INITIATIVES

The Utility Policy & Management Community is developing a set of initiatives to support connection, learning, collaboration, and field-building across essential utility and infrastructure systems.

These initiatives are designed to bring together scholars, practitioners, regulators, policymakers, public managers, utility professionals, nonprofit leaders, educators, students, and community partners around the public policy and public management challenges shaping electricity, water, wastewater, stormwater, natural gas, broadband, telecommunications, and related public services.

WHAT WE ARE BUILDING

As the community grows, Utility P&M will support activities that strengthen research exchange, professional development, cross-sector dialogue, student engagement, practitioner connection, resource sharing, and collaboration across utility and infrastructure fields.

The initiatives below represent priority areas for early development. They may evolve over time based on member interests, partner engagement, emerging issues, and opportunities across professional associations and related networks.

HOW MEMBERS CAN CONTRIBUTE

Members are encouraged to help shape the community by suggesting initiative ideas, proposing events, sharing resources, identifying emerging issues, connecting potential speakers, contributing to working groups, and helping build bridges between research, policy, regulation, management, and practice.

Utility P&M is especially interested in activities that are useful, inclusive, cross-sector, and responsive to the needs of both scholars and practitioners

COMMUNITY BUILDING

To create a year-round professional home that helps members connect, participate, and build a shared identity around utility policy and management.

Potential Activity Areas

Member connection and networking
New member onboarding
Member engagement and participation
Community communication and updates
Regional and thematic connections
Volunteer and leadership pathways
Community identity and recognition
Member feedback and interest mapping

Active Programs

Member Directory
Community Newsroom
Job Board
Community Calendar
Founding Members Recognition

Potential Programs

Member Spotlight Series
Virtual Networking Sessions
Regional Meetups
Thematic Member Groups
Conference Meetups
Member Interest Survey
Volunteer Interest Form
Member Ambassador Program
Community Planning Sessions
Annual Member Recognition
“Why I Joined” Features

KNOWLEDGE EXCHANGE

To support the sharing of research, evidence, data, teaching materials, professional experience, policy insights, and practical resources across disciplines and sectors.

Potential Activity Areas

Research sharing and discussion
Research-to-practice translation
Data and methods exchange
Policy and regulatory knowledge sharing
Teaching and curriculum resource sharing
Practitioner insight and case learning
Emerging issues identification
Publication and resource dissemination
Evidence-informed dialogue
Cross-sector knowledge sharing

Active Programs

Resource Library

Potential Programs

Research Seminar Series
Works-in-Progress Series
Research-to-Practice Briefs
Policy and Practice Briefs
Emerging Issues Briefs
Utility Data Hub
Data and Methods Workshops
Teaching Resources Collection
Syllabi Exchange
Case Study Library
Practitioner Perspectives Series
Research Translation Workshops
Regulatory Briefing Series
Expert Interview Series
Publication and Report Repository
Funding Opportunity Database
Knowledge Exchange Newsletter

COLLABORATIVE RESEARCH & PRACTICE

To create opportunities for members to work together on shared research, policy, regulatory, management, and practice challenges related to essential utility and infrastructure systems.

Potential Activity Areas

Scholar-practitioner collaboration
Applied research development
Cross-institutional research collaboration
Policy and management problem-solving
Utility governance case development
Practice-informed research design
Research partnerships with agencies, utilities, and nonprofits
Grant and proposal development
Joint publications and reports
Member-led working groups and topical networks

Potential Programs

Scholar-Practitioner Partnership Program
Collaborative Research Network
Member-Led Working Groups
Applied Policy Analysis Projects
Utility Governance Case Study Program
Collaborative Problem-Solving Sessions
Grant Development Network
Joint Publications and Reports
Research Partnership Matchmaking
Practice-Informed Research Design Workshops
Cross-Institutional Research Teams
Policy Lab or Practice Lab
Utility Management Case Exchange
Research Collaboration Forum
Community Research Agenda Project

EDUCATION & PROFESSIONAL DEVELOPMENT

To provide learning, mentoring, leadership development, and professional growth opportunities for students, scholars, practitioners, regulators, public managers, utility professionals, and community partners.

Potential Activity Areas

Student and early-career development
Mentoring and peer support
Career exploration and advancement
Leadership development
Professional skills training
Academic career preparation
Practitioner career development
Publishing and grant-writing support
Policy, regulatory, and management learning
Teaching and curriculum development
Cross-sector professional learning
Workforce development in utility policy and management

Potential Programs

Mentorship Program
Student and Early-Career Network
Career Development Workshops
Academic Job Market Sessions
Practitioner Career Panels
Leadership Development Series
Publishing and Grant-Writing Workshops
Professional Skills Workshops
Regulatory and Policy Briefings
Utility Policy Masterclasses
Teaching and Curriculum Workshops
Student Research Showcase
Emerging Leaders Program
Doctoral Student Network
Peer Learning Circles
Career Pathways in Utility Policy and Management Series

INSTITUTIONAL PARTNERSHIPS

To build durable connections among universities, professional associations, public agencies, utilities, nonprofit organizations, community groups, industry partners, and related institutions.

Potential Activity Areas

Professional association engagement
University and research center partnerships
Public agency and government engagement
Utility and infrastructure organization engagement
Nonprofit and community organization partnerships
Cross-sector collaboration
Institutional support and sponsorship development
Joint programming and co-hosted activities
Practitioner advisory engagement
Partner resource sharing
Field-building across institutions
Host and partner organization coordination

Active Programs

Professional Association Partnership Program

Potential Programs

University–Utility Collaboration Program
Public Agency Engagement Program
Practitioner Advisory Network
Nonprofit and Community Partnership Program
Institutional Support and Sponsorship Program
Joint Programming with Partner Organizations
Research Center Partnership Network
Utility and Infrastructure Partner Forum
Community Partner Engagement Program
Cross-Sector Partnership Meetings
Partner Spotlight Series
Shared Resource and Publication Initiatives
Host Organization Engagement Pathway
Strategic Partnership Roundtables
Institutional Collaboration Directory

EVENTS & ACTIVITIES

To convene members and partners through public, professional, academic, and community-facing activities that support dialogue, learning, networking, and field-building.

Potential Activity Areas

Webinars and virtual programming
Conference panels and roundtables
Expert talks and speaker sessions
Networking and member gatherings
Public forums and community conversations
Practitioner and policy dialogues
Student and early-career events
Professional development sessions
Special topic workshops
Annual or seasonal community convenings
Listening sessions and stakeholder dialogues
Partner-hosted and co-sponsored events

Potential Programs

Webinar Series
Expert Speaker Series
Conference Panels and Roundtables
Networking Receptions
Annual Virtual Symposium
Public Forums
Community Listening Sessions
Practitioner Dialogue Series
Policy Roundtable Series
Student and Early-Career Meetups
Professional Development Sessions
Special Topic Workshops
Member Meetings
Community Planning Sessions
Partner-Hosted Events
Conference Meetups

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