Work sample highlight:
GPI’s Bikeshare Equity Study Examines Barriers and Opportunities in Shared Mobility
Work sample highlight:
Texas Carbon Management Roadmap: Policy Pathways Built with Texas Voices
Work sample highlight:
Colorado’s Exploration of the Community Choice Energy Model
Work sample highlight:
Expanding Solar Access to Underserved Communities Through SolSmart: A Solar Equity Case Study
Our strengths and services
Partnering on climate and energy solutions
The Great Plains Institute takes a comprehensive, collaborative approach to accelerating the transition to net-zero carbon emissions, partnering with communities, state agencies, peer organizations, industry leaders, utilities, and more. Our staff have a broad array of backgrounds and experience, working across the country to help identify and implement the systems changes and durable solutions that will benefit people, the economy, and the environment.
The breadth of our expertise allows us to tailor our approach to our partners’ needs and adapt to the evolving challenges and opportunities in the climate and energy landscape.
GPI’s commitment to equity
In pursuing our mission, we recognize that the impacts of climate change and energy transformation fall disproportionately on people with lower incomes and communities of color. These changes can also bring economic, workforce, and land use challenges to other communities. To acknowledge and mitigate these disparities, we make equity and inclusion a keystone of our approach, our work outcomes, and our internal operations.
Our objective is to reduce the health, economic, and community burdens of the energy system to ensure marginalized communities have equitable access to the opportunities and benefits of a sustainable economy powered by clean, affordable energy.
Expertise in action
Learn more
Our approach spans six service areas, which we execute as stand-alone projects and often as integrated engagements. Our teams bring expertise in a wide range of topics and tailor support to each partner’s goals. If you are interested in learning more or have questions about working with us or supporting our work, contact us.
Our areas of service
Planning:
Effective planning is a critical component to identifying and implementing durable solutions to reduce net carbon emissions. From rural communities to state governments, we bring a unique mix of policy, research, stakeholder engagement, and planning professionals. We approach planning holistically, drawing on perspectives and expertise to incorporate economic, environmental, and societal factors into roadmaps that help governments and communities achieve their goals and priorities.
See our planning work sample: Twin Cities Bikeshare Equity Study →
1:1 Technical assistance:
We work with communities, state agencies, and other partners for one-on-one technical assistance to help navigate complex energy challenges and advance solutions that meet their unique needs and goals. We offer stakeholders technical expertise, practical tools, and guidance to inform decision-making, overcome barriers, and accelerate the deployment of clean energy solutions. This hands-on support helps translate ambitious energy goals into meaningful local action.
See our 1:1 technical assistance work sample: Charging Smart →
Education and outreach
Effective planning is a critical component to identifying and implementing durable solutions to reduce net carbon emissions. From rural communities to state governments, we bring a unique mix of policy, research, stakeholder engagement, and planning professionals. We approach planning holistically, drawing on perspectives and expertise to incorporate economic, environmental, and societal factors into roadmaps that help governments and communities achieve their goals and priorities.
See our education and outreach worksample: Distributed Green Ammonia: Demonstrating Modular Systems for Sustainable Agriculture →
Community and stakeholder engagement:
Bringing together broad groups with diverse interests and perspectives and working with them to make impactful contributions that shape decisions on energy, infrastructure, and policy has been core to our work from day one. We have convened community and stakeholder engagement processes for regulatory proceedings, government agency initiatives, public policy development, and long-term planning to ensure the priorities and expertise of the broadest group of affected parties, especially those individuals most impacted by the work, has a clear and meaningful voice.
See our community and stakeholder engagement work sample: State Carbon Management Decision Support Tools →
Research and analysis
Across all decarbonization sectors, we work to identify opportunities to advance the essential knowledge base for accelerating the transition to net-zero carbon emissions, from crafting public policy to making significant capital investments. From field research on the impacts of solar farm design on soil health to national surveys of carbon storage capacity, the research and analysis our team produces, often in partnership with respected national experts, is trusted and regularly cited.
See our research and analysis work sample: Atlas of Natural Gas Power with Carbon Capture and Storage →
Cohorts, networks, and facilitation
One of the most efficient paths to scale implementation of solutions to meet climate goals is through shared experience and peer learning. We work with participants through structured, staff-led cohorts focused on learning and achieving specific outcomes; ongoing, member-led networks that foster knowledge sharing and respond to evolving needs; and facilitated groups working toward shared objectives or projects. Across these approaches, we provide expertise, resources, and collaborative frameworks that strengthen partnerships, support practical learning, overcome barriers, and turn shared knowledge into meaningful action.
See our cohorts, networks, and facilitation work sample: Texas Carbon Management Roadmap →
