ACTION PLAYBOOK:
Map Key Policy Influencers
Let’s take action.
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Identify key influencers who can help move policymakers toward a given climate priority.
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Choose a policy priority
Identify the target policymaker(s)
Map your influencer categories
Get more specific
Find their contact information
Part 1: Identifying your climate policy and target policymakers
Choose a policy priority
Check out the featured policy priority on the Action Hub or browse our Issue Briefings for more options. No matter which type of policy you choose, spend a few minutes reading through the Issue Briefing. When you’re ready, return to this playbook to take action!
Identify the target policymaker
Now that you’ve selected a policy priority, think about who the target policymakers are. If you’re advocating for legislation (most likely!), you’re targeting one or more of the following:
Member of the U.S. House of Representatives
U.S. senator
State representative (lower chamber)
State senator
Depending on your specific policy priority, other common targets include:
U.S. presidential administration or independent federal agencies
Governor or state executive agencies
Public utilities commissioner
County commissioner
Mayor
City councilor
As you think about your target policymakers, understand that we’re always targeting our own representatives in government. (For more on why that is, visit our FAQ). So even if you have a burning desire to set the record straight on environmental justice with Sen. Ted Cruz, it’s not a good use of your time if you don’t live in Texas.
Part 2: Key influencer mapping
Choose your key influencer categories
The policymaker(s) you identified above are the people whose behavior you’re trying to influence. But you likely can’t do that alone! This is where key stakeholders come in, and if you win them over, they can do the heavy lifting for you.
Look at the categories below and identify the top three that you think might be able to sway your chosen decision-maker(s). These categories will help give you a starting point for your research in the next step. Don’t feel limited by the categories on the list if you have other ideas!
✨ You should always prioritize key stakeholders that you personally know or have connections to. Keep that top of mind as you pick your categories.
✨ One of your categories should always be another government official, as they’re almost always effective influencers. Examples: a mayor or group of mayors can influence a governor; a state legislator can influence a member of Congress; a group of governors can influence the president; four U.S. House reps can influence a U.S. senator from the same state.
✨ Not sure which categories to choose? Start by thinking about the characteristics of your target decision-maker and their state/district/city. What is their partisan lean? Who typically has influence over public officials and voters in that area? Don’t hesitate to spend some time Googling your targets and your local area to get a better feel for who has their ear.
Common Policy Influencer Categories
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Mayors and city councilors
County commissioners
Public utilities commissioners
State legislators
U.S. members of Congress
Governors
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Corporate executives
Leadership at companies with HQ in the district or city
Leadership at companies with HQ in the state
Leadership at any large corporation
Local businesses and startups (state, district, or city)
Includes both a tech startup and a local hair salon. Depends on the target!
U.S. Chamber of Commerce
State and local chambers of commerce
State or regional trade associations (e.g. Kentucky Farm Bureau)
Labor unions
Businesses with a climate interest (w/ presence in the area)
Electric utility companies
Disaster/property insurance
Electric vehicle manufacturers
Renewable energy generation companies
Renewable energy component manufacturers (e.g. solar panels)
Manufacturers or installers of electric appliances (e.g. heat pumps)
Other cleantech/climate tech companies
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Top donors to an elected official’s campaign or funders of a PAC that donates to them (find on opensecrets.org)
Investors in projects in the local area
Banks that finance local projects or fossil fuel projects
Venture capitalists and private equity with a presence in the area
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Universities and colleges
Professors in climate-related fields
Public school systems
Research institutions and laboratories
Large hospital systems
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Leadership at non-profit organizations with HQ in the area
Local religious organizations
Churches/synagogues/mosques etc.
Individual influential religious leaders (e.g. pastors)
Museums, theaters, and other cultural institutions
Community centers (Boys and Girls Club, YMCA, etc.)
Get specific!
Once you have selected your top 3 categories, search for the specific people or organizations you will contact. This might take some time, but that’s okay! The more targeted to the local area your influencers are, the higher your chance of success. Keep in mind that we’re always aiming to strike a good balance between influence and accessibility. Too much of a superstar, and they might be out of reach—but your next-door neighbor might not have the clout you’re looking for.
For your government official category, this part is easy! You’ll want to choose a government official that represents you, i.e., your own mayor or U.S. House rep, to help you influence target policymakers.
Emerge from this step with a short list of specific key influencers that looks something like this:
Goal: Influencing Senator Chuck Schumer on the Environmental Justice for All Act
Key Influencers:
ConEdison (your utility company)
Mayor Eric Adams (your mayor)
Columbia University (your alma mater)
Find their contact information
Now that you’ve narrowed down your top three key influencers, do some digging to find an email address, a Twitter handle, and/or a phone number for each. For elected officials, we like the Common Cause directory, which will display contact information for your elected officials in one combined table.
It’s more effective to contact a specific person than an entire company or organization, but sometimes that contact information just isn’t available. If you have to use some generic phone numbers or email addresses, try combining those messages with a Tweet at a specific executive, for example.
Thank you for taking action!
Help us improve this playbook: info@climatechangemakers.org
