EPA’s Climate Pollution Reduction Grants. As you are probably aware, the EPA is offering $4.6 billion to state and local governments to deploy clean energy, reduce emissions, and champion environmental justice.

    I urge you to submit an application to this grant program proposing decarbonization initiatives that 1) are broad in scope, 2) foster public engagement, and 3) create new economic potential, especially for the low-income and disadvantaged segments of our community. Your leadership can make a profound difference for many communities in our state. I’ve linked a compilation of resources that may be helpful as you navigate this process.

    The range of initiatives supported by these grants extends across various sectors—from zero-emissions transportation and clean energy, to advanced building infrastructure and industrial practices. Such a holistic approach ensures we address every facet of our economy in the fight against climate change. The Climate Pollution Reduction Grants are maximally effective when they’re stacked with other federal incentives, making a comprehensive and well-researched application all the more essential.

    Thank you for your dedication to our communities. I look forward to seeing our state take a step toward a clean energy future. Please do not hesitate to contact me if you’d like to discuss further.

    Sincerely,

  • These four states chose to forgo eligibility for the Climate Pollution Reduction Grants competition. Use this alternative template to push your state legislator on championing climate.

    SUBJECT: [STATE] needs a decarbonization strategy

    add bcc: advocacy@climatechangemakers.org

    Dear [STATE ENERGY OFFICE],

    My name is [NAME], and I live in [CITY/TOWN]. I’m reaching out to discuss our state’s decision to forgo the EPA’s Climate Pollution Reduction Grants. As you are probably, the EPA is offering $4.6 billion to state and local governments to deploy clean energy, reduce emissions, and advance environmental justice. Because our state failed to submit a climate action plan, we are disqualified from the competition.

    [YOUR STATE] stands to benefit immensely from taking action on climate. [INSERT A SENTENCE ABOUT WHY YOU CARE]. 

    The Climate Pollution Reduction Grants could have offset the cost of statewide efforts to reduce greenhouse gas emissions. I’m wondering if you can provide context for forgoing this opportunity and let me know what the state is doing to help our communities and economy adjust to a changing climate and prevent future damage. I’m growing concerned that we are not taking climate change seriously enough.

    Thank you for your dedication to our communities. I look forward to seeing our state take a step toward a clean energy future. Please do not hesitate to contact me if you’d like to discuss further.

    Sincerely,

  • Do EVs rev your engine? Are you the type to throw a heat pump party? If you’re passionate about a specific decarbonization solution, consider taking a few minutes to add some spice to your email. Draft a sentence or two about why you think your state should emphasize your chosen solution in their application. You can also Google whether your state has made any progress on that solution in order to better tailor your ask. Need inspiration for a climate solution? Check out page 9 of the Notice of Funding Opportunity.

3. Make a call

Call the number(s) you found listed on the website. Use your email from Step 2 as a call script! You’ll want to mention where you live in the state, be concise and specific, and demonstrate authenticity. If they don’t pick up, don’t worry—your voicemail will be documented. (And if you prefer to leave a voicemail rather than talk to a real person, call after hours!)

4. Tag your state energy office on social media

Public amplification of your message can grab the attention of policymakers and elicit a response. Turn your personalized message into a social post, being sure to preserve the specific ask. Remember to tag their handles! If you can’t find a specific person’s handle, just tag the handle of the office. Here’s a sample you can edit:

Applications are now open for the EPA’s Climate Pollution Reduction Grants, one of the many exciting clean energy programs created by the Inflation Reduction Act. These grants are broadly applicable, covering everything from clean energy, to transit and EVs, to clean manufacturing. [STATE] please ensure you submit an ambitious application and engage the public on your plans! [TAG energy office]

  • Letting others in your network know that you’ve taken action is a great way to scale your impact. Consider using social media, email, texting, etc. to amplify the action you just took and invite others to join you. If you’re in the Climate Changemakers Slack, post about your experience to help motivate others! Below is sample language you can adapt and customize:

    I just contacted my state energy office about applying for a new federal grant. It’s really empowering and a lot more accessible than it seems. Here's the playbook! https://www.climatechangemakers.org/preview-state-energy

5. Report back!

If you receive a response from your state energy office, please report back to advocacy@climatechangemakers.org or send a message to a staff member in the Climate Changemakers Slack. You can simply forward email responses or send a screenshot. This enables us to more accurately track our collective impact.

It's useful to learn of any barriers for your state. For example, the state might be reluctant to apply because they lack the staffing capacity to process the reporting requirements for federal grants (it’s a lot of work). Anything you learn from their response is valuable, so please report back! We’re trying to grease the wheels to deploying climate solutions, so the more we know, the more effective we can become as connectors and advocates.

Did you get an enthusiastic response from your state legislator? Awesome! Consider sharing your response publicly in the Climate Changemakers Slack #wins-shoutouts channel—other changemakers may find it motivating and inspiring. We’re normalizing civic action on climate, and it starts with talking about it.

6. Invite others to take action (don’t skip this!)

Network effects are powerful. Talking about climate solutions and encouraging friends, family, or followers to take climate action is a crucial step toward changing cultural norms and making real progress. Now that you’ve taken this action, invite your friends to do the same.

📲 Easy option: simply share this LinkedIn post or this Instagram post.

⚡ Level up! Draft your own post on the social network of your choosing, or even better yet, reach out to friends and colleagues individually via email or text.

Borrow from the Issue Briefing for the facts, but the most important thing is to communicate why you care (share your “climate why”), and by extension, why your audience might care. End your post with a concrete call to action. Then send it!

And that’s it, playbook complete! Feel accomplished.
Thank you for taking action.

🎉 CUE CONFETTI 🎉

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