Clear Choices Clean Water

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Our team (through the support of two active watershed clients and several municipalities) created, launched, and currently maintains the state’s largest social marketing campaign for environmental awareness, Clear Choices Clean Water (CCCW).  CCCW is a unique strategy to increase awareness and knowledge about residential behavior choices and their impact on water quality in local watersheds.  The project helps to change people’s behavior, evaluate outreach success, and measure improvements at the same time.  The focal point of the campaign is an interactive website and pledge map; however, a suite of supporting resources, marketing materials, and interactive activities were developed to help support the program as well.  We create regular social media posts and engage dozens of outside partners in the continued support and promotion of the program.  Google analytics and other built-in metrics allow us to evaluate the success of various outreach strategies, which allows for flexibility and quick adjustments. This project won the 2012 Governor’s Award for Environmental Excellence, the North American Lake Management Society 2013 Technical Merit Award for Education and Outreach, the Indiana Water Environment Association’s Outstanding Website Award in 2014, and the Indiana Department of Environmental Management’s award for Outstanding Development and Implementation of Storm Water Programs or Projects.

PROJECT TASKS (Ongoing)

  • Developed award winning social marketing campaign (largest in the state)
  • Created and maintained ever-growing website that houses educational and technical resources developed to support the pledge campaigns
  • Designed numerous pieces of collateral outreach materials and creative promotional and marketing items
  • Measured and evaluated campaign pledge impacts and behavior change metrics; provided routine improvements and upgraded to the program
  • Leveraged the program to build wide-spread partnerships and sponsorships
  • Adapted the program for national implementation and resale; produced regular revenue stream and national sponsors

The team at ER has the broadest knowledge base of all things water I have encountered. Their enthusiasm and tireless approach to championing water resource protection makes this the team to engage.
The ER team is at the forefront of water resource protection strategies. Their wide array of experience with innovative practices adds value to every project they undertake.
The ER team is one of the easiest teams with which I have worked. They can take the most complex problem or condition and guide their customers to the best solutions.

Lance Lantz
Town of Zionsville

Indy Rezone

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Indy Rezone was the largest overhaul of Indianapolis’ zoning ordinances and development standards since 1969 – an effort aimed at making a more livable, more sustainable city. Our team played a critical role in this initiative by leading the facilitation of dozens of controversial discussions across multiple stakeholder groups and managing the efforts and outcomes of the Steering Committee over a two and half year timeframe. We served a leadership role by engaging focus groups at round tables, technical task forces, and the multi-stakeholder, 30-person Steering Committee. Outreach efforts were aimed at insuring that any ordinance changes had been thoughtfully developed and publically vetted across many groups and neighborhood scenarios. We focused on increasing the public’s understand of topics such as transportation choices; equitable, affordable housing; economic competitiveness; green investment; natural resource protection; and neighborhood invigoration. This understand was then leveraged into meaningful contributions by developing and facilitating diverse public input mechanisms. Indy Rezone will shape Indy’s built environment into the kinds of places people want to work, live and play for the next several decades.

PROJECT TASKS

  • Overhauled the City’s zoning code to promote livability and sustainability
  • Created and implemented strategic communication plan
  • Facilitated multi-stakeholder Steering Committee and neighborhood focus groups
  • Consulted on technical ordinance content and incentive programs focused on water sustainability
  • Planned and executed large-scale public meetings
  • Developed public outreach materials and cultivated new and unique venues for input
  • Engaged public officials and professional organizations through policy round-tables
  • Synthesized public and professional feedback from agencies and organizations to provide critical content to City project staff
Working with Empower Results means actually getting results that are meaningful, creative, on time and within budget!Empower Results first understands you, your project, then delivers a tailored approach that works. Empower Results is all about getting the results that you need; they always find a way – even when it looks impossible. As the saying goes, “it’s easy to make a decision when you don’t have all the information.” Empower Results takes all the information and enables the decision to be found relatively pain-free.
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Tammara Tracy
City of Indianapolis

Riverfront Fort Wayne

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Riverfront Fort Wayne is an initiative that envisions a revitalized downtown riverfront area that is a regional destination offering opportunities to experience nature, recreation, shopping, dining and entertainment in a whole new way. We led the community outreach efforts that resulted in the Riverfront Fort Wayne action plan – a plan that was developed through a process that included extensive community input. The resulting vision for the riverfront plan offers something for everyone, from natural wetlands that allows you to reconnect with nature, to an activity park that encourages people of any age to play, to a promenade that welcomes you to stroll and enjoy shopping and dining along the river. These areas of interest are strengthened by improved pedestrian, trail and vehicular connections from nearby neighborhoods and the downtown which will ensure an ease of accessibility to the riverfront for residents and visitors alike.

PROJECT TASKS

  • Assisted multi-disciplinary team with concept plans for redevelopment of Fort Wayne’s Riverfront
  • Developed stakeholder communication matrix and delivered associated key messages to target audiences
  • Implemented diverse public input mechanisms, including programing and content for Envision Center public showroom
  • Created unique public engagement events including boat tours and river walks
  • Facilitated large-scale public meetings and open houses
  • Analyzed public input and provided guidance to the design team

The success of the Riverfront Fort Wayne study is due in part to the true teamwork we experienced with Empower Results. Jill’s enthusiasm and dedication for our project and innovative communication techniques contributed to a quantity and quality of public input beyond our expectations!

Pam H.
Fort Wayne

Trained Individual: Contractor Training and Certification Program

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The Trained Individual Program is an annual event specifically targeted to those in the construction industry who regularly engage in earth work activities. The focus of the training is to help those in attendance: 1) understand the basic legal requirements for Rule 5 regulated construction sites.; 2) learn who is responsible for keeping the construction site in compliance with Rule 5 and the penalties for failing to do so; and 3) learn specific details on proper installation and maintaining the most common storm water best management practices (BMPs) used on construction sites. Our team is responsible for all aspects of workshop development and delivery, and often presents technical content as part of panel discussions or as formal session speakers. The agenda is strategically structured to ensure that topics progress similarly daily operations in the field and build upon themselves. Interactive program sessions insure that participants have opportunities for two-way communication and interactive learning from featured experts. The program is recognized and attended by professionals statewide. The certification elements including testing and maintenance of a Certified Trained Individual database that municipalities can consult when selecting contractors or engaging in enforcement actions. We have developed and maintained all program materials, and we administer the testing and certification on behalf of dozens of municipal clients.

PROJECT TASKS (On-going)

  • Developed strategic program agenda to address the needs of those installing and maintaining stormwater best management practices
  • Collaborated and developed educational materials and certification course manual for regional training of contractors and land developers
  • Coordinated and delivered training/certification workshops, including agency, vendor and speaker coordination as well as recruitment, registration and participant evaluation
  • Oversaw program communications, database management, and future event planning

Specifics

CLIENT
White River Alliance and Local MS4 Districts

SERVICES
Environmental Education and Outreach
Group Facilitation
Workshops and Training