When it comes to developing offshore wind energy, deep canvassing can transform local public opinion, strengthen civic engagement, and empower community organizations…given the right conditions.

Maine People’s Resource Center, New Jersey Resource Project, the New Conversation Initiative, People’s Action Institute and the Climate Advocacy Lab developed this report coming out of two deep canvassing campaigns on offshore wind in coastal communities in Maine and New Jersey.

In the Spring and early Summer of 2024, canvassers held conversations with over 1,400 local residents in Lacey Township, NJ and the Midcoast region of Maine combined. We and our friends from Maine found that community members’ opinions towards offshore wind development were complicated, often rooted in limited prior knowledge and complex emotions about local identity and economic change. However, the practice of holding long-form, one-on-one conversations with participants through deep canvassing allowed both organizations to better understand community attitudes.

Read the full report below, or watch our virtual event breaking down our canvass goals and results here.