Reporting that seeks to empower.
Opportunities to engage
The ENERGY ACTION Project
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Photo: Poul Madsen
P2 Joint effort to achieve mutual goals P3 Demonstrated impacts of media projects P4 Budgets for development, launch and added-value outputs P7 EnAct revenue streams P8 Levels of support and sponsor benefits P10 Special benefits for Early Enablers P11 Other ways to engage P12 Opportunities for in-kind support / Opportunities for expansion
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The ENERGY ACTION Project
Expanding access to energy while reducing its impacts on the Planet
will require a convergence across many spheres, backed by political will, good governance and strategic investment.
It also requires that people from all sectors of society better understand where their energy comes from and how their daily habits influence energy systems and markets.
With these realities in mind, The Energy Action Project (EnAct) is working to transform energy reporting – making energy more real and more relevant.
EnAct’s vision1 is to create an interactive online magazine, devoted solely to energy: no competing issues, no getting buried on back pages, no risk of being bumped by breaking news. Jointly developed by seasoned journalists and energy experts, EnAct will strategically harness the power of multimedia to engage, inform, influence and empower concerned citizens who want learn more about: the role of energy in social and economic development, how human demand for energy drives everything from production to pricing, and ways to participate in increasing energy access while reducing its impacts on the Planet. To this end, our first priority is to build strong relationships with energy actors who can help shape the Project and ensure our reporting is timely, accurate, balanced and appropriately tuned to different contexts.
In parallel, we’re connecting with media outlets and social organizations that can help us build an online audience and trigger additional waves of energy reporting in national or local print, broadcast and online media. Finally, EnAct is investigating ways to be an early mover in the emerging field of impact journalism. We will seek to measure how our content prompts followers to support energy access initiatives or adapt their own consumption patterns. EnAct aims to be a primary source for energy news and information – a substantial challenge given the economics of today’s media environment. We believe that building a base of more informed consumers is vital to achieving collective energy goals, and ultimately represents clear value to all energy players. The following pages outline numerous opportunities to engage in creating EnAct. We trust that you’ll find a good fit, or feel free to propose additional ideas!
Executive Director: Marilyn Smith EnAct Advisory Committee: Dr. Jiwan Acharya, Senior Climate Change Specialist, Asian Development Bank • Dr. Harish Hande, Chairman, Selco India • Dr. Grayson Heffner, Deloitte Consulting LLP • Dr. Lawrence Jones, Co-founder, Center for Sustainable Development in Africa • Dr. Sarah Strauss, University of Wyoming
1. A full description of EnAct’s aims and approaches, along with the editorial calendar, is available online at: http://en-act.org/uploads/EnAct_Proposal_Nov2014.pdf
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Joint effort to achieve mutual goals Panellists at the Global Green Growth Forum 2014 highlighted the need for energy actors to better inform and influence public audiences, in part by more actively engaging with media. This is the niche EnAct aims to fill. By working with the energy sector to set editorial aims, then tailoring its reporting to energy consumers, EnAct sees the opportunity to fulfil three interrelated roles: give the public easy access to energy news and information, demonstrate the wide range of efforts underway by diverse actors, and create the sense of personal connections between audience members and individual energy experts. Recent success in increasing energy access, reducing emissions or boosting deployment of renewables confirms that collaboration across technology, policy, finance and business can accelerate the pace of innovation and deployment, and thus enhance the scale of impact. The need to transform energy production is securing a position on political agendas while on-the-ground solutions are gaining traction. Ultimately, social and cultural factors may underpin – or undermine – the uptake of solutions by different communities. This highlights the equally urgent need to transform energy consumption, which implies getting people to “get” energy.
To launch and sustain this initiative, EnAct is seeking support from the full range of interested parties:
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Energy sector actors
energy producers, market operators, transmission & distribution networks, developers of smart grids and renewable options, and others.
Private sector
manufacturers/retailers of equipment and devices, energy efficiency service companies
Government
ministries of energy, technology, natural resources, social issues
NGOs working in
energy, economic and social development, women’s issues, etc.
Financial institutions
commercial, development and clean energy banks, credit agencies, impact investors
The ENERGY ACTION Project
Photo: Peter DiCampo
Demonstrated impacts from media projects The Creative Team’s experience demonstrates that public-private partnerships to support this type of large-scale project can deliver broad visibility and value to all parties. Everyday Africa, conceived by EnAct’s Peter DiCampo and Austin Merrill, aims to re-direct focus toward a more accurate understanding of what the majority of Africans experience on a day-to-day basis: normal life. The campaign, which includes work from 18 professional photographers and countless amateurs, now boasts 115 000 followers. In addition to public exhibits, it has spawned an education component in high schools across the United States.
UNDER PRESSURE: Living with MS in Europe enabled Multiple Sclerosis societies in 15+ countries to build public awareness campaigns around a photo exhibit comparing how national health and social policies influence – for better or worse – daily life for people with this chronic, debilitating disease. Exhibits were often held in national parliaments, city halls and public spaces like museums and shopping malls. Representatives from pharmaceutical companies reported the project also gave their employees new insights into the reality of living with MS.
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Budgets for development, launch and added-value outputs Multimedia projects are, by nature, costly to produce – requiring diverse skills and substantial planning and production time. The narrative journalism style reflected in EnAct’s sample web documentaries also demands sufficient time in the field to identify characters and build their trust, capture context footage, and work closely with experts to ensure interviews will be accessible to public audiences.
Initial responses to EnAct’s initial web documentaries, Reporting that seeks to empower... and Darkness provide strong evidence that EnAct’s approach can draw new audiences to the energy story and deliver powerful experiences for energy experts. Embedding such stories into multimedia packages that inform, influence and empower will ensure the Project delivers high value.
Project Development (2014-2015) Development of EnAct to date reflects the Creative Team’s collective passion for drawing a wide audience into the very compelling story of energy. Team members have dedicated substantial time and expertise to ensure we could present a well-conceived Project Proposal that reflects the quality of work we consistently deliver. We are deeply grateful to the Advisory
Committee for their thoughtful guidance through this early stage. The following budget reflects expenses already incurred by the Team and relevant fees for services provided, as well as costs for additional work required to see EnAct through the remainder of the Project Development phase.
Budget: Project Development DESCRIPTION
COSTS (EUR)
Concept development (including direction and team meetings)
105 000
Consulting (fundraising, legal services, accounting, etc.)
35 000
Team meetings
30 000
Production of web documentaries, web site, promotional materials, etc.
75 000
Media & distribution, social media campaign
25 000
Travel & per diems (presentations, fundraising, etc.)
10 000
Administration and operations
15 000
Unforeseen (7% total budget)
15 000 TOTAL COSTS
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The ENERGY ACTION Project
280 000
Launch of Phase 1 (2015-2017) To achieve its initial goal of raising awareness of energy poverty and improving energy literacy, EnAct will develop a two-year project built around ten multimedia reportages (as outlined in the Editorial Calendar). The web documentaries will probe the personal impacts of energy poverty while complementary content shifts the focus to raise
awareness of solutions and the barriers that block progress. The following budgets reflect expenses associated with launching Phase 1 of EnAct, as described in the Project Proposal.
Annual production budget Phase 1: 4 multimedia packages DESCRIPTION
COSTS (EUR)
Direction and project management
125 000
Consulting (fundraising, legal services, accounting, etc.)
80 000
Production of four multimedia packages
400 000
Website and interactive development (including image bank)
40 000
Social media campaign
40 000
Media and distribution
40 000
Administration and operations
75 000
Unforeseen (7% total budget)
50 000 TOTAL COSTS
850 000
Added-value Outputs (Phase 1) EnAct’s work will naturally support development of other tools to stimulate discussion, debate and action around the global energy challenge, such as photo exhibitions and a photo book. We welcome
ideas for other products that will meet specific needs; where appropriate, we will promote further collaboration across the EnAct community.
Budget: Added-value Outputs DESCRIPTION
COSTS (EUR)
Photography book (approx. 250 pages)
75 000
Photography exhibit (40 images)
125 000
Events to launch photo book and exhibit
100 000 TOTAL COSTS
300 000
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Photo: Poul Madsen
Phase 2 (2017-2020) EnAct is keenly aware that the two-year project proposed for Phase 1 will only begin to explore the diverse avenues of the energy story – particularly as the global energy system is expected to be evolving at a rapid pace. While continuing to cover progress towards universal energy access, renewable energy deployment and improved energy efficiency, Phase 2 would move also into exploring the specific challenges associated with end-uses including transport, buildings and industry. Specifics of Phase 2, including the editorial line-up and budgets, would be developed in 2016, following indepth assessment of the success of Phase 1 and areas for improvement. EnAct anticipates being able to work with a broader network of in-country journalists and producers, yet also anticipates the volume of reporting would expand.
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The ENERGY ACTION Project
JOINT EXHIBIT AND EVENT SPACE AT COP 21? Energy will be high on the agenda at the 21st Conference of the Parties to the UNFCC in Paris (30 Nov. - 11 Dec., 2015). EnAct would like to explore the possibility of presenting a photo exhibition that could both attract public interest and provide a venue at which Partners could host private events. EnAct would also use the space to host a media event, creating an opportunity for energy experts and journalists to interact directly.
EnAct revenue streams Providing free online access is vital to EnAct’s aim of reaching the broadest audience possible. Respecting the regulations of a non-profit association in France, the Project anticipates being able to generate income through the following sources. Corporate sponsorship
Gifts and grants
Many companies active in the energy sector have strong corporate social responsibility programs that support “on-the-ground” activities to improve energy access. Others focus on promoting energy efficiency or influencing consumer behaviour. We trust that many companies will see the value of also supporting a online platform that raises awareness of such activities and the underlying issues and possible solutions.
EnAct is investigating diverse grant opportunities around the world, crossing spheres of the role of energy in development, raising awareness of energy issues and innovation, improving energy literacy and exploring impact/new media journalism.
20%
55%
of annual budget (EUR 170 000/yr.)
Media partnerships
of annual budget (EUR 425 000/yr.)
EnAct is negotiating with diverse media outlets (print, broadcast and online) to secure placement of content and also enter coproduction agreements where appropriate. Such arrangements often infer a value exchange more than a direct source of revenue.
10%
of annual budget (EUR 85 000/yr.)
Personal contributions EnAct will encourage individual support through crowd-funding campaigns and personal donations on the EnAct website..
Proceeds from corporate assignments EnAct’s Creative Team has already received requests to produce corporate videos or to provide other communications services to energy sector players. To maintain a clear distinction between the journalistic work of EnAct and activities that reflect corporate messaging, a separate entity has been established for commercial work. The Team has agreed, however, to direct 5% of each project budget to EnAct.
2.5%
of annual budget (EUR 21 000/yr.)
10%
of annual budget (EUR 85 000/yr.)
Asset revenues EnAct will acquire assets of value to other media outlets and to energy sector players, including a bank of images, raw footage and expert interviews focused entirely on energy. These assets will be available free of charge to some Supporters and at reduced rates to others. Media outlets will be charged according to current market rates, which are unfortunately quite low.
2.5%
of annual budget (EUR 21 000/yr.)
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Levels of support and sponsor benefits EnAct’s primary value proposition is the ability of its Creative Team to transform energy-related content into compelling web documentaries, embedded in multimedia packages that provide context and opportunities to learn and interact. Individually and collectively, we are well known in energy and media circles, which allows us to attract expert participation and deliver audiences.
EnAct proposes the following Levels of Support and Sponsor Benefits to reflect, in part, anticipated financial capacities of different players. We have also considered the degree to which participating in EnAct can enhance the perception of customers, employees and the public. We also believe engagement in EnAct will create opportunity to expand personal and professional networks.
The opportunity to participate in a collective initiative makes it possible to spread costs across players who share a particular area of interest or indeed are already cooperating on specific projects. As EnAct becomes known as a credible source for high quality and accessible energy reporting, the value of being associated with the EnAct brand will increase.
Levels of support will be scaled to reflect the capacity and currencies of energy players in different country contexts.
Gigawatt
EUR 100 000+
EUR 50 000-100 000
5 invitations to attend exclusive event with the Creative Team and Advisory Committee
5 invitations to attend exclusive event with the Creative Team and Advisory Committee
20 invitations roundtable event featuring Creative Team and Advisory Committee
20 invitations roundtable event featuring Creative Team and Advisory Committee
Unlimited access to the EnAct image bank, for editorial purposes
Unlimited access to the EnAct image bank, for editorial purposes
Use of exhibit prints (40) to host exhibit(s); one photographer to attend opening
Use of exhibit prints (40) to host exhibit(s); one photographer to attend opening
Prominent placement of logo on projectrelated materials including:
Secondary placement of logo on projectrelated materials including:
logo on sponsor page of website
sponsor page of website
credit screens in web documentaries
photo book
logo included in photo book promotional materials such as posters, banners, handbills 100 signed copies of photo book (produced in 2016) Customized two-day Communications Workshop, led by members of the Creative Team (see below)
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Megawatt
The ENERGY ACTION Project
50 signed copies of photo book (produced in 2016) Customized two-day Communications Workshop, led by members of the Creative Team (see below)
Customized Communication Workshops for Gigawatt or Megawatt Sponsors Members of EnAct’s Creative Team are sought after as both experts and instructors in their respective fields, particularly in terms of story-telling and making complex content accessible to non-expert audiences. While each workshop will be customized to meet the Sponsor’s needs, the following list outlines some possibilities: The importance of storytelling in corporate communications Fundamentals of visual storytelling Infographics: storytelling through facts and figures Studio lights and sound bites: mastering video interviews for non-expert audiences Writing about energy, without confusing (or losing) your reader
Kilowatt
EUR 25 000-50 000
Recognizing that Sponsors contributing at these levels often have superb media experts in house, EnAct invites them to consider donating the workshop benefit to an organization or media outlet in one of the developing or emerging economies in which we carry out reportage, thereby helping to build capacity in energy reporting and online journalism.
Watt
EUR 10 000-25 000
10 invitations to roundtable event featuring Creative Team and Advisory Committee
5 invitations to roundtable event featuring Creative Team and Advisory Committee
Use of exhibit prints (40) to host exhibit(s); one photographer to attend opening
Tertiary placement of logo on projectrelated materials including:
Secondary placement of logo on projectrelated materials including: company sponsor page of website
Sponsor page of website 10 signed copies of photo book (produced in 2016)
photo book 25 signed copies of photo book (produced in 2016)
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Special benefits for Early Enablers As with all start-ups, EnAct faces the challenge of strategically allocating limited resources, and of balancing the need to establish partnerships and secure sponsors with the desire to launch the Project in a timely manner. Believing that the value of EnAct – to both audiences and supporters – will grow over time, we also want to ensure we can keep up the momentum. Thus, EnAct proposes special recognition for Sponsors who make a two-year commitment (or longer) – i.e. providing funding for Project Development (FY 2014/15) and Phase 1 (FY 2015/16 and/or FY 2016/17).
Early Enablers will be presented with signed, exhibit quality photographs from EnAct’s first trips to the field or energy-related images from the photographers’ archives. A caption band will incorporate the EnAct logo and identify the company/organization as an Early Enabler, serving to show a commitment to both customers and employees. The number of photos will scale with level of support.
PROJECT DEVELOPMENT LEVEL OF SUPPORT
+ 1 YEAR
+ 2 YEARS
Watt
2 photos
4 photos
Kilowatt
3 photos
6 photos
Megawatt
6 photos
12 photos
Gigawatt
10 photos
20 photos
EnAct will also invite Early Enablers to contribute an editorial blog posting that highlights recent initiatives they have undertaken, outstanding challenges relevant to their sector and opportunities they foresee to accelerate towards shared energy goals through greater collaboration. These editorials would also appear on an Early Enablers feature page of the EnAct website.
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The ENERGY ACTION Project
Early Enablers at the Gigawatt and Megawatt levels will also qualify for a Customized Communications Workshop in each year of support.
Photo: Nigel Dickinson
Other ways to engage Become an EnAct Champion
As noted earlier, tackling energy challenges typically requires collaborative effort. As a result, actors within a given sphere or geographical context are well-connected and often have a collective story to tell. Agencies or companies willing to promote EnAct within their own networks will be identified as Champions, along with the additional Sponsors they successfully recruited, noting the individual and total contributions.
Join EnAct crowd-funding campaigns
EnAct recognizes that many actors in the energy access arena are social organizations and entrepreneurial companies with limited budgets. We don’t want that to be a barrier to engaging and gaining recognition. Please contact us directly to discuss other options, or if you’d like to be notified when EnAct launches a crowd-funding campaign that offers other levels of contributions and rewards (info@en-act.org).
Associations, networks or employee groups
EnAct invites professional associations, networks or employee groups to leverage individual interest in supporting the Project into a collective donation that would grant Sponsor status and associated benefits (as well as tax benefits where applicable) to the parent organization.
Impact investors
The growing field of impact investment, which measures returns through both social impacts and financial gains, holds potential to be a transformative force in energy access initiatives. EnAct would welcome the opportunity to partner in documenting the roll-out of projects to facilitate broader uptake of successful models and analysis of projects that fall short of expected goals.
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Opportunities for in-kind support EnAct welcomes contributions that serve to reduce and/or off-set costs associated with production and operations, such as: provision of office space to establish a secretariat in Paris, France. audit, accounting and/or legal services, or project management consulting. translation services to support delivery of EnAct content in multiple languages. printing services for promotional materials and exhibit supports.
hosting meetings (including travel and/or accommodation expenses) for the Creative Team and/or the Advisory Committee. air miles and/or airline tickets to support travel for reportage. insurance coverage for Creative Team and equipment while travelling. hosting of specific EnAct events (to be determined on a case-by-case basis).
Opportunities for expansion Additional reportage: The Creative Team
welcomes proposals from particular countries or organisations to carry out reportage on a specific aspect of energy access. Such reportage should aim to reflect the multimedia nature of the project as a whole, incorporating photo/video work, interactive elements, a research component, and technology and policy elements. Each proposal would have a distinct budget with an estimated cost of approximately €50 000 to €100 000.
Additional research: Academics wishing to use
the EnAct platform for information gathering are welcome to submit proposals. Such proposals are not expected to incorporate reportage, but should provide opportunity for interactive engagement by EnAct followers. Budgets will be determined case by case.
Help improve energy access, by making energy more accessible EnAct wants to people to “get” energy, whether that means gaining access to clean, reliable sources or better grasping the complexities of the global energy system and the need to transform it. We’ve carefully selected potential partners based on their demonstrated engagement in effective energy solutions from technology, policy, business, finance and social/cultural perspectives.
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The ENERGY ACTION Project
Knowing that human demand for energy drives everything from production to pricing, EnAct seeks to make every consumer a more effective player in smarter energy systems. To discuss further the various ways to engage with EnAct, please contact: info@en-act.org
Photo: ?
A PROJECT OF ACT 4 EnAct will be produced under the umbrella of Act 4, a non-profit association established (2014) in France under la loi du 1er Juillet 1901 relative au contrat d’ association. The mission of Act 4 is to support the production of creative projects that have clear social objectives. Act 4 can provide tax credits to Sponsors holding legal status within the European Union. It is exploring opportunities to partner with non-profit associations in other parts of the world to offer similar benefits to nonEuropean Sponsors. Act 4 is governed by a Board of Directors that oversees the execution of projects.
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Reporting that seeks to empower.
EnAct is seeking partners across the energy sector and in the media community. For more information about the editorial calendar or sponsorship opportunities and benefits, please Visit our website: www.en-act.org
Or contact us directly : Email info@en-act.org Tel. +33 6 1601 8932 / +33 1 4842 5716 8 rue Pierre Girard 75019 Paris, France