Story-Driven Policies Beat Data-Driven Ones: How to Design Climate Programs That Get Funded and Drive Impact
I recently listened to a podcast episode from the Center for Humane Technology, where Yuval Noah Harari discusses the power of storytelling in shaping societies—a theme he explores extensively in his bestseller Sapiens. While reflecting on the podcast, I also came across a great article by Dan Williams on why people believe true things. I recommend both if you're interested in the transformative power of storytelling and its impact on shaping our societies.
Building on these insights and my own experience in policy and research, here I show how we can use storytelling to design climate and equity programs that not only attract and win funding but also drive positive impact.
I hear you. Meeting all these climate and equity targets while responding to your local needs is tough. Why? Because these targets mostly designed with political intentions and lack strong connections with existing initiatives or shifting priorities at the local level.
Here is what I’ll explain in this blog:
Why climate and equity targets exist, and
Why data is over-rated and why you should embrace storytelling in program design,
5 key considerations for designing winning grant proposals and effective programs, while meeting the targets.
Disclaimer: I’m all for targets and data (I teach courses on data science and carbon neutral cities at UC Berkeley), and, I strongly support the U.S. Government’s Justice 40 initiative.
Targets are political tools
Climate and equity targets, like Justice 40, serve as political tools—clarifying the "north star" and values. Yes, they provide accountability measures too. But, they mostly show the north star more than anything else.
So, how should you package a grant application or design a program that responds to these targets, win, and make an impact?
Climate targets clarify priorities
Presidents, policymakers, and legislatures love pushing for these targets to clarify their priorities. Numbers add validity to the intentions. For example, the Biden administration created the Justice 40 initiative, which I admire!, to emphasize its support for underserved communities. The north star here is equity and justice. In California, SB 375 asks MPOs to reduce GHGs by 5-19% from motor vehicle trips by connecting land-use and transportation strategies. The north star there is GHG reduction and neither equity or job quality.
Targets don’t always align with local priorities: staff must design programs that not only meet the climate and equity targets but also advance local priorities like creating jobs, designing safe routes to schools, or fixing storm drainage systems. But these goals don’t always align.
For instance, you may be developing a program to apply for a Federal grant, which must respond to Justice40 goals. While the program must show that 40% of the overall benefits flow to disadvantaged communities, it’s success requires alignment with existing programs that were designed with different criteria in mind. As a result, the applicants design a program that’s not well connected with other initiatives, and, does not work.
Targets don’t always respond to shifting priorities: We see MPOs (Metropolitan Planning Organizations) in California tweaking models to justify a 16% reduction in GHGs, following SB 375 program’s requirements. While MPOs and local jurisdictions have their own shifting local priorities, even the priorities at the State level have been changing. In 2006 when the SB 375 was passed, Arnold Schwarzenegger was the governor with strong environmental ambitions. Now, Gavin Newsom is the California Governor with strong focus on equity. The SB 375 program is the same program designed about two decades ago, but, the State and local priorities have shifted. Now MPOs have to respond to both the previous and recent priorities, while still respond to the targets. MPOs may not have a choice other than “playing with the knob” in their modeling tools to justify their actions.
How to design programs and grant proposals that meet political targets, win, and drive local change?
To design and implement climate programs you need fewer rigid, data-driven approaches and more emphasis on stories, norms, and lived experiences. Use storytelling to show how programs meet targets. Your stories should be supported by data, but, not necessarily derived from data.
I say this as someone who teaches courses on data science for urban transitions and carbon neutrality at UC Berkeley’s College of Environmental Design. I’ve also published over twenty papers on this topic before getting very much involved in sensitive policy work. Data is crucial, but, is still not ready to sit in the driver seat.
How should you apply all this to packaging grant applications?
Lets look at a recent application I reviewed for a federal program that needed to follow Justice40 requirements. The applicant requested millions of dollars to install EV chargers, with 40% going into disadvantaged communities. The application wasn’t selected for funding.
What was wrong with the application? The reviewers weren’t sure who would benefit from these chargers. There was no data on how many households in those neighborhoods had access to EVs. We were concerned the project would increase traffic and pollution in those areas without truly benefiting the communities.
How could the application win? The applicant could’ve shown data on how many residents had or even planned to buy EVs. They could’ve highlighted a partnership with a Zip Car program in the region to help residents use the chargers. They could’ve considered providing vouchers for discounted access to Zip Cars. By connecting all these ideas and building on existing initiatives, the applicant could’ve told a compelling story about how their project would benefit the community—using data to back up the story.
Yes, with a more thoughtful program design and clearer ideas in just two or three short paragraphs, the applicant could have secured over $12M in funding.
Five key considerations for packaging grant proposals and designing programs:
Tell a Cohesive Story:
Your program or grant application should consist of interconnected sections that align with each other. Simply adding a 40% investment to meet the Federal government’s Justice 40 initiative won’t be effective if it's not integrated into the broader program. Link the Justice 40 investment with other local initiatives, like a Zip Car program or meaningful incentives, to create a cohesive, winning proposal.Let storytelling drive, not data:
While data is essential, it should support your narrative—not lead it. Data alone is often overrated, while storytelling remains underutilized. In equity-focused programs, data may not capture the full scope of the change you're aiming for. It won’t reflect how a local pastor can mobilize a community or show the unseen impacts of past investments.Use the program as a force for change:
Climate programs are more than just frameworks of inputs, outputs, and outcomes. They are vehicles for mobilizing action. Successful design involves navigating complex and nuanced goals, packaging ideas in a way that builds consensus among multiple stakeholders, and telling a story that resonates with the community and decision makers.Build consensus around local needs while moving toward the target:
Achieving targets like Justice 40 requires consensus on how to package your program around local needs. Don’t let the targets distract you from meeting your local priorities. Engage partners like Zip Car or departments that can provide vouchers to ensure underserved communities benefit. Even if you only have two months to develop a proposal, prioritize smaller steps to engage community, agency, or industry representatives.Build on your history and existing initiatives:
Meeting targets is essential. And, you still must design your program with the local context in mind, which is rooted in norms, culture, history, initiatives, and institutions. When creating your Theory of Change (TOC), consider how each input, output, and outcome will drive meaningful local change and connect with your history, norms, and existing initiatives.
Trying to figure out how to package your grant proposal or design your program? The Triangle supports organizations design programs that get funded and make a positive change.
