Expertise

Overview
Environmental Strategy and Coalition Management
Media/Communications and Policy Development
Branding and Strategic Direction
Event and Conference Management
Graphics, Design and Database Expertise
Foundation/Nonprofit Public Policy & Advocacy

Overview

The Better World Group:

• Specializes in strategic positioning, constituency building and coalition management, public relations, policy development and analysis, media relations and communications, and special events.
• Uniquely focuses on air quality and global warming, advanced transportation technologies, livable communities and other leading environmental policy issues.
• Utilizes an extensive network of environmental policy makers and political leaders at all levels of government to advance various initiatives.
• Works closely with various sectors of the entertainment industry in generating support for environmental programs and policies.
• Has expertise in the legal rules governing, and practical implementation of, foundation and nonprofit public policy and advocacy.

Environmental Strategy and Coalition Management

The firm has gained national attention for its work in building and managing coalitions to advance environmental policies, including environmental coalitions working on:

• Implementation of the California Global Warming Solutions Act (Assembly Bill 32), which includes managing a coalition of 100+ activists from across California.
• Expanding state adoption of California’s groundbreaking law to regulate global warming pollution from passenger vehicles (Assembly Bill 1493) through the Clean Cars Campaign (now adopted, or in the process of being enacted in 20 other states).
• Coordination of 150+ advocates representing more than 70 organizations from across 7 states and 4 Canadian provinces engaged in the Western Climate Initiative process.
• Policy activities related to California’s Zero Emission Vehicle Program.
• Implementation of the new Alternative and Renewable Fuel and Vehicle Technology Program (AB 118 alternative fuels funding) and implementation of California’s proposed Low Carbon Fuel Standard.

Media/Communications and Policy Development

We coordinated media and outreach activities to help pass the state’s landmark Renewable Portfolio Standards legislation. The firm led efforts to craft and pass legislation to address several structural concerns related to the creation of the pioneering California Climate Action Registry, bringing together the state’s environmental and business leaders to support a common approach to measuring and managing greenhouse gas emissions. We then spent a year putting the infrastructure in place to open the doors of the California registry, including developing a business plan, building a database and creating marketing materials before orchestrating the media launch for the registry.

Branding and Strategic Direction

We help clients determine the best projects and approaches to maximize value and productivity. When Environment Now was exploring a redesign of its annual report, we encouraged the foundation to use its unique position as a foundation that supports work by environmental nonprofits in Southern California that deliver real and measurable progress on challenges facing the community. We worked with the foundation to create the Top Achievements Report to recognize efforts of NGOs that could serve as models for other organizations. The report draws attention to the goals of Environment Now but also serves as a tool for recognizing excellence in the environmental community and a template for organizations by demonstrating innovative approaches to tackling major challenges. BWG continues to work with Environment Now in producing the report, now in its 5th year. 

Event and Conference Management

In the past five years, we have expanded our services to include organizing and managing events and press conferences for various organizations in the environmental community. Events have ranged from organizing expositions and employment fairs, to grand re-opening press conferences and community barbecues for remodeled community parks, to coordinating a one-day conference on environmental issues for elected officials, to fundraising events for nonprofit organizations.

Graphics, Design and Database Expertise

The firm has design and graphics capabilities – including Quark, Photoshop and Illustrator – to create logos and graphic treatments to be used in the development and design of a broad range of print materials including: brochures; newsletters; event invitations and programs; newspaper ads; reports and training manuals; and campaign materials and ads. We use PowerPoint to create templates and slide presentations for in-house, as well as client use. In addition, we create and maintain several extensive databases that include names and contact information for thousands of elected officials, heads of city and county departments, and local and national environmental media outlets. We have designed the Los Angeles League of Conservation Voters’ newsletter for more than eight years and have designed brochures for the Sierra Club and the CLCV Education Fund in addition to collateral materials for a host of campaigns and client projects.

Foundation/Nonprofit Public Policy & Advocacy

Better World Group staff has extensive experience working with foundations and nonprofits to develop internal and external public policy programs, including lobbying and advocacy. We provide advice to senior-level organizational staff, Board members and donors on local, regional, state and national public policy issues of interest. We have substantial knowledge and experience around the laws and rules governing foundation and nonprofit advocacy, and have developed policy documents to guide an organization’s policy activities including direct/grass roots lobbying, ballot measure engagement, and foundation grantmaking. Staff has written “issue briefs,” special reports and other materials designed to educate and inform about specific policy issues.

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