| Resource Type | Webinar |
| Author / Source | Co-op Innovation Network (CIN) |
| Publication Date | October 2026 |
| Location | United States |
| Initiative Type | Program, Partnership, Policy |
| Project Complexity | Intermediate |
| Recommended For | Board, Staff, Community Organizations |
Estimated viewing time: 60 minutes
Why This Matters for Rural Electric Co-ops
This CIN webinar offers three perspectives on how co-ops can engage members and communities. RMI shares tools for planning community benefits, Connexus Energy describes building its own community benefits plan, and Mana Group Consulting makes the case for the co-op as a trusted local host.
For co-ops facing load growth, data center interest, or new generation projects, weak engagement carries real risk, including local permitting denials and moratoriums. Building trust is also a growing challenge. The webinar gives leaders practical models and resources to plan benefits that are direct and visible. New ERA program context has changed, but the lessons still apply to co-ops with approved awards and to any co-op designing its own community investments.
Key Takeaways
| › | When a project's benefit is only tax revenue, that money goes into the local government's general budget, and residents rarely see what it paid for. Direct support, such as funding local nonprofits, makes the benefit easier to see. |
| › | In RMI's analysis of 200+ projects, many that failed local permitting offered only landowner payments and taxes, overlooking the broader community. |
| › | An existing foundation funded by unclaimed capital credits can serve as a trusted, scalable vehicle for community benefit commitments. |
| › | Counties want co-ops at the table. Co-ops can bring people together for hard conversations, such as data center siting, that local elected officials may avoid. |
Implementation Considerations
- Member Buy-In: Outreach can draw thin response even with broad effort. Connexus received fewer than 10 responses over three months, so co-ops should diversify channels and meet members where they are.
- Staffing or Technology Requirements: Hosting community conversations, tracking benefits, and multiyear reporting take sustained staff time. Smaller co-ops may need partners such as community foundations or community colleges.
- Time-Sensitive Information: Connexus's plan was built under USDA's New ERA program, which is no longer open to new applicants, so co-ops without an approved award should not rely on this pathway. Connexus dollar figures and timelines reflect its specific modified award.
Notable Examples
- Connexus Energy: Delivers New ERA community benefit commitments through its foundation, including the member-voted Your Community, Your Choice program.
- RMI: Offers a Community Benefits Catalog, guidance on quality metrics for community benefits, and an analysis of how benefit design affects local project approval.
- La Plata Electric Association: Hosts Community X events pairing a director meet-and-greet with topical education, and recently formed a member engagement committee.
- Rural Energy Academy: Trains county officials on community benefit negotiation, with a database of agreements and mock negotiations.
Estimated viewing time: 60 minutes
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