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Stakeholder Engagement Accelerator

A dedicated sprint to help municipal utilities build trust now, so it’s there when you need it.

APPLY NOW

Turn engagement into trust

Activate trust across stakeholders with our two-month dedicated sprint program designed to help municipal utilities turn engagement into a trust-building superpower. You'll learn how to activate stakeholder strategies that drive participation and confidence in your community.

Most utility professionals don’t struggle because they don’t care about engagement.
They struggle because the system around communications makes trust hard to deliver.

WHO SHOULD ATTEND:

  • Program managers
  • General managers
  • Communications and outreach
  • External affairs
  • Public information officers
After participating in the Accelerator, utility professionals reported:
  • Thinking more strategically about stakeholders and trust-building
  • Greater confidence engaging leaders, colleagues, and community stakeholders
  • A broader understanding of who their stakeholders are and what they need
  • Applying new tools and frameworks to real utility projects
  • Valuable peer learning with utility professionals from across the country

"As a person new to utility communications, this course helped me immerse myself into a program and learn about what needs communicating and who needs to hear it."

CHRIS YOW   |   COMMUNICATIONS SPECIALIST, COLUMBIA POWER & WATER SYSTEMS

100%

Survey respondents would recommend the Accelerator to a peer.

What this program does

The Stakeholder Engagement Accelerator is a crash course in Milepost’s practical, three-phase framework that helps utilities design and deploy engagement strategies that build trust, reduce resistance, and drive action—without adding capacity or complexity.

 

By the end of the Accelerator, you will be able to:

  • Launch initiatives faster with less risk
  • Plan communications proactively
  • Explain—clearly and confidently—how your outreach builds trust
  • Align messages across teams, channels, and leadership
  • Measure and articulate the ROI of engagement

What Participants are Saying

"Before the Accelerator, I thought I had a good grasp on who we were communicating to, why, and how. Now, I think there is room for improvement and growth with the systematic tools I have gained."

Kami Williams, Community Connections SpecialistGreenville Electric Utility Systems

“This course is a gem and having peers around the country really made this opportunity extraordinarily special.”

Communications Specialist Public Power Utility

“[The Accelerator has] been awesome because I’m now thinking about it fundamentally differently to build that buy-in and support internally. I can build all the tools and the resources, but if people aren’t bought into implementing them, then it’s a failed endeavor.”

Outreach & Engagement LeaderPublic Power Utility

"Before the Accelerator, I thought I knew who all of our stakeholders were. Now I realize the term stakeholder has a wider umbrella than I initially thought."

Customer Service SupervisorPublic Power Utility

What's included

Live, personal instruction:

The 9-week Core Program includes:

  • 4 virtual workshops on key concepts
  • 4 virtual office hours to discuss your utility's goals and barriers
  • 1 virtual Strategy Showcase to prep for your leadership pitch

 

Utility Engagement Toolkit: 

Standardized, reusable templates and implementation guides, including:

  • 90-Day Engagement Action Framework
  • Stakeholder Map & Matrix
  • Engagement & Outreach Plan Template
  • KPI & Engagement Metrics Guide
  • Stakeholder Buy-in Presentation Template

Join utility peers in our Winter 2027 cohort.

Hurry! Limited spots are available.

How the program works

Rigorous yet realistic

The Accelerator is thoughtfully structured to balance depth with practicality. Experience a blend of interactive workshops, peer discussion, coaching, and practical application.

Customizable frameworks and tools

No two utility challenges are alike. That’s why our proven frameworks and tools flex to fit your unique needs, whether tackling rate-related communications, internal alignment hurdles, or boosting program participation.

Meet you where you are

The Accelerator is designed to support you at your current stage and drive you forward. Time commitments are clearly outlined, but you control the depth. Dive deeper into areas that matter most to your organization—the program adapts to your priorities and complexity. The more you invest, the greater the value you’ll achieve.

CORE PROGRAM

Icons_Marketing strategyDiscovery 

Weeks 1-4

Gain clarity around trust, audiences, and priorities.

Outcome: Diagnose where your gaps in trust are and define how to best fill them.
You'll work on:
  • A deep-dive trust and engagement assessment
  • Identifying priority stakeholders and gaps
  • Mapping influence, readiness, and motivations
  • Defining success metrics leadership actually cares about
What to expect:
  • Two, 90-minute workshops
  • Two, 60-minute office hours

Time Commitment: Approx. 3 hrs a week, including in-session and asynchronous work
Cohort dates: All events take place virtually over Zoom on Wednesdays.

  • Workshop 1: January 20, 2:00–3:30 PM ET
  • Office Hours: January 27, 2:00–3:00 PM ET
  • Workshop 2: February 3, 2:00–3:30 PM ET
  • Office Hours: February 10, 2:00–3:00 PM ET
CORE PROGRAM

Icons_Messaging frameworksDesign

Weeks 5-9 

Create an actionable plan that moves people.

Outcome:  Design an airtight plan ready to share with leadership and your stakeholders. 
You'll work on:
  • A 90-day Engagement & Outreach Plan
  • Messaging frameworks grounded in trust pillars
  • Content development using pre-designed templates
  • Preparing an executive-ready strategy presentation
What to expect:
  • Two, 90-minute workshops
  • Two, 60-minute office hours
  • One, 90-minute Strategy Showcase

Time Commitment: Approx. 4-5 hrs a week, including in-session and asynchronous work
Cohort dates: All events take place virtually over Zoom on Wednesdays.
  • Workshop 3: February 17, 2:00–3:30 PM ET
  • Office Hours: February 24, 2:00–3:00 PM ET
  • Workshop 4: March 3, 2:00–3:30 PM ET
  • Office Hours: March 10, 2:00–3:00 PM ET
  • Strategy Showcase: March 17, 2:00–3:30 PM ET

Pricing

Discovery and Design

Access the guidance, tools, and support you need to build an actionable engagement plan with this 9-week Core Program.
$6,500 / person
$5,500 / person for teams of 3+ from the same organization
   4 live workshops
   4 office hours
  1 Utility Engagement Toolkit with 5 templates and guides
  1 Strategy Showcase

 

Deploy      ADD ON

Turn plans into action with expert support. You'll gain hands-on support to launch as you launch your initiative or campaign with this 4-week add-on package.
$2,500 / person
   1 live workshop 
  1:1 coaching support
  Final communication asset readiness review

Meet the instructors

Holly-square

Holly Baird

As Milepost’s Director of Utility Accounts, Holly Baird is a trusted advisor to energy utilities navigating change, innovation, and growth. She helps clients untangle challenges and design programs that are sustainable, effective, and...   Learn more

 

DaleM

Dale Mills

As Communications and Engagement Lead, Dale Mills brings a strategic, interdisciplinary lens to every project, blending education, storytelling, and visual messaging to create experiences people actually want to engage with. She designs for impact...   Learn more

Ready to build trust?

Spots are limited to ensure meaningful, hands-on support. 
APPLY NOW

Common questions

Don't see your question answered here? Drop us a line at hello@engagemilepost.com. 

When are the live events?

All events are held virtually on Wednesdays, starting at 2:00pm ET. Workshops are 90-minutes; Office Hours are 60-minutes.

Discovery & Design

  • Jan 20 — Workshop 1
  • Jan 27 — Office Hours
  • Feb 3 — Workshop 2
  • Feb 10 — Office Hours
  • Feb 17 — Workshop 3
  • Feb 24 — Office Hours
  • Mar 3 — Workshop 4
  • Mar 10 — Office Hours
  • Mar 17 — Strategy Showcase

Deploy (Add-on)

  • Workshop and 1:1 support are scheduled separately
Is a recording available if I can't attend a workshop?

We strongly encourage you to attend the workshops to make the most of learning alongside peer utilities. However, recordings of the workshops will be available to registered cohort participants.
What is the weekly time commitment?

We know utility professionals wear many hats! This program is designed to be rigorous but realistic, allowing you to invest what you're able.

Weeks 1-4: Participants should plan for approximately 3 hours per week, including live workshops, optional office hours, and asynchronous work.

Weeks 5-9: The time commitment increases slightly to about 4–5 hours per week as teams move into planning, message development, and preparation for the Strategy Showcase.

Time estimates are intentionally flexible, allowing participants to go deeper where it matters most for your chosen initiative.
What if the program dates don't work for my schedule?

We will be launching another cohort in Spring 2027 and hope you can join us then. Please reach out to hello@engagemilepost.com to be added to the waitlist. 
What kind of programs, initiatives, or technologies does this cohort apply to?

The Accelerator supports utility programs and high‑stakes initiatives where trust, participation, and alignment are critical. Teams commonly apply the work to:

  • Rate‑related communications
  • Energy efficiency and DSM programs
  • Electrification initiatives
  • New or evolving technologies (e.g., time‑of‑use rates, smart thermostats, heat pumps)
  • Internal alignment challenges (e.g., leadership buy‑in, cross‑department coordination)

The program is intentionally initiative‑agnostic, allowing teams to focus on a real, current priority while building reusable systems and tools that extend beyond the cohort.
What kind of stakeholders does this apply to?

The Accelerator applies to both external and internal stakeholders involved in utility decision‑making, trust, and participation. 

External stakeholders might include:

  • Residential (e.g., LMI, multi-family, EV owners, kids to adults)

  • Commercial & industrial (e.g., small businesses, schools, hospitals)

  • Neighborhood associations

  • Local elected officials

  • Project developers

Internal stakeholders might include: 

  • Board members or council members

  • C-suite

  • Program teams

  • Customer service

  • Operations

  • Cross-functional partners or implementers 
What is the Strategy Showcase?

The Strategy Showcase is a 90-minute session during which each participant will present their engagement strategy and plan—which will be built during the Design phase of the program—to their cohort peers and instructors. Through this practical exercise, participants will receive valuable feedback and insights, preparing them to share their programmatic outputs with leadership, team members, and stakeholders.
How does the application process work?

To ensure meaningful, hands-on engagement, the cohort is intentionally small. We review applications on a rolling basis. 

If you’re accepted, we will notify you and provide payment details based on the preferred payment method you selected in the application.