{"id":6924,"date":"2021-03-11T16:13:53","date_gmt":"2021-03-11T16:13:53","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/swefc.unm.edu\/iamf\/?page_id=6924"},"modified":"2026-06-16T15:33:38","modified_gmt":"2026-06-16T15:33:38","slug":"long-term-funding-engaging-stakeholders","status":"publish","type":"page","link":"https:\/\/swefc.unm.edu\/iamf\/long-term-funding-engaging-stakeholders\/","title":{"rendered":"Long-Term Funding \/ Engaging Stakeholders"},"content":{"rendered":"

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Engaging Stakeholders<\/h2>\n

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Good communication\u00a0is the key to success in everything a\u00a0utility\u00a0is trying to\u00a0accomplish.\u00a0<\/span>\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

Tailoring your communication to the listening of your audience is the key to effective communication. It is very important to understand that others may perceive the world differently than you do; that their understanding of what is happening may be different from yours; and, most importantly, that what is meaningful and important to them may be very different from what is meaningful and important to you. Communication based on this principle\u00a0establishes\u00a0a partnership between\u00a0your utility and the stakeholders involved.<\/span>\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

Stakeholders are the people who are actively involved and affected by utility projects. Click on the image below to learn about the different types:<\/span><\/p>\n

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Customer\/Community<\/span><\/h3>\n

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Other decision-makers<\/span><\/h3>\n

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Elected & Appointed Leaders<\/span><\/h3>\n

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Project Teams<\/span><\/h3>\n

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Contractors <\/span><\/h3>\n

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Engineers<\/span><\/h3>\n

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Suppliers <\/span><\/h3>\n

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Funders<\/span><\/h3>\n

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Images retrieved from: stock.adobe.com<\/a><\/p>\n

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If it can be said that communication is the key to success, then it can also be said that lack of communication is often the reason for lack of success. In the case of Asset Management, the real key to success is the involvement and enrollment of everyone who has a stake in the process, be it the\u00a0mayor, the meter reader, or the customer at the farthest end of the line. And the key to this \u201cbuy-in\u201d is effective communication.<\/span>\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

Community engagement and support should be part of any project beginning in the planning and design phases. The community needs to understand what will change and then what to expect from the new project in the future. For green infrastructure, communicating when and how the infrastructure will be\u00a0maintained\u00a0reduces the possibility for complaints after the project is in service.\u00a0<\/span>\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n