Committee Participants
Interested committee participants are encouraged to complete a “Membership Application” no later than Friday, February 3, 2023. Funds for stipend-eligible CBOs will be allocated to eligible applicants soon thereafter.
The Committee is intended to have a broad representation of organizations, geographies and representation from the broad range of customers who may qualify as “Income Qualified.”
The membership application to be a Committee member can be found on the Resources page.
Working Groups
The list of “Key Substantives Issues” below was developed and refined by the 2022 IQ Full Committee Leadership Team (LT) at a joint all-day, in-person Strategic Planning meeting held on July 19th in Champaign. The list was developed after the 2022 LT considered a long list of issues that have been raised by CBOs, CAAs and others over the past two years through the prior IQ committee (established under FEJA) and elsewhere.
In 2023, the descriptions of “Key Substantive Issues” will be reviewed through Working Groups with input from interested Committee members. Working Groups will be open to all interested Committee Members and will be structured to foster engagement and dialogue. Each Working Group will be led by at least one Committee Leadership Team Member, and ideally supported by two or more. Any Committee Member who seeks to participate in a Working Group will be expected to attend regularly and contribute to the framing, discussion and deliverables of the Working Group.
Many of the issues below are also being addressed and developed through other organizations, initiatives and processes currently underway in IL. The Committee will seek to foster collaboration and leverage other efforts to avoid unnecessary and/or unproductive duplication of effort.
Working Groups on key issues, below, will be established starting in Q1 of 2023. The number of Working Groups and pace of each Working Group will be determined by the engagement and interest of the assigned Committee LT member(s) and Committee Members.
Key Issues
- Increase and Support Minority Contractors: Recruit 10 minority contractors and develop a roadmap for contractor success.
2022 LT Leads: Odette Watson, Sy Lewis, Naomi Davis - Develop metrics for equitable distribution of EE/Related services to Disadvantaged + EJ Communities (Equipment, Jobs, Dollars, Training and Education).
2022 LT Lead: Cheryl Johnson - Research Availability and Services of CEDA Service Centers (IQ-N): Includes identifying existing CEDA LIHEAP and IHWAP centers, determine hours of operation, location, staffing, related services (for example, does the center cross-promote utility EE and related offerings such as PIPP?). Explore increasing number of CEDA service centers, including mobile options.
2022 LT Members: Sy Lewis - Streamline Application and Renewal Processes for IQ Customers including EE IQ program + LIHEAP + IHWAP application process; sign up for one – get option to sign up for others without having to provide essentially duplicative paperwork. Ensure cross promotion of related programs to help customers manage bills Learn about one program, get offered all for which customer might be eligible. Make annual renewal process easier, particularly if information hasn’t changed.
2022 LT Members: Lisa Miranda, Cheryl Johnson - Develop Framework for Developing Integrated Clean Energy Plans for Disadvantaged/Under-Resourced Communities; Identify Available Resources to Implement Plans: Develop framework for developing plans for how under-resourced/disadvantaged communities could develop integrated Clean Energy Plans, including educating customers, training local contractors, increasing local employment, and increasing clean energy resources including EE, Solar, EV Vehicles and EV charging. Identify available resources that could be leveraged to develop and implement such plans in disadvantaged communities
2022 LT Members: Billy Davis, Steve Robinson - Improve messaging and education to disadvantaged communities and customers. This includes messages to help overcome “distrust” barrier (customers who view any energy offering with distrust, even if the offering could provide significant value), how to read bills/understand usage and educating customers about options, including energy efficiency, conservation, bill payment options/programs to help disadvantaged customers pay and manage their bills.
2022 LT Members: Dalitso Sulamoyo, Theresa Collins, Lisa Miranda - Develop Air Conditioning Pilot and Longer-Term Plan for Protecting Customers During “High Heat” Days – When should A/C be paid for by EE funds? Who should be eligible? Should the program be modeled on emergency furnace replacement program? Long term, how do we address the cooling needs of vulnerable customers (elderly, young, disabled) as “high heat” days increase, including more tree canopies, cool roofs, eliminating disconnections in summer for those who could have serious health impacts if their electricity gets turned off and heat rises, identifying residential “heat spots” that need particular attention.
2022 LT Members: Lisa Miranda, Theresa Collins, Rick Stubblefield