Module 11: Advocacy and Public Policy
Advocacy before the mayor's office and municipal council, power-interest matrix, policy brief, and elevator pitch aligned with the PND 2026-2030.
4 hours Phase 3 · Investment Readiness
By the end of this module
The participant will be able to:
- Analyze the role of different levels of municipal government (mayor's office, municipal council) in supporting community energy projects.
- Apply the power-interest matrix to map key stakeholders in their municipality.
- Draft a one-page policy brief addressed to the mayor.
- Relate their proposal to the guidelines of the National Development Plan (PND) 2026-2030.
- Practice a short elevator pitch before a decision-maker audience.
Session topics
Expand each topic to see the full content
1. Political advocacy: definition and why it matters for cooperatives
Political advocacy is the set of deliberate, strategic actions aimed at influencing public decisions -- regulatory, budgetary, or administrative -- that affect the operating conditions of a project or sector.
For a community energy cooperative, advocacy is not a luxury reserved for large organizations: it is an essential tool for survival and growth, because decisions made in the municipal council can determine a project's economic viability just as much as any internal technical or financial decision.
It is important for cooperative leaders to understand that effective advocacy is not about asking for favors, but about building long-term, evidence-based relationships, presenting proposals clearly aligned with goals the local government already pursues (employment, rural development, energy transition), and sustaining those relationships beyond a single electoral cycle.
2. Key stakeholders: the mayor's office and the municipal council
The mayor's office, through the mayor's office and its secretariats, has authority over licensing, land use, and can include community energy projects within the Municipal Development Plan.
The municipal council is the body that approves the Municipal Development Plan, the annual budget, and municipal ordinances -- including potential local tax exemptions for community renewable energy infrastructure.
It is crucial that the cooperative distinguish between these two stakeholders in its strategy: the mayor and the administrative team are the channel for inclusion in the Development Plan, while the council members are the channel for specific regulatory ordinances such as tax exemptions. A mature advocacy strategy cultivates relationships with both simultaneously.
3. Stakeholder mapping: the power-interest matrix
The power-interest matrix is a simple yet powerful tool for prioritizing advocacy efforts. It is constructed by placing each relevant actor on a two-axis plane: the horizontal axis measures the actor's level of interest in the project, and the vertical axis measures their level of power or real influence.
- High power and high interest -- must be managed with the highest priority and personalized attention.
- High power, low interest -- require a "keep satisfied" strategy.
- Low power, high interest -- are valuable allies for amplifying the message.
4. The elevator pitch: brief communication before decision-makers
An effective elevator pitch for political advocacy must be deliverable in 60 to 90 seconds and contain four elements:
- The concrete problem.
- The proposed solution (the cooperative and its model).
- The specific, concrete ask.
- The benefit to the listener (how this helps the mayor or council member meet their own goals).
Repeated practice of this pitch, with peer feedback, is as important as its written content.
International reference
What worked in another context and what is transferable to Colombia
Energie Samen and Dutch legislation
Energie Samen is the national federation of energy cooperatives in the Netherlands, and its advocacy track record offers a replicable model.
During the design process for the "Energiewet" (energy law), Energie Samen did not act as a single cooperative asking for a one-off favor, but as a federation that aggregated the voice of hundreds of local cooperatives, presenting consolidated data on the sector's economic and social impact, and systematically participating in formal public consultations with concrete proposed legislative text.
The central lesson for Colombian cooperatives is the importance of building horizontal coalitions among cooperatives from different municipalities and departments before attempting to advocate at the national level.
Discussion questions
- What advantages does acting in coalition have over acting individually when advocating for public policy?
- What public consultation or citizen participation mechanisms currently exist in your municipality that your cooperative could leverage?
- What concrete steps would your cooperative take to begin building a coalition with other energy cooperatives in your region?
Module deliverable
The output of this exercise feeds the cooperative's portfolio
Policy brief and elevator pitch
- Using the power-interest matrix, map at least 6 relevant stakeholders in the participant's own municipality.
- Draft a policy brief (one page maximum) addressed to the mayor, arguing for municipal support for community energy, including: a specific local problem with data, a concrete proposal, a specific ask, and alignment with the PND 2026-2030.
- Prepare and practice a 60-90 second elevator pitch based on the policy brief.
Power-interest matrix + one-page policy brief + video/audio of the elevator pitch (60-90 second recording for asynchronous facilitator feedback).
Module rubric
The "Proficient" level is the minimum required for the graduation portfolio
| Criterion | Insufficient | Basic | Proficient | Outstanding |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Stakeholder mapping | Fewer than 4 stakeholders identified | 4-5 stakeholders without clear classification on the matrix | 6+ stakeholders correctly classified on the power-interest matrix | Includes a differentiated management strategy for each quadrant |
| Policy brief | Generic, without data or a specific ask | Includes the problem and proposal but a vague ask | Includes all 4 required elements with a concrete ask | Also cites verifiable data sources and a specific section of the PND |
| Alignment with PND 2026-2030 | Does not mention the PND | Mentions the PND in a generic way | Cites the specific relevant axis or target | Argues how municipal support contributes to measurable PND indicators |
| Elevator pitch | Significantly exceeds the time limit or does not include an ask | Within the time limit but missing one or more of the 4 elements | Includes all 4 elements within 60-90 seconds | Memorable, natural pitch tailored to the specific listener |
Further reading
- Energie Samen -- legislative advocacy reports (Netherlands)
- DNP -- National Development Plan (PND) 2026-2030, chapter on energy transition and solidarity economy
- REScoop.eu -- political advocacy guide for European energy communities
Links point to the official website of the entity that issues each regulation or document, not to a specific file. Course-specific materials (templates, fact sheets, protocols, and translated guides) are not public: they are delivered within the program's LMS and during in-person sessions.