The Metropolitan Mayors Caucus is a membership organization of the Chicago region’s 275 cities, towns and villages. Founded in 1997 by then Chicago Mayor Richard M. Daley and leading Mayors from nine suburban municipal groups, the Mayors Caucus pushes past geographical boundaries and local interests to work on public policy issues. The Caucus provides a forum for metropolitan Chicago’s chief elected officials to collaborate on common problems and work toward a common goal of improving the quality of life for the millions of people who call the region home.
The Caucus will be loaning out two different energy efficiency games for municipalities’ upcoming events. There are four energy efficiency challenge wheels available for municipalities to borrow for Earth Day and other events. There are two energy efficiency toss games. For details and pictures of these games, go to: https://mayorscaucus.org/energy-efficiency-games/
**Because the grant funding for this project ended on June 30, 2023, we do not have the funds to ship the games. If you would like to borrow a game after June 30th, then you will need to pick it up from one of our game locations or from the municipality that last borrowed the game for an event, and then drop it off to us or the next municipality that is having an event. Another option is to provide us with your UPS or FedEx account number, if you would like to pay for the games and the few remaining prizes to be shipped to you.**
These games will be loaned out on a first-come, first-served basis. Please complete this form if you have an upcoming event and would like to ensure that your community can borrow it on that day.
These games and prizes for municipalities were made possible through the generous support of the Illinois Science & Energy Innovation Foundation (ISEIF).
If you are interested in joining the waitlist for our EV Readiness Program and receiving updates about the program, when available, then please fill out this form.
We had initially called for applications for the first and second cohort in October of 2022, with a deadline of Nov. 16, 2022. We received interest from 40+ communities, which was more than we anticipated. Some of those communities have been added to a waitlist, which is contingent upon future funding. If additional funding is received, we will add more cohorts.
For background information on the EV Readiness Program, go to https://mayorscaucus.org/initiatives/environment/becoming-ev-ready/.
Recognizing the power holidays can have on a community, ComEd has partnered with the Metropolitan Mayors Caucus to launch the fourth year of the ComEd Powering the Holidays Program. This program awards grants of up to $2,500 throughout ComEd’s service territory for community-based holiday lights events.
Applications will be accepted from July 8th – August 23rd. To apply, simply create an account and follow the instructions provided alongside your application.
Key Dates
Application Opens: July 8th, 2024, 7:00 a.m. Central Time
Application Deadline: August 23rd, 2024, 11:59 p.m. Central Time
The grant can be used for any holiday lights event from November 1, 2024 – February 13, 2025.
Goals
The ComEd Powering the Holidays Program aims to:
(1) celebrate community identity and culture;
(2) provide an opportunity for intercultural exchange and understanding;
(3) foster respect and open-mindedness for different cultures;
(4) develop an appreciation, understanding and respect for what is important to neighbors and others in their community;
(5) and provide a pathway for people to gain a sense of belonging to their community.
Eligibility
Powering the Holidays will provide grants of up to $2,500 for community-based holiday lights events. Grant recipients must use their funds for any holiday between November 1, 2024 – February 13, 2025.
Municipalities, townships, counties, and other local governments located within ComEd’s service territory (see map) in the following counties: Boone, Bureau, Carroll, Cook, DeKalb, DuPage, Ford, Grundy, Henry, Iroquois, Jo Daviess, Kane, Kankakee, Kendall, Lake, LaSalle, Lee, Livingston, Marshall, McHenry, Ogle, Rock Island, Stephenson, Whiteside, Will, Winnebago and Woodford.
2022 and 2023 Powering the Holidays grant recipients are ineligible.
Not-for-profit organizations and cultural institutions are eligible to apply if they partner with at least one municipality. Not-for-profit organizations and cultural institution applications must demonstrate municipal support to be considered for funding.
All events must adhere to federal, state, and local policies. All events must be deemed safe by authorities.
All events must provide an opportunity for attendance by the general public. Events can be private and have attendance caps, but the general public must be able to attend an event or community-based holiday configuration for free on occasion.
Sustainability and efficiency are key values to ComEd and the Metropolitan Mayors Caucus; therefore, applicants must demonstrate a reuse case for the holiday event and materials purchased with grant assistance. The grant cannot be used as a “one-off” occasion.
Applicants must match at least 20% for the event. Please contact Ben Schnelle (bschnelle@mayorscaucus.org) if your community is facing financial hardship and is unable to provide the 20% match. We reserve the right to waive this match on a case-by-case basis.
Applicants must be in good standing with ComEd related to provision of utilities.
Grant Conditions
Grants will be for the amounts of up to $2,500. Grant recipients must use funds for any holiday between November 1, 2024 – February 13, 2025.
During the grant period, award recipients will agree to participate in media or press interactions.
All events must follow all federal, state, and local policies to ensure the safety and health of attendees.
Successful applicants will be notified of a grant award and will enter into a grant agreement with the Metropolitan Mayor Caucus.
Reimbursement payments will be made promptly by the Metropolitan Mayors Caucus upon completion of the final report. Final reports can be submitted by March 1, 2025 or earlier. Failure to submit a final grant report with all the required attachments by the posted deadline may prohibit applicants from participating in any future grant cycles.
The administrator of the Powering the Holidays program is the Metropolitan Mayors Caucus.
Decisions on grant awards will be announced by the end of October 2024. All communication regarding your application, including the grant decision, will be directed to the contact person listed on your application.
Partial funding is possible for your project.
Support letters are strongly encouraged for your application to demonstrate community support.
Application Components
1. Enter a Title for your project
2. Upload a cover letter signed by the Mayor/Village President or Village/City Manager. Non-profits and cultural institutions must submit a cover letter by their Chief Executive along with municipal letter(s) of support.
3. Provide applicant organization name and point of contact information. The point of contact will be contacted regarding the grant decision.
4. Submit a project description (700 word limit).
5. Grant funds requested amount.
6. Proposed Match: Needs to be at least 20% of grant request.
7. Work Plan Narrative: Please outline and detail the steps your community will take to implement your event.
8. Outcomes and leveraged benefits
9. Provide a needs statement.
10. Ensure safety of all attendees/participants.
11. Upload support letters.
12. Provide additional comments.
Contact
Ben Schnelle, Metropolitan Mayors Caucus, bschnelle@mayorscaucus.org